Maybe pony express. or the good ole wagon train...........gidddiup.

@shoptastic wrote:

Would the editor tell me to change it to JPG?

I've had notes in the holds report detailing what needs to be fixed. But I've responded to that already and gotten the same "need clarification" notification five days in a row now.

I've also messaged/emailed the team responsible for my report 4x now with no response.

I don't know if they've seen my corrections yet or not. It's a bit frustrating, because I can't think of any other ms company off-hand where I've had this sort of a problem for this long. Well...maybe one other one where they took forever to respond. But at least with that company I didn't keep getting "error" type notficationsn daily.

You are headed into the weekend. Your HOLD will not be lifted until the person whom placed it on hold looks at it. Hopefully they will be back to work next week, unless they are sick. I would quit worrying and just check back everyday until the hold is off. Just like the other Replier says, unless the Hold message has changed, there is nothing you can do. Hang in there.

Hi everyone,

I'd like to happily report that my issue has been resolved and was done so in a highly professional manner and completely to my satisfaction. It was complicated and involved some mix-ups of sorts, so I'll have to return to explain later since I've got other shop reports due.

But I just wanted to let the thread followers know that I was able to talk to multiple live people and even get an email! They definitely do have email. And the staff that I spoke to were incredibly nice, patient, and professional the entire time.

I left from the situation feeling confident in the people behind the company and would sign-up for another shop if one was available (I know there's at least one other one I saw that I'd want to do at some point).

So while there was a temporary delay in my report going through, it all finally turned out okay and I have the utmost respect for the staff I spoke with at MaritzCX.

Yo I am having the problems with Maritz. I submitted my 2 shops using the app and then they send back after 50+ photos each that they need more pics. So I try to contact someone and it takes 4 days. Then I send the extra photos and they say I have to reformat them so I do that then it takes another 4 days till I get a response back that it can't be an email it has to be on their website. I go to the site and my d*** shop is gone and they are telling me I have to resubmit it again all this for $21.00 I told them no way and I need to speak to a supervisor so far nothing back. I have already spent 4+ hours on this and no resolve stay away from Maritz till they get their spiff together.

Your pics have to be in exactly the size 480x640 or whatever it is. I had this happen last year, after a couple of weeks dealing with rejected reports. FINALLY, someone told me that it was the picture size even though on my end, the report was accepted. It may be something like that. I refuse to work for Maritz anymore even though they keep sending me emails.

Yeah, I can picture the church bulletins along with the rest that you mentioned. I had issues with a bonus, meanwhile other schedulers were calling for other shops. I was on hold, and said this is horse crap, the scheduler heard me and said she was reporting me to the supervisor and putting a note in my file for being unprofessional. LOL......they need to look in the mirror as for being unprofessional and OUTDATED. Probably still use carbon paper for copies!

This same thing happened to me last week, they kept on sending messages and I replied, but apparently they did not read them. I felt as though I was constantly fixing the same issues. I could not self-assign some shops today so I called to find why. They told me that I was no longer in good standing because I did not answer their request in a timely manner. I t does no good to say anything to them because they just ignore you.

@phatmake wrote:

This same thing happened to me last week, they kept on sending messages and I replied, but apparently they did not read them. I felt as though I was constantly fixing the same issues. I could not self-assign some shops today so I called to find why. They told me that I was no longer in good standing because I did not answer their request in a timely manner. I t does no good to say anything to them because they just ignore you.

Hi, phatmake

Did you try calling them? I also never received any online messages back when I sent them questions and comments in the email function (that envelope icon). I only got a response back when I called and left a message.

I can't speak for your case, but I think the reason I didn't get any responses back online was due to a technical error. I was told some things quickly and from what I can gather, there seemed to be both human and technical issues/errors behind the scenes on my report. What made it bad was that that technical error (possibly due to human error originally) made it difficult/impossible for them to see my corrections.

Someone had to go into the report, from what I gather, and change a setting or two and then they could finally see my answers.

I'd suggest calling them and explaining what you did here. When I spoke to various people over the phone, they were very patient, professional, and willing to help (you could hear it in their tone of voice). They might not know that you had sent them corrections. There may have been some technical errors with their forms (which may or may not have been caused originally by a human error).

