Well I like Informa and CSE to name a couple.

Not worth time,I would rather pay for meal and enjoy ! Nothing against Coyle they are great to work for.

How do you have any fun on these vacations if you are documenting detailed notes while looking forward to a grueling 8 hour report?

I guess it must be more about "that mountain to climb" than the money. I think someone mentioned building meaningful experiences doing these. I can identify with that statement since I am single. Perhaps not having family I have too much time on my hands; I need to make "meaningful experiences." I only speak for myself and not those on this topic.

Much of what I do for mystery shopping is for the challenge, and getting paid for it. Succeeding at an assignment is a thrill that can be very addicting.

I would describe assignments I take as a hobby business and not a legitimate business; the real justification for doing it is rarely about the bottom line pay per hour. I wouldn't take a job as a professional (I am a medical professional) at the pay out. And so I have to admit my involvement is very much about my emotions and less about logic.

Some of those hotels include five-star, overwater bungalows in Bora Bora at over $1,200.00 a night, not including reimbursements for food and beverage, and may also include spas, tour/car service, etc.,. You want me to put my post graduate writing skills to use? You want timings and opening and closing quotes? You want me to provide an objective report that addresses all of the standards you are testing for the client? You'd like me to show up fifteen minutes before the breakfast outlet opens, after I just traveled 20 hours and cleared customs the night before? You'd like me to put a splotch of lotion on the vanity and on the bathroom mirror? You'd like me to front all of the money and have the charges reversed after my report/survey is accepted (or a few months later)? You got it![/quote]

This is exactly how I feel.

I was afraid to take hotel assignments from Coyle initially because of things I had read. I was afraid I would have no time to enjoy the experience. After awhile it does become easier, and quicker. Regardless, it may take me a solid 8 hours and 50+ pages of typed material, but I enjoy writing, and the experience that I am able to have, without personal expense to me is worth it. It is not for everyone but I have had no problems with Coyle and enjoy the work.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/05/2016 04:09PM by Travisli.

I applied for a restaurant shop over a week ago with a start date of Feb 29th and an end date of March 21st. The application is still pending. I have done a shop for them before but it was several years ago. I guess they are waiting for a more experienced shopper to apply. It would be nice if they would let me know either way.

@kennedykr wrote:

How do you have any fun on these vacations if you are documenting detailed notes while looking forward to a grueling 8 hour report?

I guess it must be more about "that mountain to climb" than the money. I think someone mentioned building meaningful experiences doing these. I can identify with that statement since I am single. Perhaps not having family I have too much time on my hands; I need to make "meaningful experiences." I only speak for myself and not those on this topic.

Much of what I do for mystery shopping is for the challenge, and getting paid for it. Succeeding at an assignment is a thrill that can be very addicting.

I would describe assignments I take as a hobby business and not a legitimate business; the real justification for doing it is rarely about the bottom line pay per hour. I wouldn't take a job as a professional (I am a medical professional) at the pay out. And so I have to admit my involvement is very much about my emotions and less about logic.

I agree with you. It's about pay per hour. But as long as people are comfortable with what they are doing I see little to complain about. I appreciate creating a great experience for yourself as well. If Coyle shops help people achieve this then more power to them.

@B4bladez wrote:

I doubt however that the bulk of these shops include. "overwater bungalows in Bora Bora at over $1,200.00 a night.

While not always in Bora Bora, a significant number of my assignments from last year did include bungalows that were at least on the beach if not overwater, with many valued at over $1,200 per night. The majority of my stays last year offered a private pool as well...

@2stepps wrote:

Wonder if Dragon Speak would work for a shop like that.

As far as speech recognition software goes, I've tried a number of options. My take is that the editorial to fix the output takes longer than the actual writing. I'm also often writing on airplanes, in airport lounges, or in a coffee shop where I wouldn't have the option to dictate.

@JasonHunter79 wrote:

Can you tell us which part of the World your assignment was or is that top secret?

I was in Utah, just outside SLC.

