Ardent MIA

Hi all,

Are there any current Ardent shoppers out there? I used to be very active with them (including posting in their shoppers-only FB group), until recently I noticed I wasn't getting emails from them anymore. I went to the site and emailed them, with no response. I also seem to have been mysteriously deleted from the FB group, and I can't find it anymore.

Anyone know what's going on? Is Ardent still around?

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Ardent is definitely still around and there is no lack of assignments with their big client. I am planning to do one for lunch tomorrow and another on Tuesday, which is a state holiday here. Yes, I get a 4-day weekend! Loving it.

Hmmm... thanks. Hopefully I can get in touch with them and find out what's going on with my account. Cheers.

Has it been a while since you took an assignment from them? Because they do deactivate after a few Declines of assignments. Who was your Scheduler? If it was Deanna I can PM you her new email address. They moved their reporting site back in April (I think it was April) which may be why you can not reach them by email.

Lady Marius
Canadian Mystery Shopper

Deanna was one of my schedulers, yes. Her new email would be great, thanks!

It has been a while since I took an assignment, but not because I've been declining, but because there were so many shoppers in my area that I never got any assignments!

@rebeccacat wrote:

It has been a while since I took an assignment, but not because I've been declining, but because there were so many shoppers in my area that I never got any assignments!

I'm guessing you may no longer find that to be a problem! From what I can see, and from the e-mails I've been getting from my scheduler lately asking if I can pick up declined shops/orphans, it seems that they're having a problem filling shops. I think, based on comments in the FB group, that people are really frustrated with the amount of time it takes to do the report and the redundancy of the narrative requirements vs. the questions. Also, they haven't raised the rate in awhile, and some people feel it's just not worth it.

They're going to be coming out with a streamlined report soon, we've been told. That may help alleviate the apparent shortage of shoppers. So, I think I'd get back in with them and get re-established in your area with some "can shop" locations before that happens!

I learn something new every day, but not everyday!
I've learned to never trust spell-check or my phone's auto-fill feature.

Ok. I sent you her email in a PM. Hope you get it sorted with them!

Lady Marius
Canadian Mystery Shopper

BirdyC, glad to hear they are streamlining the report some more. That situation with the lengthiness of the report is my main issue with the shop as well. Last time they streamlined it helped quite a bit. And I personally was given a raise years ago when I was contacted by one of the top people who said I was a good shopper for them and I deserved a raise. Within a month after that they raised everyone it seems to my new seasoned shopper rate. So suddenly I was back at the newbie rate which has not changed despite prices going up in my local market.
I can only imagine that there are lots of shoppers right now declining shops due to the health scares. So that, rather than not enough shoppers, might be heavily impacting their being able to get all the jobs done.

@sandyf wrote:

BirdyC, glad to hear they are streamlining the report some more. That situation with the lengthiness of the report is my main issue with the shop as well. Last time they streamlined it helped quite a bit. And I personally was given a raise years ago when I was contacted by one of the top people who said I was a good shopper for them and I deserved a raise. Within a month after that they raised everyone it seems to my new seasoned shopper rate. So suddenly I was back at the newbie rate which has not changed despite prices going up in my local market.
I can only imagine that there are lots of shoppers right now declining shops due to the health scares. So that, rather than not enough shoppers, might be heavily impacting their being able to get all the jobs done.

Sandy, I, too, was one of the shoppers who got the "raise" ahead of the others. So I guess they're not doing that anymore (unless they are, and nobody told us--LOL). The increase in prices has hit here, too, and it would be nice if we got a raise of a couple of bucks! I agree that the health scares have probably impacted the number of shoppers willing to do shops. But it seems to me that would primarily impact the western U.S. We haven't had any scares on the Eastern Seaboard, at least that I've heard of.

I learn something new every day, but not everyday!
I've learned to never trust spell-check or my phone's auto-fill feature.

Yes, they are still around. Where have you been?

. But it seems to me that would primarily impact the western U.S. We haven't had any scares on the Eastern Seaboard, at least that I've heard of.[/quote]
Don't quote me but I seem to remember the later norovirus scare took place in Boston or thereabouts.

I am one of those who has stopped doing them. I had been a little wishy washy on them for awhile because while I liked doing the shop itself and making observations I found myself absolutely dreading the report, even though it only took me 30-45 minutes. The last straw came when I and an editor had a difference of opinion in something being a rephrased question or a different question and I was told "in the future it would he nice if you actually read the instructions."

I immediately emailed my scheduler and told her no more.

There are reasons that a body stays in motion
At the moment only demons come to mind

They are definitely still around. As for the Boston incident, it seems that was an isolated incident here on the east coast, albeit pretty big.