Because my shop for them was a higher paying type, I made sure that I sent them online messages and called to try and quickly resolve the issue. I was worried that taking too long to reach someone might jeopardize my report's acceptability to the client. I called them within Day 3 of the report being first sent. I believe I heard back on Day 4, but I wasn't home and got their voice mail at night.

@sallychattin wrote:

Your pics have to be in exactly the size 480x640 or whatever it is. I had this happen last year, after a couple of weeks dealing with rejected reports. FINALLY, someone told me that it was the picture size even though on my end, the report was accepted. It may be something like that. I refuse to work for Maritz anymore even though they keep sending me emails.

Yes, I can confirm it's 640 (w) X 480 (h) and should be in JPG format. If you have another format, then you need to convert it over to JPG. Also, you their system is most compatible with Internet Explorer. Using Chrome, Safari, etc. might make your report not go through.

I had the same thing happen where things would show up as having been sent successfully on my end, but they mentioned never getting it. It seems you do need to send things in a certain format and using Internet Explorer browser.

If you do ALL of that and STILL don't hear back, I would call them immediately (don't waste time using their email/envelope icon messaging system on the website) and, if need be, leave them a message. Calling is what got my problem fixed, because I could explain things to a live person and troubleshoot over the phone.

I can't speak for others, but I would still be willing to give MaritzCX a chance based on the superior customer service I got once I reached a live person. And I will monitor how easy things are with future shops after learning about their specifications recently. If a lot of the issues are really just as simple as sending JPG and a certain sizing if images, etc., then that'd easy to work with and do. It might be an extra 10 minute hassle, but that wouldn't stop me from doing their shops, which are plentiful and well-paying.

So, to summarize, here're my recommendations:

1.) Make sure you always use Internet Explorer when doing and submitting your reports.
2.) Learn their specifications as to what format to send things in.
3.) If you have any problems, call right away. Don't waste time using the envelope icon messaging system, because if there's a technical error in your report, then I don't know if they'd even get your message (not sure about this point. But, even if they do, they might think you're at fault for not submitting corrections, when in actuality it's something technical that's the issue. They might not be responding to your messages, because they could be thinking this person isn't even trying to submit corrections.

Call, call call! lol That is my advice.

Given their good shops in my area, I'll continue to work with them.

@larry s wrote:

Yo I am having the problems with Maritz. I submitted my 2 shops using the app and then they send back after 50+ photos each that they need more pics. So I try to contact someone and it takes 4 days. Then I send the extra photos and they say I have to reformat them so I do that then it takes another 4 days till I get a response back that it can't be an email it has to be on their website. I go to the site and my d*** shop is gone and they are telling me I have to resubmit it again all this for $21.00 I told them no way and I need to speak to a supervisor so far nothing back. I have already spent 4+ hours on this and no resolve stay away from Maritz till they get their spiff together.

It can be frustrating. I felt the SAME way.

BUT, I have a system for EVERY shop I do - not just for MaritzCX - where I'll cut and paste any text I type (especially for long narratives) into a MS Word document (you can even use the free online Google Docs programs if you don't have MS Word...or even your own email) and save it there in case anything happens to my report.

It takes an extra step in the reporting process, but I've found that it's saved me BIG TIME in situations where I've lost internet connection or the form malfunctions somehow and I lose everything entered. If I'm saving every now and then in both the company form AND in my own recorded way, then I'll always have a back-up copy somewhere (hey, short of a disaster where something went nutso with both lol).

Lastly, I save ENTIRE webpage forms all the time just by right-clicking and hitting "Save as..." That lets me quickly recover and see what I entered not only for long narrative responses, but also for yes/no type questions or timings.

I once got that email too and the reason is that they did not have a current phone number for me.

I don't work for Maritz anymore. I had too many problems like this. Good luck getting your money.

@BlueMoose wrote:

It helps if you envision this situation whenever you need to deal with Maritz: Picture a rundown brick building in some small town in rural Missouri. Martiz occupies the second floor, above Floyd's Five and Dime Store. Slant parking out front. Walk up the rickety wooden steps and there they are. Maritz. A few dozen scuffed old wooden desks, and at each, an older person sitting there with a black rotary-dial telephone and a rolodex. No computers. No email. Probably not even a fax machine, as that would be too new-fangled for Maritz. . A pitcher of sweet tea, some chipped mugs and a half-eaten red velvet cake on a table in the corner. And faded plastic flowers in dusty pink vases randomly placed among outdated copies of the church bulletin.

