I wanted to start a thread about rejected reports and where they go. Do the MSC or the client reject them. When the MSC rejects them, are they still allowed to go the clients, can the client reject an honest report...this would be a breech for the shoppers. Thoughts!!

I have the same questions as to what happens. Personally I find the industry to be lacking in transparency when it comes to shopper reports and shopper reimbursement. I am a relatively new shopper but it seems odd that there is no audit trail of any sort regarding our reports or any public information regarding what percentage of the client payment the company is keeping vs. paying their actual shopper. I certainly have found there are some companies out there that are not worth my time given what they offer as payment and there are others who seem very random with their shop rejections. I have had a recent spate of rejected shops where I noticed that the rejected shops were all ones that were paying me a bonus - and my reports were similar to previous acceptable shops. None of the rejected shops were "new" scenarios to me. Seems somewhat suspect in my opinion.

My approach right now is to give a company one chance for a rejection that I feel is unjustified but if it happens a second time then I typically stop shopping for that company.

Do people really get that many rejections? I've had 1 rejection in all my 4 years of shopping..and yes, I messed up. Darn instructions said you couldn't remind the drive thru person if they forgot part of your order, and, darnit..the words came out of my mouth before I remembered that instruction! I would think that rejections would be a rarity if you carefully follow the instructions. Giving each company one chance for a rejection just sounds like too many rejections, in my opinion.

karen

bychance8 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I am a relatively new
> shopper but it seems odd that there is no audit
> trail of any sort regarding our reports or any
> public information regarding what percentage of
> the client payment the company is keeping vs.
> paying their actual shopper.

The companies are not government agencies nor non-profit entities. Why on earth would you expect a company to provide you this information? Public companies provide an inkling of how they spend their money through annual reports to the stockholders. Private companies do not even do that. Do you expect to enter, say, Meijer, and have the store manager provide you this same info-what of the profits does the company keep vs. what it pays it's employees?

Karen IL Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Do people really get that many rejections? I've
> had 1 rejection in all my 4 years of shopping..and
> yes, I messed up. Darn instructions said you
> couldn't remind the drive thru person if they
> forgot part of your order, and, darnit..the words
> came out of my mouth before I remembered that
> instruction! I would think that rejections would
> be a rarity if you carefully follow the
> instructions. Giving each company one chance for
> a rejection just sounds like too many rejections,
> in my opinion.
>
> karen


I know it does seem weird to me too. With one exception, the only reports I have had rejected were ones where I screwed up. :-(

Karen, I have had unjustifiable rejections and fought them. When a shop is rejected for something that is NOT in the instructions, that is an unjustifiable rejection. When the company tells you that yes, the instructions were wrong but YOU should have picked up on that and questioned the instructions, that is an unjustifiable rejection--especially when it is the first time you have done the job. Most of the time I have won because I had copies of the SPECIFIC INSTRUCTIONS I was given. But there is not much way to fight a rejection where you did your darndest to get it done and the folks at the location screwed up big time. I don't see that as a shopper error, yet if you were unable to succeed in getting the materials you needed despite doing everything short of demanding them at gunpoint, how do you fight that rejection? As I have stated elsewhere, some companies work with you to salvage a shop and some just reject and go on their merry way. Now did that information make it through to the client? No way of knowing.

I didn't start this thread because of too many rejected reports, I have had two in five years. My question is where do they go, not how many have you had. Once I did wrong location, my fault and then this bar audit. Would an MSC reject to keep the pay...I hate to think that way, and just think they would not be in business if that keeps occuring. Most companies are fine, but the few that aren't, need to explain.

Flash Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Karen, I have had unjustifiable rejections and
> fought them. When a shop is rejected for
> something that is NOT in the instructions, that is
> an unjustifiable rejection. When the company
> tells you that yes, the instructions were wrong
> but YOU should have picked up on that and
> questioned the instructions, that is an
> unjustifiable rejection--especially when it is the
> first time you have done the job.


Yes, most of us have probably had the situation happen that the shop was not prepped correctly...but this is one of those circumstances where the cream will rise to the top, and they will do the right thing by the shopper.
And if they did reject a report based on that circumstance, that would be the last time I worked for them (and I imagine mostly everyone else feels the same.)

> Most of the
> time I have won because I had copies of the
> SPECIFIC INSTRUCTIONS I was given. But there is
> not much way to fight a rejection where you did
> your darndest to get it done and the folks at the
> location screwed up big time. I don't see that as
> a shopper error, yet if you were unable to succeed
> in getting the materials you needed despite doing
> everything short of demanding them at gunpoint,
> how do you fight that rejection?


