I shopped primarily on-site apartment properties starting in December, 2015. At first it went well. However it has gone increasingly badly recently. I tried to do recorded telephone call only visits and after diligently following precise protocols from the client and EPMS had all three of my assignments taken back and not paid because of partial recordings. I used an android app that recorded the entire telephone conversation so I cannot imagine what they were talking about. I am a retired psychologist and have written more assessments than one can imagine. The ironic thing is that I am calling a recorded line and recording the conversation! The last straw was being docked $10 because I didn't speak with the agent I was supposed to see in person for the on-site visit. No where have I ever read this requirement except when making a recorded telephone call only visit. I call this a switch-and-bait! EPMS seems to use a shyster approach in dealing with it's independent contractors. No professional would change the shop/client contract after the completion if an assignment. EPMS seems very adept at playing games after the fact when the terms of the assignment are clearly spelled out in the requirements for each assignment. I refuse to be treated unprofessionally. It will be interesting to see if EPMS pays me for the outstanding amount they owe me for previously successful assignments I had completed and that were accepted. If not the Minnesota Attorney General's office will be receiving a call.

Why are you recording your calls on an Android app? Ellis has their own system to record calls. Shortly after making the call the recording is available on the website and can be checked.

Was there a reason you spoke with the target on the phone and not on site? Normally if your appointment is a different day than the call the requirement is to call again the day of the appointment to verify the target is there that day and if they are not you don't make the visit and contact Ellis. If you arrive and the target passes you off to another leasing agent it is supposed to be acceptable to complete the shop with the second agent.

This requirement is non-existent. I have never been required to call and do the on-site visit with the same target person before. It is not uncommon to call and speak with a different leasing agent before seeing the target and scheduling an on-site appointment via the leasing agent I speak to fir the target. It says nothing about speaking only with the target. For some part time agents it is very difficult to speak with them before the appointment as their hours are so irregular. It used to say not to ask for the target agent by name, but that became impossible. It could take up to a week just to reach the target. EPMS told me to say I was referred to the target agent. Never that I can only speak with them before the on-site visit. I did do 3 recorded calls only with no on-site visit required and afte a week of trying to understand what the editor's problem was with the recording I was summarily dismissed and told that "the client" would not accept my incomplete recording! Completely unprofessional and capricious. Most of the editors have a limited and poor vocabulary. Spelling our, "are"!! EPMS is clearly meets the required diagnostic criteria for "shyster"; a person, usually an attorney employing deceptive and misleading practices in business.

Sorry, but the requirement does exist. In fact, I've never heard of a target shop for any company that didn't require you meet with the target. That's why they are called target shops.

You still haven't answered the question about your recording. Every recorded call I've had through Ellis required using their system to record. Plus you are saying you have the recording in it's entirety. Why wouldn't you try to find another way to transmit the recording? As a video shopper I've had instances where there were difficulties in the upload/download process. I worked with the MSCs to ensure they got my videos. It is certainly not unprofessional for them to tell you the client won't accept a partial recording. There is no way for a client to properly rate a leasing agent without hearing the entire conversation.

As to their editors, you are just being insulting. Like any company some employees at Ellis are easier to deal with, some not so much. Not one has had "limited or poor" vocabulary skills.

I confused by this, too. All of these shops that I have done did have the requirement Lisa described. That's what makes target shops so hard. I've been doing them since 2010 and so far not had any rejected. If you have only been doing these since December 2015, you have only a month's experience. Maybe you don't completely understand the guidelines and requirements? Have you gone back and read the guidelines again?

I haven't run across anyone at Ellis with limited or poor vocabulary skills over the past 6 years, but target shops are not my favorite. I find them difficult and frustrating. My suggestion to you as a new and inexperienced mystery shopper would be to find a different kind of shop to do until you gain more experience.

Have a question for you all who have been with Ellis a while. I am fairly new to all of this in the last 6 months.. Am I reading this right ?? I am required to do 50 on site shops before I can do a telephone shop with Ellis? Is that the required tutorial? This is the message I get when I try to Self Assign with them:::
You are not allowed to assign this shop because you have not met the following requirements: You are not able to assign this shop because you have not completed the required tutorial: You must have completed 50 on-sites shops prior to assigning phone only shops. Please contact EPMS at 888-988-3767 with any questions.

I was not allowed to do phone shops, until I had completed 50 on site shops.