That's the scene I picture whenever I deal with Maritz anyway.

Spot on except you missed the heaping ashtrays on each desk. Had to get those smoker voices somewhere!

Shop, thanks for the update -- so glad it worked out. I, too, have had good, professional results via phone calls.

Alas, I just can't afford to do the work -- 5 plus hours on a $10 shop, plus reimbursement, just doesn't make economic sense. If the shops were just around the corner, maybe, but the closest one to me is 45 miles away.

The representation of Maritz as described has become old and tiresome.

Before I was able to self-assign, I was required to speak to a Maritz scheduler, editor or employee of some sort. I forget who the person was and their capacity within the company.
I was given the basic ground rules, emphasizing photo size, amount of photos (take a lot), how to contact if help was needed (telephone, not Email) and other pertinent information THAT IS COVERED in their individual shop guidelines.
Since I've shopped for Maritx, I have not had many instances where I've experienced some of the difficulties others have had. Sure, there have been some, I expect that. Some are on their end, others are of my own making.
Sometimes I think the editors are a bit too picky, etc. Nothing earth-shattering, annoying, yes. But, you learn to deal with the them and move on.
There are other MSCs that I have worked and others that I continue working. Each to their own, I say. For me Maritz works. For others no - that is their choice as is mine.
After a while, shopping for them becomes easy.
I have a path and a plan that I follow. I'll not go into detail as I think some need to discover the ways that make it work for them on their own. I will say this: that you really need to explore their website and discover the simple tools they give you that makes reporting and understanding much easier.

"Adapt yourself to the life you have been given; and truly love the people with whom destiny has surrounded you" — Marcus Aurelius

Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 02/19/2017 06:01PM by French Farmer.

Farmer - The "learn their system" approach is great, but the fees Maritz is paying doesn't warrant the time needed to complete most of their shops when using their 'system". When the pushback starts to come re: photos or an overzealous editor, working for MartitzCX rapidly becomes a "lower than minimum wage" proposition. Arbitrary rule changes, reporting guidelines, deadlines and reporting methods just dirty the water even more. Be careful.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/19/2017 06:24PM by winemaker.

@winemaker wrote:

Farmer - The "learn their system" approach is great, but the fees Maritz is paying doesn't warrant the time needed to complete most of their shops when using their 'system". When the pushback starts to come re: photos or an overzealous editor, working for MartitzCX rapidly becomes a "lower than minimum wage" proposition. Arbitrary rule changes, reporting guidelines, deadlines and reporting methods just dirty the water even more. Be careful.

Here's a little trick: when an overzealous editor asks for something that appears arbitrary, just quote chapter and verse of the guidelines in which it is pertinent in the comment section. Don't buy into their requirement when it is not required. But be nice about it.
As for photos, I take a lot - no biggie. If my photos don't meet with the editor's satisfaction - too bad, so sorry. Like LIJake, I don't go back and retake photos. I just silently say "Bite me!!". I move on. Just stay silent. If they remove my shop (and they never had yet), just move on.

@French Farmer wrote:

After a while, shopping for them becomes easy.

But it doesn't.
I agree that some companies work better for each individual than others.
Their system works for you.
I would guess that you are a person who takes shops off the board or are one who has time for multiple phone calls back and forth to negotiate a fee. I would also guess that you have no problem with the MSC directing what day you do the shop when really you could do it anytime.
Editing appears to be an issue for a lot of people, I have never had a problem in that respect. I basically have 4 problems with Maritz:

1. They have 3 layers of schedulers you have to go through to talk to someone who can make a decision. I'm not one to tell someone how to run their company, they can do that if they want, but the project I work on the most could easily be handled by 2 schedulers who have some authority and instead they have a team of 8-10 doing it. If they want their costs to be higher that is their business. I only care that it affects how difficult it is to actually make a deal on shops.

2. Their lack of the use of email. Yes I know some people claim they have direct emails for people who can make decisions. Good for them. I do not and I am not going to spend the time doing 80000 shops for them in order to do so. It's a super easy process. I email you with a list of shops and a desired fee. You email me back with a yes or no. That's how it works with every other company I work for. It's quick, it's painless, it doesn't require me to stop my work to answer a phone call only to be told they will have to check and call me back.