A friend told me they closed all the stores nationwide for a day on Friday.....to do retraining, cleaning I do not know as I did not hear about it directly.
One of the ecoli scares in Northern Calif had only 2 victims (victims who lived to tell the tale) and I read that there was a question about whether they actually had E coli or some other bug and also whether it was traceable to this restaurant. But that first California location seemed to have doomed the entire state even though the place is over 500 miles from where I live.
I am looking forward to all the crime show episodes this will inspire.

They are going to close every store on February 8th for a meeting to discuss food safety. The meeting will be conducted via satellite conferencing. I was going to include a link to an article in USA Today, but there is no way to include a link to the story without the name of the restaurant chain becoming known (not sure how it could not be known which chain had the e.Coli outbreaks since October and the one huge (hundreds of people) instance of Norovirus in Boston. They are going to reopen at 3 PM.

I wouldn't be surprised if the shops re-emerge with added questions about food safety (wearing gloves, measuring temperatures, hand sanitizer for customers, etc.)

Shopping Southeast Pennsylvania, Delaware above the canal, and South Jersey since 2008

I've seen them taking temperatures the last few times I was there. I can't get my report time down to under an hour!

Ohio

My report now takes about an hour. I recently joined their FB page and love all the valuable information I've received. I wish more msc had FB pages like this one, but I understand Ardent is a different type of msc with only one client.

There must not be a lack of shoppers in my area. This month I was only assigned one shop, instead of the two I'm used to getting (although I managed to pick up an orphan),

@BirdyC wrote:

I'm guessing you may no longer find that to be a problem! From what I can see, and from the e-mails I've been getting from my scheduler lately asking if I can pick up declined shops/orphans, it seems that they're having a problem filling shopss!

Happiness is not a goal; it is a by-product. Eleanor Roosevelt

I also only got one shop instead of two. I was wondering if they are perhaps cutting back temporarily on the mystery shop program while they fix this other issue of food safety. The current questions do not cover any food safety issues other than if we saw someone wash their hands. In the 4 years or so I have been doing these every month I have only seen one person wash hands. For those reading the thread that have not done the shop, this does not mean no one washes hands. It just means no one washed hands while I was able to see the sink which was for 2 minutes or so.

Hi. In northern California, they have another client that specializes in high-end gourmet fast foods. You guys are able to get the reports done under an hour? It takes me about 2 hours to do the reports. Even though their reports are lengthy, it is still one of the easiest reports to do on a restaurant shop. I done other restaurant reports that were very nick picky about the narrative. For example, instead of checking off the usual check list for the restroom, they (MC) wanted details about the restroom. In the report, they did not say they wanted details about the restroom until it was returned for additional comments. I think that's how they can lower your score rating since they had a valid reason saying your report was returned for additional comments. Gee, did they also want the details of what I did in the restroom too?

Just so you, catgrannyof5, do not feel so bad about the time to write a report I cannot do one in an hour either. This company does have another Asian place near where I live but so far I have not seen any mystery shops for it. Perhaps I have to be invited to train for that shop to see them.

The Asian place isn't in the shopping circuit yet. I've asked my scheduler a couple of times when the shop locations have shown up in the "check off where you can shop" list, but she doesn't know when the actual shopping will start. We are getting a new burger chain in the cycle next month.

I haven't been paid by Ardent this month. Anyone else get paid?

I got my payment today.

Ohio

Mine is there today also, a little later this month than usual.

Can anyone tell me the best email to use to get in touch with Ardent? My account isn't activated, and when I tried to re-apply, my email was already in use. I tried emailing "questions@ardentservices.net" but have not heard back. Thanks!

Do a search of forum users - karan.ardent or something like that - and send her a PM. She posts on the forum from time to time.

Kim

starburstt, how long did you put in your application? It may take a while for them to approve you.

From my understanding, you apply and then wait. Ardent will contact you next time they have training if they want you. You will need to complete the training and perform your first job before you are paid for the training.

@starburstt wrote:

Can anyone tell me the best email to use to get in touch with Ardent? My account isn't activated, and when I tried to re-apply, my email was already in use. I tried emailing "questions@ardentservices.net" but have not heard back. Thanks!

starburst, have you ever actually performed shops for Ardent and taken the training? If you have performed shops in the past, e-mail the scheduler you worked with.

If you have just signed up but you have never worked for them, Ardent does not make you an active shopper until you have taken their training class. When they have a class in your area, they contact you and offer to let you come. You get paid when you attend the training and it takes about 2 hours, although your payment for training is not made until you perform your first job for them. After you attend the training, they contact you and let you fill out your personal information and you provide your social security number and direct deposit information. There are a couple of forms you sign and e-mail back to them. After that, you are able to log in.

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