@kennedykr wrote:

I think someone mentioned building meaningful experiences doing these. I can identify with that statement since I am single.

This has also been discussed elsewhere, but a good relationship with Coyle is a key element of my dating life. If the past year, at no cost to me other the the extension of credit and hours of report writing, I have been able to take dates to:

-A bed & breakfast in the CA wine country with a Michelin rated restaurant.
-A luxury spa resort in AZ
-A private beachside residence in Puerto Vallarta
-A 5-star hotel in NYC
-A celebrity-filled upscale hotel in Hollywood
-A golf/spa resort in Ojai, CA
-An all-inclusive ski vacation in Park City (That's not even the one I just finished!)
-The fricking Maldives. Yes...I took a date to the Maldives!

I'm not saying that this is a good lifestyle for everyone, but I really haven't found a better pickup line than, "Have you ever been to the Maldives?"

In truth, that trip started with an interview with Bill Murray that I read:
[www.bbc.com]

I decided to put it to the test and see how that relationship stood up to a round-the-world trip. It didn't do so well, but if I ever find one that does, I guess I owe Bill Murray a 'Thank You!' note packed in with my wedding announcement...and no need for a honeymoon since it started with one!

I've been holding out on the Bora Bora assignment, actually. Waiting 'till I had the frequent flyer miles for 2 first-class tickets there and back. I guess that's my new pick-up line...

@SteveSoCal wrote:

I've been holding out on the Bora Bora assignment, actually. Waiting 'till I had the frequent flyer miles for 2 first-class tickets there and back. I guess that's my new pick-up line...

I've been considering the Maldives assignment but don't have the necessary time - 29 hours travel time, not including airport check-in time and clearing customs once I arrive, to get there, and 24 hours minimum, again, not including airport check-in time and clearing US customs, to get back, to complete it this month.

Did you just do the F and B with accommodations, or was it a full-blown hotel report?

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/05/2016 07:49PM by Professional Guest.

What I meant by building meaningful experiences was in place of a social life. LOL. There's nothing to do in my life; let me see what's on the boards and go do a MS. I'm too distractable to take someone along so I pass on all the required "bring a guest" restaurant shops. Even with recording, which I always do anyway, I would get into conversation and completely loose track of what I was doing. Secondly, I don't want to drag anyone else into "working" for a meal. Just my own problem I am sure.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/05/2016 11:02PM by kennedykr.

@2stepps wrote:

Wonder if Dragon Speak would work for a shop like that. That is if you can do voice recordings. just do a Berushack listen to the recording on a headset or ear buds and then talk to the computer. Of course, you would need a good grammar checker.

2stepps, I've never used Dragon Speak, but I've seen the results when people have. What I've seen hasn't been very accurate. As someone else noted, I should think it might take longer for you to edit the narrative generated by Dragon Speak than it would be to just type it firsthand. Especially if you're going to run it through a spell checker first. It seems to me you end up with a lot of extra work and/or steps: Voice to text, text through grammar checker, manual proofread and edit, and final output.

I record some of my shops, but use the recordings just as a memory refresher. I tried once to send a recording to my e-mail, and it was a jumbled mess!

@kennedykr wrote:

I'm too distractable to take someone along so I pass on all the required "bring a guest" restaurant shops. Even with recording, which I always do anyway, I would get into conversation and completely loose track of what I was doing. Secondly, I don't want to drag anyone else into "working" for a meal. Just my own problem I am sure.

I think the ideal situation would be to team up with a fellow mystery shopper. This would allow an extra set of eyes/ears by someone who understands the work. It would also let you trade off report writing.

@kennedykr wrote:

Even with recording, which I always do anyway, I would get into conversation and completely loose track of what I was doing. Secondly, I don't want to drag anyone else into "working" for a meal. Just my own problem I am sure.

I get what you mean. I have yet to be accepted for a shop by Coyle, but I feel like it would be tricky to enjoy a hotel shop with my companion due to the level of observation and work. I'm not sure how enjoyable he might find it if I can't converse or enjoy his company. It seems like any free time would be spent sitting in the room in front of my laptop while he does something like read or watch television, as opposed to spend quality time together.

