This is true. I appreciate the insight. I had called the day of, and also called yesterday. Both times I was told there was no valet anymore. To me, I'm most frustrated by the lack of follow up and verification with the location itself to verify that there even was someone working. I just don't like being so easily dismissed. But I'm mostly over it now. I honestly didn't expect this level of responses from people. I was really happy to see other people chiming in with positive remarks plus the criticism. It just helps me ensure that this won't happen again to me.@roflwofl wrote:
@JASFLALMT wrote:
Yeah, but do you think he would pay even if you had photos of no valets present? If you have a phone number he could call to verify, what's the difference?
I actually do think Doug would pay if the OP had photographs showing either a closed location or a location with no valets. Or maybe had geoverify to document that he was phystically at the correct location. Of course, my belief is just based on my previous experience with NWLPC. I did an assignment for NWLPC a few years ago and the location was unexpectedly closed. It was supposed to be open. I had done a phone call that morning and was told it would be open. It was not. There was no apparent reason why it was not open but it was not. I took a tiimed, dated photograph of the dark, locked, obviously closed building. I got no questions and I was paid.
NWLPC has few jobs in my area, so it's been a couple years since I've done a shop for them. I have never done a parking shop for them so I don't know what the guidelines are. But I think a photograph or some documentation that proved the OP was physically at the location would have gotten him paid. One problem with using a recorded phone call is that it provides no documentation where the OP was when he made the phone call.
@thefoxbox wrote:
I have done these shops before. They have stands that are set up by the company. Even if no one was present, the stand itself would've been there.@Madetoshop wrote:
Hmmmm, there have been several times where I've needed to park and a valet does not appear until I pull up and wait a few seconds. They come out immediately. I did one parking job recently (different MSC) and the instructions gave a phone number to call immediately if there was no valet present.
Thank you for the feedback. I have done shops for them before, always on time and always during the designated hours. I agree that a lack of "if you can't do the shop" policy kind of makes the experience a little more complicated should things go south. I've always appreciated notes where it tells me what actions to take if I cannot complete the shop.@PaulinMI wrote:
I agree with roflwolf it would have been helpful if foxbox had taken photos. However, the OP stated that there were no instructions in the guidelines as to action to take if the shop couldn't be completed. I don't shop for this company, but I've experienced similar situations with other companies, and they've always given me the benefit of the doubt. Especially if I had a good track record with them.
I feel like receiving feedback from a customer saying the valet wasn't present would've been something worth knowing for that client.@Madetoshop wrote:
I have shopped two times for a certain MSC and the locations were closed. One due to maintenance being done and another because it was Easter Sunday. When I scheduled those jobs, those days were available. There was a note in the guidelines that it was up to the shopper to verify open times. I thought since the days were available, they should be open. They weren't. Not paid and took pix. Got an apology but no money. That was OK, I had other jobs scheduled on the same day in proximity.
One other MSC paid me $7 for a closed location. I had taken a pic and they asked me to fill out the survey and report that.
@Madetoshop wrote:
That was OK, I had other jobs scheduled on the same day in proximity.
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Thanks guys. At this point, you guys are putting more of a smile on my face than the payment I would've received for this assignment.@JASFLALMT wrote:
@Madetoshop wrote:
That was OK, I had other jobs scheduled on the same day in proximity.
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So if you didn't have other jobs scheduled on the same day in proximity, would it still have been okay? Not in my book. If you did everything you could in your power to complete the shop and were unsuccessful, you should get paid.
@JASFLALMT wrote:
@Madetoshop wrote:
That was OK, I had other jobs scheduled on the same day in proximity.
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So if you didn't have other jobs scheduled on the same day in proximity, would it still have been okay? Not in my book. If you did everything you could in your power to complete the shop and were unsuccessful, you should get paid.