This is definitely NOT shopper error. Perhaps I have been lucky, as I have not had any reports rejected for something like this. I have always been paid in this circumstances, even if they did a reshop.


As I have stated
> elsewhere, some companies work with you to salvage
> a shop and some just reject and go on their merry
> way. Now did that information make it through to
> the client? No way of knowing.

Irene, I think they go in the DB as a "rejected" report, instead of a published report. I don't think they purge 'em. I also think only the most unethical firms would use them. Is this the true last resort for those "beloved" slow to no-pay firms? Instead of "the dog ate your invoice", they start "rejecting" and using reports? That would not be beyond my imagination.

There is a noticeable "mark" on your site stating reject or deleted reports, it is a mark against you even if it is not your fault. My MCS (bar intgrity) put deleted on my report...but still wants me to work for them. Guess it was re-shopped.

Well, yes, as they would keep at the least, a list of every shop a shopper has done in the shopper's record, accepted or not.

Irene_L.A. Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I didn't start this thread because of too many
> rejected reports, I have had two in five years.
> My question is where do they go, not how many have
> you had. Once I did wrong location, my fault and
> then this bar audit. Would an MSC reject to keep
> the pay...I hate to think that way, and just think
> they would not be in business if that keeps
> occuring. Most companies are fine, but the few
> that aren't, need to explain.


I didn't say that you did. I was responding to the poster ahead of me who has a rejected report policy for each company...it just seemed like a lot of rejected reports if one needs a policy to deal with them.

karen

Irene_L.A. Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I didn't start this thread because of too many
> rejected reports, I have had two in five years.
> My question is where do they go, not how many have
> you had. Once I did wrong location, my fault and
> then this bar audit. Would an MSC reject to keep
> the pay...I hate to think that way, and just think
> they would not be in business if that keeps
> occuring. Most companies are fine, but the few
> that aren't, need to explain.


I have had several shops rejected by the same company and I fully believe it was to avoid having to pay the fee. One was a last minute bank shop bonused to almost $60 and I was told almost the next day that it was rejected and there would be no payment forthcoming. Another time I did a cell phone shop and fast food place and that same company told me that I screwed up on cellphone and "to teach me a lesson" (their quote off the e-mail I saved and printed) they were also not going to pay me for fast food. That SAME dear company alleged that I was a cousin of a bank manager at one location I shopped and they removed me from the client entirely, not to mention of course not paying me. They didn't seem to care that I wasn't related to anyone, wasn't even from the area nor had any living relatives. They're still in business and doing fine and some shoppers think they're the best thing since sliced bread but my experience has been a bit different than theirs.

Cettie, if you're going to make a post like that, how can you not give us the critical detail of which MSC this was? If it's the truth, and if you're no longer shopping for them, then you have nothing to lose by giving us the name. Help a brother out!

Cettie...you need to make them public...that's a horrible story, and a $60.00 bonus is alot to lose. I have never seen such a high bonus out here....7.00 has been the highest, although there is an offer for 500.00 for the mangled pizza.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/03/2010 09:34PM by Irene_L.A..

Personally, I think there are some less-than-honest companies out there (cough* Certified* Cough) that look for things they can reject reports with based on some of their silly criteria, such as sending a cut UPC code from a piece of confection or a cup from a theatre) and they still bill the client regardless ....... to get out of paying the shopper.

I have heard multiple stories of that company finding ways to reject reports. You know damn well that they don't send a cardboard cup from the theatre to the client as proof the shopper was there. If there is a receipt that shows the shopper was there, why in all honesty is that not good enough?

So yeah, I am highly suspicious that a good number of rejected reports (so we are told) still go to the client anyway and they are billed while the shopper does not get paid.

I do think there are some companies that publish reports where the shopper has not been paid (Cettie's FF story is good example), but that's not really a 'rejected' report. It's just unethical behavior.

When I was in charge of such things, I would PDF rejected reports and quickly delete them from the online system. Having it sitting around is asking for trouble, considering that it just takes one mistaken mouse click to accidently publish that unedited/inaccurate/out-of-the-guidelines report, and make you (the MSC) look really bad.

While there are a few unscrupulous MSCs that will argue over details and withhold payment, I think that overall, no MSC really wants to reject a report. It's the best scenario for all if the shopper does their job, the MSC does their job and everyone gets paid. Burning a relationship over a $10 fee or FF reimbursement seems like a rather crazy thing to do. The time and expense of the argument that creates is worth more than the withheld reimbursement.

I think that many rejections simply take place out of misunderstands (recalling the pineapple on the side story), and shoppers unfortunately have the burden of taking the time to work out those problems with the MSC.