However, if the shop does include activities like massage or ski lessons for SO, that sounds like it can be worth our efforts. The reports and observing of interactions should get easier over time.

To answer the original question I was the lead editor of my campus newspaper, though that was several years ago. I hope to be accepted for a Coyle restaurant shop within a few months.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/06/2016 03:33AM by gojiberry.

@TeriW wrote:

@kennedykr wrote:

I'm too distractable to take someone along so I pass on all the required "bring a guest" restaurant shops. Even with recording, which I always do anyway, I would get into conversation and completely loose track of what I was doing. Secondly, I don't want to drag anyone else into "working" for a meal. Just my own problem I am sure.

I think the ideal situation would be to team up with a fellow mystery shopper. This would allow an extra set of eyes/ears by someone who understands the work. It would also let you trade off report writing.

Wouldn't it be neat if we had some sort of feature to organize this? I would invite another shopper with me for sure.

@Professional Guest wrote:

I've been considering the Maldives assignment but don't have the necessary time - 29 hours travel time, not including airport check-in time and clearing customs once I arrive, to get there, and 24 hours minimum, again, not including airport check-in time and clearing US customs, to get back, to complete it this month.

Did you just do the F and B with accommodations, or was it a full-blown hotel report?

I broke up the trip on both sides with an overnight in Istanbul getting there and 2 nights in Hong Kong on the way back, so the flights were not that bad, but it did take me 10 days.

Customs in the Maldives takes about 5 minutes. You just have to surrender your religious items, pork and pornography, then collect any left behind items on the way out

If you are traveling internationally at least one a year and don't have Global Entry, I would highly recommend it. Makes the return trip to the US a snap!

I was originally supposed to do both a 3 night hotel evaluation + 4 nights of the F&B only, but the hotel assignment got pushed by the client and I settled for a few nights off and a stopover in Malaysia that included another dinner-only with free hotel room. That was totally worth it.

I've done a full hotel report in the Maldives before and it was a lot of work. The last trip with meals-only reporting gave us a lot of time to chill out. I worked for about 2 hours each morning and a little bit in the evenings, but I can also do a restaurant narrative in under an hour for Coyle. We had 1 or 2 restaurants each day of the 4 night stay. We snorkeled a lot, and spent the rest of the time eating or sleeping. The rooms all have private pools and it's very nice for a midnight swim. Make a point of taking these assignments if you can while this client is still around....

@SteveSoCal wrote:

-The fricking Maldives. Yes...I took a date to the Maldives!

I'm not saying that this is a good lifestyle for everyone, but I really haven't found a better pickup line than, "Have you ever been to the Maldives?"
..

Well, at least that explains why I didn't get the callback for that one.

@SteveSoCal wrote:

@Professional Guest wrote:

I've been considering the Maldives assignment but don't have the necessary time - 29 hours travel time, not including airport check-in time and clearing customs once I arrive, to get there, and 24 hours minimum, again, not including airport check-in time and clearing US customs, to get back, to complete it this month.

Did you just do the F and B with accommodations, or was it a full-blown hotel report?

I broke up the trip on both sides with an overnight in Istanbul getting there and 2 nights in Hong Kong on the way back, so the flights were not that bad, but it did take me 10 days.

Customs in the Maldives takes about 5 minutes. You just have to surrender your religious items, pork and pornography, then collect any left behind items on the way out

If you are traveling internationally at least one a year and don't have Global Entry, I would highly recommend it. Makes the return trip to the US a snap!

I was originally supposed to do both a 3 night hotel evaluation + 4 nights of the F&B only, but the hotel assignment got pushed by the client and I settled for a few nights off and a stopover in Malaysia that included another dinner-only with free hotel room. That was totally worth it.

