CFA must be on the rag. I just got a nasty email from them telling me that if I didn't download my paperwork by 8am EST Monday and "update my status" for the day I will be conducting the assignment, would result in removal of all PERM assignments and place my file into review; which in turn could revoke my assess to the website. What the %@&# is that all about? I do so many shops, I usually download my paperwork the night before for the next days work. I am a very easy going person, but that email was really irritating.

Its how they roll.

I received an email like that from them about a week ago. I tend to wait until the last minute to download my paperwork for them since the paperwork tends to change at the last minute.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/18/2010 01:37AM by lisams901.

They are not too shopper friendly. I haven't faced these particular issues, and have never had anyone there be rude to me, bu I knwo they are NOT forgiving, don't pay well as a whole, and have there share of issues with clients canceling at last minute. Not fun. "I wish I had a river I could skate away on."

They do tend to be somewhat rude. I also wait until the last minute as they change things and cancel jobs---I hate wasting all that ink and paper. What I really hate are how late I get messages from them about a change when I have already done some of the jobs---what's up with that??? They expect excellence from us for a paltry fee but do not do due diligence on their own end.

I had been working with them for 3 years before they combined with Market Force. In the last two months I also have had assignments they said I had, but didnot show up on my assigned list. Then, cancelled shops after I left the house in the morning(not the night before), not being paided for shops. Then they said I was rude to a customer and was deactived. I have called 4 times to find out what happen, and four times John a supervisor has hung up on me.

Just remember, this is the company that sent out an email to all shoppers who were to visit a pharmacy that said hygiene was important and to please wear deoderant. You get what you pay for. I too was deactivated through no fault of my own, but decided I'm better off that way without the opportunity to accept $5 shops.

Danabnnc Wrote:
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> CFA must be on the rag. I just got a nasty email
> from them telling me that if I didn't download my
> paperwork by 8am EST Monday and "update my status"
> for the day I will be conducting the assignment,
> would result in removal of all PERM assignments
> and place my file into review; which in turn could
> revoke my assess to the website. What the %@&# is
> that all about? I do so many shops, I usually
> download my paperwork the night before for the
> next days work. I am a very easy going person, but
> that email was really irritating.

Wow you are lucky! I personally get calls from them telling me download the paperwork.

I have never had any problems getting jobs from CFA. I started with them 2 1/2 years ago and now have 45 permanent assignments with them. I have done over 1700 total jobs through this time. I've had most of my problems with delivery of POP for the assignments. Lately however, they have been cutting the visits in half which really has cut my jobs. There must be a lot more people working in area now, because I can't seem to get many of the new jobs. They disappear too fast.

This was a great company to work for until Market Force took them over. Yes, they have gotten a little snotty to work with. When you attempt to call in to get help, they never answer. You're lucky if you get a call back in less than an hour. If you go on hold to wait for help, they cut you off in three minutes and tell you to leave a message. I personally think that Market Force fired about half of the staff and they can't keep up.

The complaints about CFA go back years and years before they were ever taken over by MFA. The surprise terminations, multiple calls from different schedulers at all hours to make sure the shopper IS going to do the job, unreasonable and irrational responses to shopper issues--whether major medical or on-site problems--have characterized the complaints and response to CFA for the 5+ years I have read forums. They generally seem to run a 'honeymoon' period with new shoppers and then ditch them if the shopper doesn't ditch them first. That has not changed with the association with MFI.

I began shopping for CFA last summer 09 and now have completed 100+ assignments.
Following many years of national corporate account management experience, here's my 2 cents on MS with CFA/Market Force/CRI primarily. The business must be Xtremely competitive and aggressive toward the bottom of the chain; US! Consistent field success is based on following ALL the rules. There's no time for Prima Donna's (I could certainly have such expectations). For the most part, we are simply numbers and log in's into what are generally reasonably sophisticated user websites. I've seen much less intuitive in use with far more well known branded companies you'd recognize immediately.
I don't understand all the drama which I've seen here the past couple weeks. My big complaint is the lowered PATHETIC fees. Don't hold CFA/MF responsible for cancellations. With them, we don't get work but CFA/MF don't get paid either. It's the national economic structure and I'm surprised that so much money is being devoted to MSing now.

