Schedulers: Stop calling your shops "fun". Thank you.

"Fun" and/or "groovy" generally are ridiculous adjectives to describe shops imho.

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Not only "fun" but I have seen some described as "exciting." Ummmm....OK... I can't say any of this work is "exciting" except I do get EXCITED about a nice bonus on a mundane assignment! Cha-ching!

TinaMarie

I will say my shops are fun. Not for the stuff I have to write narratives for, but the fact I get to drive all over God Bless Texas.

I got a huge giggle a couple of weeks ago. My 95 year old father decided he wanted to parachute over TX. My brother drove him there and politely refused to take part.(Ret. Lt. Col and a ranger) Baldy did it! He still can't stop talking about how great it was.

So, Baldy was telling me how beautiful the country was. I responded yes it is. He looked at me funny and then asked how I would know.

My response was I drive through that country at least once a month. Baldy looked at me again. Before he could give me grief. I told him, I drive the back roads always, when possible. Why not, it's prettier, less stressful and I normally make better time.

It's the first time, he didn't give me grief about anything in my life.

Live your life in such a way that when your feet hit the floor in the morning; the devil shudders...And yells OH #%*+! SHE'S AWAKE!

@apercu wrote:

Fun is watching the shops slowly go up in increments of $1 or $2... Because nobody else wants to have "fun!"

That's Funny!

If a scheduler feels the need to "sell" a shop by adding adjectives and calling it "free stuf," "free food," or "have lunch on us," it should let shoppers know something. My personal NOT-favorite is "Let us treat you to lunch."

How about the ones where they bribe you with a better shop? If you do the first one (undesirable for some reason, since they can never move it), they will let you have a plum assignment too.

@Threemom wrote:

How about the ones where they bribe you with a better shop? If you do the first one (undesirable for some reason, since they can never move it), they will let you have a plum assignment too.

That one is okay with me. If they are willing to offer me something, like MORE MONEY or a plum assignment, that's an upfront, honest way of negotiation. But if they are just going to sell their shops like a used car salesman, be warned. Something unsavory here.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/10/2016 12:51PM by roflwofl.

Nice history lesson. And I thought "In the eye of the beholder" was a Twilight Zone episode.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/10/2016 03:53PM by LIJake.

@LIJake wrote:

Nice history lession. And I thought "In the eye of the beholder" was a Twilight Zone episode.

It was!!!!! Great episode & one of my all-time favorite shows!

I think it turns into fun when a scheduler calls me and offers a bonus of $100 if I can do a shop today (and does not require a long drive either).

Shopping across Indiana but mostly around Indianapolis.

Could you tell me what companies do telephone mystery shops? I am trying to help some blind people be able to earn an income. Thank you.

And now so many shops advertising that the meal or the movie is "On Us". Don't get to use this word very often, but how disingenuous of the MSC.

The best one recently has been SeeLevel's line of "Free Eyeglasses"...uh...nope...not exactly...you get a limited refund on the glasses you order, pay for, and then return...up to $350. If you go over that, tough luck. I am out over $100 because I believed them. Now they don't answer my emails and calls...and I haven't even been paid the $350 yet!

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/12/2016 11:22PM by winemaker.

@winemaker wrote:

The best one recently has been SeeLevel's line of "Free Eyeglasses"...uh...nope...not exactly...you get a limited refund on the glasses you order, pay for, and then return...up to $350. If you go over that, tough luck. I am out over $100 because I believed them. Now they don't answer my emails and calls...and I haven't even been paid the $350 yet!

I wonder if these schedulers behave like that in their real lives.

Mr. SeeLevel strolls into a a spit and sawdust salon in the Ozarks and orders a round of drinks for everyone in the bar. When the bartender asks for the bill to be settled, Mr SeeLevel only wants to pay for his own drink. Mr. SeeLevel is seen picking his teeth up outside the bar after being offered outside by a burly truck driver.

@MysteriousLurker wrote:

Especially when you have the total misfortune of having a certain editor (not going to mention names) edit your stuff........ and then threaten you with termination for not responding to edit request by their silly little deadlines because I'm PREPARING FOR A CATEGORY FOUR......HURRICANE!!!! Sorry. Life and property comes first!

Did you ever stop to think that maybe the editor is also preparing his/her life and property for a Cat 4 hurricane also? He/She has client deadlines to meet and a hurricane or other natural disasters can throw a wrench into the system. But really, how hard is it and how long does it takes to respond to a single edit? Or did you have a bunch of edits to make?

Sorry, Sybil2, but I'm going to disagree with your response. I no longer live in hurricane country. I live in the aftermath and the tornadoes; hurricanes have a tendency to spit out.

I personally do not give a fig about a minor or a major edits if it means I need to pack up and get the heck out of dodge.