I've never had a report rejected, but I actually have one pending now. The MSC was very nice, but got in touch to warn me that the shop might not be accepted by the client because I stayed past the reporting time frame! Mind you, I entered, did the shop and stayed the minimum amount of minutes within the time frame. However, I had some time to kill in-between appointments, so I hung out for a while longer. There have been plenty of other occasions where I stayed longer than I needed to, and past the allotted time frame, but never that long or in this kind of environment. I was really surprised by this, and hope it's going to be okay. If I thought rejection was a possibility, I'd have hung out somewhere else!

I did recently have a report excluded, (the MSC's word) but I know I'm going to be paid. The glitch was on the end of either the client or MSC, not sure which.

Mantis Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Cettie, if you're going to make a post like that,
> how can you not give us the critical detail of
> which MSC this was? If it's the truth, and if
> you're no longer shopping for them, then you have
> nothing to lose by giving us the name. Help a
> brother out!


If you search here, she has told this story and named the MSC. Search for her posts and ye shall find.

I had a banking shop rejected by a large company recently because they said I omitted a zero in one figure I quoted.(true, it was a typo error) but from my 600 words comment they could clearly see that I had followed the scenario to the letter. I was a little upset as I had waited 45 mns to see the manager and the shop was otherwise perfect. I always wondered if they just added a zero to my report and submitted shop to the client anyway.

mrcccc Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I had a banking shop rejected by a large company
> recently because they said I omitted a zero in one
> figure I quoted.(true, it was a typo error) but
> from my 600 words comment they could clearly see
> that I had followed the scenario to the letter. I
> was a little upset as I had waited 45 mns to see
> the manager and the shop was otherwise perfect. I
> always wondered if they just added a zero to my
> report and submitted shop to the client anyway.


You can bet they did just that. MSC's have editors that revise text all the time. As much as I hate to suggest it, I think they screwed you over big time if it was over one simple zero.

If something like that happened to me, I would have fought it to the hilt. What about all the honest MSCs that contact you if more clarification is required, or they suspect you may have made a mistake? The only thing I've ever had deducted because I was asked to explain further was a point off a score.

And that is why you work for some companies that work with you and shun those that don't.

I got an email the other day for a shop I did the first week of June that asked, "Did you mean this or that when you stated such and such?" It had been about a month since I did the shop and presumably the shop had been to the client and was being asked about for clarification. I referred to my copy of the shop and my notes and could understand why there might be confusion. So I restated more clearly what had transpired.

I actually was rather pleased that someone was reading closely enough to wonder, because read one way it would have been a negative statement, while read another it was a positive. The experience in the shop was definitely a positive. But it made me comfortable that the client had not done a knee jerk dismissal of the shop and the company did not preface their request for information with dire warnings that the shop would be rejected in 32 1/2 minutes if I didn't get back to them immediately. Rather it was a simple, to the point, request for clarification.

Feedback Plus rejected a report from me once. They told me why. I re-read my report and could see how that section of narrative could be misconstrued. I re-wrote and clarified the circumstances. Not knowing if it would be for naught, I sent it to FP. They emailed me back, thanking me for clarifying and accepted my report. Were they hasty in rejecting it? I give them the benefit of the doubt there.

I have also had an excluded shop. MSP scheduling error sent one too many shoppers out a shopping. I got paid, but my shop was not used. Would have been nice if that confounded MSP let me know before I wrote the report. I'm sure that report was a 10!

I have to set the background for this. I had been working for a certain MSC for at least 5 years and have received a 1099 from them every year. For a newbie, that means they paid me over $600 during each tax year. I have shopped for them doing 8 different companies covering parts of 3 states. Along came the oil change shops in a tiny county that has only 4 landmarks. 2 of them have places for oil changes. One is I and the other is W. When they contacted me, they said the shops were in I and W. When I got there, I saw paperwork said my oil change was in L. There was no oil change place in L, it was only the OFFICE! There is no cell phone service for ATT in that part of the world, so I used my God given Brain and shopped I. This place was SIXTY-SEVEN miles ONE WAY FROM my home and to console me they paid me for the shop $8.00 but not the oil change! As a matter of principle, I now refuse to do any shops for any of their companies. Also, another MSC is now shopping out the oil change shops. As of today, the email for those 2 towns said, “Name your price!” Wonder Why?


“Success is simple. Do what’s right, the right way, at the right time.”
~Arnold H. Glasgow

Rejected shops comes from, US, the shoppers not following a scenarios or marking coffee on the reports when or receipt says SPRIT/COKE, a soft drink.

They go in a basket marked----"We didn't have to pay the shopper but we like their ideas."