3. Their stupid shopping windows. The project I work most on is a quarterly project. They have from day 1 of the quarter until the last day of the quarter to get the shops done. Every other company I work with who assigns me similar shops gives me most of the quarter to do them in. So for Q2 I will be taking a trip through Texas. Now I would gladly snap up 10-15 of those shops but I have no idea until the day before or maybe the day before that exactly what day I will be in an area. If they would give me the full shopping window I would do way more work for them.

4. Their idiocy in handing bonuses. The other day I passed a gas station shop that I would have gladly taken. It's in the middle of nowhere. The shops pays $12 and I would guess their average cost on that shop is $35-$40. I have seen it on the board late in a quarter before with a $50 incentive on it. I have never seen it get taken off the board before it had a bonus applied. For 9 quarters I had a quarterly shop nearby and I drove past this location ever single time. After the 2nd or 3rd time trying I finally gave up. They would not bonus that shop before it was bonus time. I would have gladly done it for a $10 bonus. Way under their average. But I was not going to do that shop at base rate because it is quite simply worth more than that. I'm not sure why they were so hard headed about it. I mean it's perfectly within their right, it just seems counterproductive.

@shoptastic wrote:

But I just wanted to let the thread followers know that I was able to talk to multiple live people and even get an email! They definitely do have email.

The individual employees do NOT have email. There are team mailboxes that team leaders and supervisors have access to. The majority of "regular" team members do not have access to email.

It's been my experience (and perhaps it's just team three) that while you can email the team mailbox, they absolutely will not respond via email. They will instead revert to calling you back.

@shoptastic wrote:

Yes, I can confirm it's 640 (w) X 480 (h) and should be in JPG format. If you have another format, then you need to convert it over to JPG. Also, you their system is most compatible with Internet Explorer. Using Chrome, Safari, etc. might make your report not go through.

I had the same thing happen where things would show up as having been sent successfully on my end, but they mentioned never getting it. It seems you do need to send things in a certain format and using Internet Explorer browser.

If you are submitting vertical photos, you need to make sure that the sizing requirements are reversed. I totally disagree with having to only/primarily use IE. I have been performing shops for Martiz for at least 7 or more years. I have been using Google Chrome for years. The only submitting issues I have with a Maritz report is when their website is experiencing a technical issue. You get these numbered codes with an error message.

BTW, technical issues are handled out of their STL office. Probably 95% or more of the team members will not have a clue what you are talking about or how to fix the issue.

@bgriffin wrote:

@French Farmer wrote:

After a while, shopping for them becomes easy.

But it doesn't.
I agree that some companies work better for each individual than others.
Their system works for you.
I would guess that you are a person who takes shops off the board or are one who has time for multiple phone calls back and forth to negotiate a fee. I would also guess that you have no problem with the MSC directing what day you do the shop when really you could do it anytime.
Editing appears to be an issue for a lot of people, I have never had a problem in that respect. I basically have 4 problems with Maritz:

1. They have 3 layers of schedulers you have to go through to talk to someone who can make a decision.

2. Their lack of the use of email.

3. Their stupid shopping windows.

4. Their idiocy in handing bonuses.

Sorry for condensing your comments, but here goes:

I take jobs off the board that are on my route that I've planned days in advance (unless weather gets in the way). I don't negotiate fees or bonuses. If I don't like their bonus or fee, I leave them alone. I don't call in either. I have no time for long winded conversations.
Yes, they can leave me a message, alerting me to shops I "might like to do". I know what that means and leave them alone. Unless I am specifically asked to call for some important reason, I do not call! Never!
Editing? Well, I note that at the beginning of a quarter and new year, the editors become picky. Whatever! I read the guidelines and stick to them. I make my comments, pointing out the whys and wherefores. I do not ever, go back for a retake. It is just not worth it.
Emails? Meh.
Shopping windows? There is a secret to them and I'm not giving it out. Like I said, learn their system, use their tools. I've never been late.
Bonuses? Like I said, I don't negotiate, I take the bonus they offer (if it works for me).

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/19/2017 11:59PM by French Farmer.

I schedule shops for the last week in the shopping window. It IS possible to do them early. Very easy, in fact. That allows for lots of flexibility.

Maybe I've revealed the secret? Maybe not.

5. And the "reminder" messages on your home page for each individual assignment that is scheduled weeks in the future. 20 shops, even if they are for the same project, = 20 messages that each have to be opened before they can be deleted.