I've done a full hotel report in the Maldives before and it was a lot of work. The last trip with meals-only reporting gave us a lot of time to chill out. I worked for about 2 hours each morning and a little bit in the evenings, but I can also do a restaurant narrative in under an hour for Coyle. We had 1 or 2 restaurants each day of the 4 night stay. We snorkeled a lot, and spent the rest of the time eating or sleeping. The rooms all have private pools and it's very nice for a midnight swim. Make a point of taking these assignments if you can while this client is still around....

Thanks for the incredible amount of insight, Steve. Much appreciated. Will try to work it/them in; hopefully the opportunities still present themselves in April and beyond.

@SteveSoCal wrote:

If the past year, at no cost to me other the the extension of credit and hours of report writing, I have been able to take dates to:

-A private beachside residence in Puerto Vallarta
.

Ah, so you were the lucky evaluator who picked that assignment up! Seeing that one disappear from my applications (and not added to my assignments) saddened me deeply.

I came across this article "The Maldives is sitting on a time bomb".

[www.thehindu.com]



When you visited them was the political instability starting to build up?

@gojiberry wrote:

I would invite another shopper with me for sure.

I'll hit you up next time I am down there. I lived in Goleta once upon a time.

@TeriW wrote:

@gojiberry wrote:

I would invite another shopper with me for sure.

I'll hit you up next time I am down there. I lived in Goleta once upon a time.

Aw, Goleta is where I live. Sounds good and hopefully I will secure a shop soon

@JasonHunter79 wrote:

When you visited them was the political instability starting to build up?

Actually, the very first time I landed in The Maldives was the day after president Nasheed was forced to resign in a coup d'état back in 2012...so that was a little more than just starting to build up.

@gojiberry wrote:

Wouldn't it be neat if we had some sort of feature to organize this? I would invite another shopper with me for sure.

Maybe we could start a thread for people who want to find a partner.

Does anyone have any advice about distinguishing myself with Coyle? I think I jumped in with them too early in my shopping "career" and wrote a mediocre dining report (this was over 5 years ago.) Since that time, I've grown a lot as a shopper and editor. I have completed quite a few very intensive resort and hotel shops for Guest Check (who have a standard for evaluations that is similar to Coyle's). I took a phone shop for Coyle a few months ago to try to start getting my foot in the door again, but I haven't had luck since then.

I think it depends upon where you live and where you're willing to travel, Elyn. I'm guessing that if you're anywhere near Steve, you have zero chance. However, there are some shops sitting on their boards that are getting close to expiration. I would suggest finding one that is close enough to you (or cheap enough to stay under the travel reimbursement) and then applying, following it up with an email to the scheduler explaining what you just said. Good luck!

@PasswordNotFound wrote:

I'm guessing that if you're anywhere near Steve, you have zero chance.

While I may have dibs on some of the best shops offered, I also have a full-time career outside of MSing that's somewhat seasonal and I will completely disappear into that for months at a time with absolutely no MSing in my life.

I also never repeat shops for Coyle, meaning that I will probably take a client when they first come aboard and after that, it goes to the next most qualified shopper who applies.

And your proximity to me is probably not related to my ability to score a potential assignment that you want, since the majority of assignments that I take are not even in CA. There are plenty of open shops for Coyle in my neighborhood...

@SteveSoCal wrote:

I also never repeat shops for Coyle, meaning that I will probably take a client when they first come aboard and after that, it goes to the next most qualified shopper who applies.

Speaking of which - are hotel properties on a rotation with Coyle? Can you re-shop a property (if it is another hotel audit)? What if you only did F and B but accommodations were thrown in, could you shop it as a property, or inversely, could you shop it just for F and B with accommodations thrown in, if you shopped it as a hotel audit? If this is possible, does any one know what the "cooling-off" timeframe is?

I've never reapplied for audits for the same property, but there are a few that I wouldn't mind evaluating again!

I've always wondered, but never wanted to pose the question directly to them.

I believe the official policy is 'no repeats' at hotels. I'm sure their are exceptions made when they are desperate, but I think they would prefer to put a new evaluator in if that's an option.

How do you know if you're in a state you can audio record in?