I agree. But as I said, no instructions were present that informed me what to do if I couldn't complete a shop. To me, the shop was to valet. I couldn't. I felt this information was useful to the client. The MSC feels differently. And I'm honestly ready to be done with it now. I'm at my second valet shop today earning another $40 (plus reimbursement) so this will soon be forgotten.@SteveSoCal wrote:
As a point of clarity (and not taking sides), this is not a rejected shop. It's a theoretically closed location. The OP was contracted to evaluate the valet and there was no valet present.
Unless the form has a specific question about if the valet was present or not, I don't understand why the shop was even submitted. I would have immediately contacted the MSC for further instructions if there was no valet present and no specific instructions on what to do if that was the case.
Some MSCs don't pay for closed locations. Some pay a lesser fee and others may pay the full rate. It's unfortunate that the location is far away, but that's simply not relevant in deciding if the shop should be paid or not, unless there was some pre-negotiated travel pay for going there.
Apparently the location has been shopped multiple times in the past so there's a few possibilities here; Either another shopper will locate a valet or the client will confirm that valet service is no longer provided at that location. If indeed there was no longer valet service offered, then I guess it would have to go to company policy on closed locations for what the OP should be paid.
@thefoxbox wrote:
I agree. But as I said, no instructions were present that informed me what to do if I couldn't complete a shop. To me, the shop was to valet. I couldn't. I felt this information was useful to the client.
if the employees didn't show up for work that day, an employer wouldn't want to know that information? I guess that is just an opinion .... But a weak one nonetheless.@SteveSoCal wrote:
@thefoxbox wrote:
I agree. But as I said, no instructions were present that informed me what to do if I couldn't complete a shop. To me, the shop was to valet. I couldn't. I felt this information was useful to the client.
Understood, but your opinion about what a client might want to know is also not relevant. Your assignment was to evaluate the valet and you were not able to complete that assignment.
I think it's pretty standard in mystery shopping to contact the MSC if something unexpected occurs. Seems like you didn't contact them until after the shop was declined...correct?
I don't believe it was in the instructions that I had to call ahead of time, but I certainly will call in the future whenever I do shops for this MSC.@Madetoshop wrote:
I stated the guidelines said it was up to the shopper to verify open locations. No, it would've not been OK had it not stated that.
@JASFLALMT wrote:
@Madetoshop wrote:
That was OK, I had other jobs scheduled on the same day in proximity.
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So if you didn't have other jobs scheduled on the same day in proximity, would it still have been okay? Not in my book. If you did everything you could in your power to complete the shop and were unsuccessful, you should get paid.
@thefoxbox wrote:
I'm curious. For anyone criticizing me, how many shops have you done?
Your posts were fine. I just find it odd that people keep stating that my main problem with the situation is an opinion. My opinion is based on the fact that no details were outlined on what to do should the valet not be present. That isn't an opinion. People keep throwing that word around like it has a place here.@roflwofl wrote:
@thefoxbox wrote:
I'm curious. For anyone criticizing me, how many shops have you done?
foxbox, who are you talking to? I haven't actually seen anyone criticizing you. I thought we were all commenting and discussing. Several of us have offered opinions based our experience in MSing and with NWLPC. I notice you liked those opinions that agreed with yours, but surely you did not post simply to get posters to agree with you.
If you took my posts as ciriticism, I apologize. My comments were not meant as criticism, although I do think your documentation of the situation was lacking and I did point out what I believe would have gotten you paid. However, to answer the question, I have mystery shopped since 2010, performing just underr 7,000 shops.
@thefoxbox wrote:
If some of you want to dwell on the fact that I did not complete the shop, that is truly your opinion.
I am glad you feel satisfied. Good stuff. Have a fantastic day!@SteveSoCal wrote:
@thefoxbox wrote:
If some of you want to dwell on the fact that I did not complete the shop, that is truly your opinion.
Sorry...I had to quote that to point out how absurd what you wrote was. You agree that it's a fact you didn't complete the assignment as intended and somehow there's an opinion component present.