I had a shop rejected. The next week when I did the shop again, the disgrace I found in the facility had been repaired in a few days. I did not get paid b/c I mark the wrong drink.

They reject them to Us, but useful ideas for them. It betters their productivity line.

I hate to believe that they take our ideas and don't pay us for the shop..but, who knows!

sojo917 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Rejected shops comes from, US, the shoppers not
> following a scenarios or marking coffee on the
> reports when or receipt says SPRIT/COKE, a soft
> drink.
>
> They go in a basket marked----"We didn't have to
> pay the shopper but we like their ideas."
>
> I had a shop rejected. The next week when I did
> the shop again, the disgrace I found in the
> facility had been repaired in a few days. I did
> not get paid b/c I mark the wrong drink.
>
> They reject them to Us, but useful ideas for them.
> It betters their productivity line.


I just flat out do not believe that the majority of MSC's act like this. I have had maybe three rejections out of thousands of shops. I work for large variety of companies and that list has changed over time with me working for diferent ones, depending on who had the clients I want to do.

Yes, some dishonest ones will do this, but I don't want to work for those companies anyway.

No one wins when reports are rejected. Most MSC's do everything in their power to save a report.

Merch Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I have to set the background for this. I had been
> working for a certain MSC for at least 5 years and
> have received a 1099 from them every year. For a
> newbie, that means they paid me over $600 during
> each tax year. I have shopped for them doing 8
> different companies covering parts of 3 states.
> Along came the oil change shops in a tiny county
> that has only 4 landmarks. 2 of them have places
> for oil changes. One is I and the other is W.
> When they contacted me, they said the shops were
> in I and W. When I got there, I saw paperwork
> said my oil change was in L. There was no oil
> change place in L, it was only the OFFICE! There
> is no cell phone service for ATT in that part of
> the world, so I used my God given Brain and
> shopped I. This place was SIXTY-SEVEN miles ONE
> WAY FROM my home and to console me they paid me
> for the shop $8.00 but not the oil change! As a
> matter of principle, I now refuse to do any shops
> for any of their companies. Also, another MSC is
> now shopping out the oil change shops. As of
> today, the email for those 2 towns said, “Name
> your price!” Wonder Why?
>
>
> “Success is simple. Do what’s right, the right
> way, at the right time.”
> ~Arnold H. Glasgow


This is not quite the same issue, but on a similar note...I saw that one MSC has a survey up about the infamous pizza shops. They don't offer those here, so I didn't take it, and don't know what they asked. But I am sure that paying a reimbursement worth less than the cost of the pizza in many markets,
requiring shoppers to mangle and photograph said pizza, and then rejecting a good number of shops due to "poor" (LOL) photos has led to a "name your price" strategy for these shops in some markets, as well. :-) "Name your price", when it is a serious offer, is something I will usually consider. But then so many say that, then when you do, they say, "Oh, we were thinking more like $3.50 bonus." The ones that will really do a "name your price" are ones for which I will consider taking shops that I would not ever do otherwise. Lately I have scored well with that on the teenage clothing store, surprisingly. And last night I even got myself a cute sweater there. :-)



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/30/2010 07:52AM by dee shops.

What to say?

Yes, there are companies out there that will NOT turn in a bad report. I know - they told me that they can't report that the employee ignored the customer for ten minutes. Uh, yes you can. And they can verify it with the video security tape. Duh! (This is a mild example of what the company "disputes".)

Yes, there are companies that will do the unethical and change the report or tell you to change the report so that your actual experience is not properly conveyed. (This is NOT to be confused with a company that tells you to clarify your experience so it's better understood.)

Yes, there are companies out there that give bad instructions. Instructions that are wrong, misleading, or just impossible to comply.

Yes, there are schedulers out there who will never return a phone call (if you are lucky enough to have a phone number for the company!) or acknowledge an email.

Yes, there are editors out there who don't know the difference between right and left and don't speak or write English as a first language.

Yes, there are "schedulers" who are really their own "company" who get paid for the shops regardless, then pay you if they decide you are worthy, if there's money left over, etc.

Yes, there are payment errors made...fudging on paydates (like ATH who says paid on the 15th, but doesn't mail the check for a few more weeks). There are companies that use to consistently pay by the 15th of the following month who now pay whenever in the three weeks following the 15th.

If we use this forum to share information, ask questions, we can all benefit from the each other's experiences.

And remember, we choose who we work for -- not the other way around. We decide who to apply to, which jobs to apply for, and which jobs to accept. Have a bad experience? Chalk it up to experience and decide if you want to give the company another chance.


It's all about choices.