Has this attitude bitten me? Yes. It. Has. Last October, I was stuck inside my house because of flooding and I missed a shop. The flood was national news. I was stuck for 5 days. My front yard was a lake. When DPS finally allowed me out of my neighborhood, I did the shop. I also had no phone, electricity or internet that extremely long weekend. The baloney started late Wednesday and didn't stop until Sunday.

When it comes down to the nitty gritty; I will not risk my life for $15 and I have no issues taking the ding. I don't work with scheduler's or editors that think I should risk my life or my vehicle for a shop.

I get everyone has their job, but when faced saving my life or doing a couple of edits...saving my life will always be the higher priority.

YMMV

@Sybil2 wrote:

@MysteriousLurker wrote:

Especially when you have the total misfortune of having a certain editor (not going to mention names) edit your stuff........ and then threaten you with termination for not responding to edit request by their silly little deadlines because I'm PREPARING FOR A CATEGORY FOUR......HURRICANE!!!! Sorry. Life and property comes first!
Did you ever stop to think that maybe the editor is also preparing his/her life and property for a Cat 4 hurricane also? He/She has client deadlines to meet and a hurricane or other natural disasters can throw a wrench into the system. But really, how hard is it and how long does it takes to respond to a single edit? Or did you have a bunch of edits to make?

Live your life in such a way that when your feet hit the floor in the morning; the devil shudders...And yells OH #%*+! SHE'S AWAKE!

The reality is you have to complete your report when you return home or early the next day so your focus is on work. Fun would be no reports or concerns but I guess that would mean no shop.

I am waiting for the next exciting opportunity!

I agree with you. By the way they (schedulers) advertise and marked that jobs it seems like a real scam. It is very hard to believe at the begining those jobs are legidimate.

Shopping Eastern Pennsylvania since 2009

@winemaker wrote:

The best one recently has been SeeLevel's line of "Free Eyeglasses"...uh...nope...not exactly...you get a limited refund on the glasses you order, pay for, and then return...up to $350. If you go over that, tough luck. I am out over $100 because I believed them. Now they don't answer my emails and calls...and I haven't even been paid the $350 yet!

Every detail of our shops is clearly communicated in the survey and guidelines. It is absolutely possible to get a high quality pair of eyeglasses for $350. We aren't trying to trick anyone and get no benefit whatsoever from you spending more than the allotted amount.

We want all of our shoppers to be successful and provide all the information necessary for that. At that point it's up to the individual.

Regarding the reimbursement - this is paid on the 15th of each month for the prior month's work. If you haven't seen your reimbursement in that time frame please reach out to nicole.monturo@seelevelhx.com and let her know.

Thanks,

-Geoff

VP Operations, SeeLevel

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/21/2016 09:51PM by geoff.curtis.

@BlueMoose wrote:

Mystery shopping is not "fun", it's work. And compared to working as an employee, it is always stressful due to the constant risk/worry about not being paid. One fickle editor, unclear or misleading shop guideline, website error or any number of unavoidable circumstances during the shop can all result in the hard work being rejected. How is that "fun"? It's not, so just stop it already.

Thank you.

You are certainly entitled to your opinion, but many of our shoppers do enjoy many of our assignments. It's subjective, of course. I think test driving a high end automobile is fun, others don't.

I understand the stress shoppers have as independent contractors, wondering if they will get compensated for their efforts. I think it's important to keep something in mind - it doesn't help us to reject a shop. We have EVERY reason to want to accept a shop - if we don't we lose time and money too.

Worth keeping in mind. Our interests are aligned. We want our shoppers to be successful.

VP Operations, SeeLevel

@Bocaraton100 wrote:

This is true. Yet one has to feel compassion for the scheduler with the recent incessant emails for the $125 auto shop. In my 10 years at this, that is the single most repetitive and blasted series of emails. Annoying as these emails are, I feel a twinge of empathy for the chap who has to robo-send these emails! So far, he wins my award for most incessant-annoying/2016. But there are still 3 months left!

I think I know the shop you're talking about... At SeeLevel we are always trying to find ways to reach out without driving everyone nuts. The hardest shops to fill are also the hardest to avoid bombarding people with.

-G

VP Operations, SeeLevel

@roflwofl wrote:

If a scheduler feels the need to "sell" a shop by adding adjectives and calling it "free stuf," "free food," or "have lunch on us," it should let shoppers know something. My personal NOT-favorite is "Let us treat you to lunch."

You are suggesting that shoppers should not be trying to sell shops? OF COURSE they are trying to sell shops. You are independent contractors and we are competing for your time. We want to highlight what we think is attractive about our shops.

-G

VP Operations, SeeLevel

SeeLevel does a large volume of phone shops.

[seelevelshoppers.com]

VP Operations, SeeLevel

Kudos to Amusement Advantage scheduler for a sense of humor -- her email has changed to "FunShops@AmusementAdvantage.com." I can't help but think she's been reading this forum.

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

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Schedulers: Stop calling your shops "fun". Thank you.

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