The words, "As far as I'm concerned" make it pretty clear that you are stating an opinion, not me.
Sorry you didn't like the feedback that wasn't in agreement with you. I can assure you I have quite a bit more experience in the industry that you do and if you maintain that attitude, it's likely this will not be the only issue you encounter.
I'm not posting this for the OP. They clearly have no interest in learning from a mistake. I'm posting this for other shoppers that will learn something from reading this. Having a firm stance that only your opinion is correct is generally not a successful way to operate any business
Thank you. This comment is golden. To the others who seemingly have no tact, look to this comment. The criticism was fair and productive. Maybe a few of you can learn something. Thank you for the feedback :-)@SunnyDays2 wrote:
Setting aside the fact that no valet was present (and you wish you had taken a photo of the empty podium or valet shack) this is where you must learn one thing: When you said you drove a far distance that took one hour and paid tolls. To the client, it does not matter if you swam Lake Erie, encountered 3 toll booths, drove an hour up and back and had to fill your gas tank. The client does not care about that. Period. The client wants a full, correct report. You did not see valet in attendance and you did call before and after. I don't think anyone is beating you up about that. You did your due diligence except for providing a photo of the empty stand/podium/booth.
If you went to a fast food place and it was demolished (happened to me) What would you do? A more seasoned shopper would whip out the camera and get angles of the machinery present, building materials or what was or was not there. I also grab a witness and try to get their name after I innocently ask what happened to ABC store and thank them, asking their name. I believe you said you were a newer shopper. Like I said, don't beat yourself up about this.
Your lesson might be that you are never paid. You might get paid if you persist. Either way, I think everyone is trying to HELP you because we have all arrived to a deserted empty parking lot, a closed location or a demolished one. That was just my advice, think AHEAD ...what if?? what if it's closed? what if it's not the same business (sold to another) this possibility is with EVERY shop. That was my advice for today.
P.S. I drove 30 miles up and back, paid tolls and when I got back, my assignment had been cancelled during the drive up time! I was never paid or even offered the respect of an answer. Needless to say, I did not take any further assignments. It happens to all of us at one time or another, missing the email for a cancelled shop.
Thanks for your story. Some people just want to throw stones without giving any useful feedback. I hope I've empowered them. Others, like you, provide useful information. I find it strange how the MSC will seemingly bend over backwards if a client tells them they want a shop done but don't inform the MSC that the location no longer exists. How is that our fault? Just feels weird to me to have this happen.@eyelove2shop wrote:
OP, I'm sorry your time was wasted, been there, done that! I find it peculiar that the shop instructions provided you with no directions in case the valet was not there.
I had a similar situation. I was doing a ff shop. It was a lunch shop. The shop instructions required me to confirm business hours. I went to the website after calling twice and not getting anyone on the phone. The website listed the hours on Saturday from 10-2pm. The shop instructions stated any day lunch time. I go to the restaurant, learned that was closed. I immediately took a photo, geo verified (although it was not required) and emailed the scheduler while I was still on site, took a screenshot of the website's hours of operation. I went home and filled out the report. I checked the status of my shop and it says received. A week goes by and I don't have a score. I email the scheduler asking for the status of the shop. The scheduler responded, it was cancelled and not sent to the client because the shop was not completed. I calmly replied that I followed the shop instructions to verify the hours of operation. I also asked the scheduler if the client knew their website was reporting inaccurate hours. Guess what? I'm not getting paid for that shop, the scheduler did not ask if I wanted to reschedule and my application for a different shop is pending.
Moral of the story? Sometimes even when doing EVERYTHING possible, it's out of your control. Learning whether you are valued by the MSC is way more important to me than the little $ I would have received. I'm glad you feel received valuable feedback here, I've shared my story to let you know it really doesn't matter if you took photos. The MSC can easily verify if the location no longer has a valet. IMO that is a poor excuse not to pay you.