So after really getting nothing from them except an occasional movie, I get an email from the scheduler at Coyle asking if I can do this 2 night hotel stay checking in Sunday, Monday or Tuesday. It was already Sunday when she asked. I figured since it was the end of the month I could hurry and get it in and then I wouldn't have to wait so long for reimbursement/payment. So I agree to do this shop and print out the BOOK or instructions. I have done many hotel shops with ACL and figured this would be similar. Boy was I wrong!!!! This shop has SO MANY things to do!!!! That being said, I had already made the non-cancellable reservation so I went ahead and did everything that I was supposed to do. I stared working on the report during the days I was at the hotel because there is so much to complete. I submit everything, then the next day I notice that it has been returned to my box to correct mistakes. However, I never received any communication from the editor in my email or phone or anything. Thank goodness I happened to notice. Also it said that if I didn't complete my edits by that evening, I was subject to cancellation!!!! I spent over $600 completing this shop! So I look to see the name of the editor and I figure that her email is first initial, last name @coylehospitality.com as that is the format for other people I have spoke to there. I ask her for clarification, specifically what needs to be fixed. I send two emails but no response. I go in and make changes and submit again. Now it is just sitting there pending for several days and still not response from the editor. I am so stressed out as I can not afford to lost the $600 I spent doing this shop.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/02/2016 06:05PM by jenniferling.

And thus -- the reason why Coyle requires shoppers to have many successful restaurants and other shops under their belts.

In any event, for your particular situation, I would not worry until an editor reaches out to you. Sometimes they are just backed up. Instead of sending an email to the editor, I would forward your inquiries to support as well.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/02/2016 03:56PM by LindaM.

Assigning a Coyle hotel shop to someone who has not done their crazy, detailed fine dining shops is bad enough. To assign a two night Coyle hotel shop to you, without you having seen how detailed their FD and short hotel stay reports are, was cruel!

I really feel like I was assigned it because maybe someone cancelled as I got an email asking me if I could do it like RIGHT NOW basically!! Anyone have any experience with them not reimbursing? I spent so many hours on the report and for them to not even tell me what the problem was seems not right.

They will work with to make sure you get reimbursed as long you performed all of the required tests. Things are often crazy with editorial at the end of the month so hopefully you hear back soon.

Trial-by-fire is probably not the best way to start off hotel shops with them, but you do get your foot in that door. Crossing my fingers that it goes smoothly for you....

Thank you

OP - In your original post, you linked a client to the MSC. You need to edit that out.

That being said, my first hotel shop with Coyle was a two-night hotel and casino, along with various restaurants and outlets. I'd done several restaurant shops for Coyle previously, so I probably had some better exposure to their reporting than you, but I was able to complete the shop with little follow-up. I haven't had much interaction with the editors, but they've always been extremely helpful.

So I received word back from the editor with over 100 follow up questions. I think I'm in way over my head here. I have been secret shopping for many years and have done many hotel shops but this one has proven to be a bit much for me. Also, not on the website it is no longer saying "pending validation", it now says "hold pay"!!! I have answered everything they have asked me in a timely fashion. Not sure what that means now but I am afraid I am going to lose out on the $600 I spent.

@jenniferling the "Hold Pay" status is normal for part of the hotel shops. They should change just one section of the report to "OK for Pay" once it's been approved.

Answer the follow-ups, you'll get the pay and your money back, and go into the next hotel assignments a but wiser...and perhaps with a little more apprehension.

Thank you so much for the reply. I have been so worried lol. Definitely will be much wiser going into the next if there is a next!!! This one was ZERO fun for me!

@SteveSoCal
Is it customary for Coyle to reimburse via credit to credit card? I received a credit for the $616 I spent but it is still showing "hold pay" on the website. Does that mean they are not paying me because they issue a credit instead?

@jenniferling wrote:

Does that mean they are not paying me because they issue a credit instead?

You really need to go to the Coyle resource center and read up on their policies. If you've received the reversal then the shop has been approved and submitted...and you will be paid your fee & expenses separately.

I'm happy to help out with questions, but this is standard policy that is covered in their materials. If you don't know this, then I worry about other policies you may not know that could lead to future shops NOT being accepted...