A Closer Look

I understand working for a meal, or maybe even a night's stay at a hotel, is sometimes "worthwhile"....but some of their shops are in, well, what I would call, 'questionable' restaurants and hotels, and I just wouldn't go there on my own.....so I just avoid ACL and figure that if I am going to someplace I wouldn't go to normally (in real life) that I had better get paid.....sounds like a zztop song....hmmm...

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/27/2016 02:38AM by winemaker.

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I shop for them frequently, I dont recall a test. If there was one, it certainly didnt hold much weight. I dont think they are looking for perfection, just making sure that basic intelligence is there. Their shops are not difficult, but not the easiest out their either. They are very flexible with their requirement which I love because it is so rare. My favorite thing about this company is that they are real people 100%, I frequently get text messages from them asking me to do shops. Not animated texts either, real people! I know some people might not appreciate getting text messages, but I dont mind it.

Regarding the "real people" aspect. I always get a phone call a day or two ahead of the assignments. ACL is checking to be sure I have all the info I need, have any questions or have any doubts that I can complete the shop. I like that personal touch. It is so much nicer than a note that says basically: "Hey, you are either due or overdue for a shop that we are all counting on you to due. Yeh, you really aren't overdue but we want to shock you into action."

Shopping SoCal and Maui.

What do you think pays for the staff to make personal call and texts to you?...the lack of shop fees!

I'll take an automated shop remainder and payment for my work over that any day of the week....

In response to your initial question, I have not found A Closer Look to be overly demanding at all. I've been working with them for about six months, and have done many shops. The editors and schedulers have been available and helpful. The reimbursement only situation for upscale restaurants generally works great for me, since I would be dining out anyway and this way I get the points on my rewards credit card, then I receive reimbursement. They have paid on-time every time except my very first month, when I did not receive a check. After I let them know, they checked their records and issued me a replacement. After that, I've been paid on time with the correct amount by check. I enjoy working with them. They have some great restaurant clients and I've even done some nice hotels. Occasionally, their shops offer payment as well and I snap them up as soon as I see them.

It's probably been 10 years since I've done a shop for ACL. I don't really like restaurant shops, especially with no fee. HOWEVER.....I got an email from them for an upcoming retail shop...no purchase required....and a FEE of $25.00!!! I took the test, qualified, and was able to self assign! I'm looking forward to the shop. Hope it goes well! As many others have said.....it's wise NEVER to deactivate yourself from an MSC...something just MAY come up that interests you....even after 10 years!!!

On a different note, has anybody else seen how they're bundling a certain highly sought Fine Dining assignment with an age compliance restaurant shop. I'm outside of the age range, so I guess I won't be doing anymore of those.

Overall I like ACL, but their policies drive me insane sometimes.

They have a couple of shops that are favoite restaurants of mine. They are never bonused here, but I will do the shops for the price of the meal. But they have to be my favorites, I won't do just any restaurant.

...

Now scheduling travel shops for the day after Christmas through mid-January.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/02/2016 03:31AM by PasswordNotFound.

I suspect it was an oversight. When I fill out a report it asks for the check #, the amount of the bill and the amount of tip left. As long as my bill + tip does not exceed the maximum reimbursement and the tip was the % required, I will be reimbursed for the tip as well.

What does not work with them is to not have the tip written on either the bill or the credit card charge slip. To have the tip under the required % may jeopardize acceptance of the shop. To have the tip over the required % can lead to it not being fully reimbursed.

What they tend not to cover is valet parking which may be required where it is available.

@Flash wrote:

I suspect it was an oversight. When I fill out a report it asks for the check #, the amount of the bill and the amount of tip left. As long as my bill + tip does not exceed the maximum reimbursement and the tip was the % required, I will be reimbursed for the tip as well.

What does not work with them is to not have the tip written on either the bill or the credit card charge slip. To have the tip under the required % may jeopardize acceptance of the shop. To have the tip over the required % can lead to it not being fully reimbursed.

What they tend not to cover is valet parking which may be required where it is available.

I always write the tip on the bottom of the bill and have never been told that it was a problem. I will check the guidelines again though.

I agree that ACL is at the top of my regular list. They are accommodating, receptive to contact, and not difficult to work with. I do not remember taking a test for them though. I started shopping for them in August. I appreciate reimbursements for nice dinners of $75-100. For me, that is often enough to warrant the fact that they don't have many shops that pay. I do get about $20 a month for doing a popular pizza place with excellent pizza.

I recently had a fun shop for making a toy in my area that I could take my daughter to. I was told it was bundled with a movie theater chain that I was unfamiliar with. I said something to the scheduler who I was working with (who was not known to me) and she told me the address for the movie theater she was trying to bundle it with-it was 8 hours away! I informed her of that and she said she didn't know that and "it looked close by the zip codes". I explained to her that CA is a big state but I doubted if anyone would accept that bundle. She gave me the shop without the bundled theater lol. Nice try! My daughter loved the shop and it was another reimbursement only shop, but her smile was awesome.

There are a few of their clients that require a test before doing any of that client's shops.

Based in MD, near DC
Shopping from the Carolinas to New York
Have video cam; will travel

Poor customer service? Don't get mad; get video.

For MSC's who have reimbursement-only restaurant shops, shoppers must enjoy the restaurant. ACL has a couple of restaurants that I like. If I didn't like their restaurant clients, there would be no appeal as there's no fee. Similarly, Bestmark has a restaurant we enjoy. It doesn't pay a fee, but we like the restaurant. I don't shop often with either company, once a month or so. Just often enough to maintain my standing, and enjoy a good meal.

I've done a fair share of shops for them, and I have no complaints. Their online forms can be clunky, but that's really the only negative. I mostly avoid reimbursement-only restaurant shops unless it's a place I really like, or on the higher end of the price spectrum. But that's a personal thing.

Have synthesizers, will travel...

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