I began shopping for CFA last summer 09 and now have completed 100+ assignments.
Following many years of national corporate account management experience, here's my 2 cents on MS with CFA/Market Force/CRI primarily. The business must be Xtremely competitive and aggressive toward the bottom of the chain; US! Consistent field success is based on following ALL the rules. There's no time for Prima Donna's (I could certainly have such expectations). For the most part, we are simply numbers and log in's into what are generally reasonably sophisticated user websites. I've seen much less intuitive in use with far more well known branded companies you'd recognize immediately.
I don't understand all the drama which I've seen here the past couple weeks. My big complaint is the lowered PATHETIC fees. Don't hold CFA/MF responsible for cancellations. With them, we don't get work but CFA/MF don't get paid either. It's the national economic structure and I'm surprised that so much money is being devoted to MSing now.
I have never been phone called except for one emergency.

readytorock Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I don't understand all the drama which I've seen
> here the past couple weeks. My big complaint is
> the lowered PATHETIC fees. Don't hold CFA/MF
> responsible for cancellations. With them, we don't
> get work but CFA/MF don't get paid either. It's
> the national economic structure and I'm surprised
> that so much money is being devoted to MSing now.
> I have never been phone called except for one
> emergency.

It shouldn't be suprising that companies are paying money to retain customers. With the economy being as tight as it is the last thing you want is some PITA employee or process running your customers away to your competition. With this being a service economy, driven by service, service is what you spend money on improving. A TV is a TV is a TV, HD or not. A burger is a burger is a hotdog, notwithstanding, but a customer willing to lay down her/his hard earned cash is more than worth their weight in gold. Companies need and are willing to pay for this service and we are suppose to collect for supplying them with it.

I agree with the fact that the customers are placing their money down to get assignment done from us the shoppers with the middle man being CFA. My main point has been is the rude people on the phone, and the lack of common curesty from the shedulers and the supervisors. The pay has always been low, I knew that then I accepted the assignments.

I had to post again about the insanity AKA CFA. I set up myself up though because for some reason I keep taking assignments with them.

I've been posting about the lighter saga. Last week I got an email, the report for it must be submitted by midning on the 17th or you will not be paid. So even though we are still waiting on instructions from them as to where/how to ship them, I submitted it. I get another nasty email from them today "DO NOT submit the form unless you have shipped back the lighters."

Um, but you said you MUST submit by midnight and what is this "unless you shipped back the lighters"? No one has shipped back the lighters because FedEx refused to take them and CFA knows this. That is the reason for the hold up. They can't find anyway to have them shipped back.

Then Saturday I take a trailer check, the report is due by 8 am on Sunday. I complete the trailer check, go to report my info and can not access the site. I can go to the sign in page, sign in, click on current assignments, and it signs me back out. It does that dozens of times, I give up and try again Sunday morning. Same thing Sunday morning so I give up and figure I'll call them Monday morning. I know that is a problem with them because I have called before to complain about it and the girl said that they get tons of complaints about that.

I was finally able to access the site Sunday afternoon and I notice they removed the job from my list. So I email them telling what happened and the reply I get was "Fax us the results but you probably will not be paid." Soo I email them again and explain to them exactly what the issue with the site was and how when I called they told me that tons of people complain about having that problem (so it most likely is a problem on CFA's end) and I risk not getting paid for a job I completed correctly because your site has issues. The reply was, "But you did not turn it in on time." I am hoping a call today works out better.

Lisa, time to cast out a wider net. When working with a company leads to this much frustration, it is good to step back from them for a while. Take jobs with some other companies, maybe try finding ones to sign up with that you haven't worked with before.

Life is definitely too short to put up with such BS. Truly there are a number of companies out there that are reasonable to work with. They may not have precisely the mix of stuff you want to do, but is the CFA chaos worth your time or frustration?

Yeah, I am trying to remove myself from CFA, they are by far the least organized company I shop/audit with. I do blame myself partially though because I know they are this way, but yet I still find myself taking assignments with them.

No point in kicking yourself. We do what we need to do to keep our business going, but a business plan is not set in stone. There are other options to explore and perhaps you will find a more comfortable relationship.

I have done shops for cfa and have had no problems with them. I even had to cancel a couple of shops. I have gotten paid on time and see no problem with them. thanks josi434

Lisa, did you ever get paid for the lighter shop? Did they ever notify you what to do with the lighters?

dee shops Wrote:
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> Lisa, did you ever get paid for the lighter shop?
> Did they ever notify you what to do with the
> lighters?


Nope, still waiting. It's funny, I was just thinking about them this morning. I'll have to call again tomorrow. A few weeks ago supposedly they were going to be in contact with me within a few days with instructions on what to do with them.

I have worked for:

Trendsource
Market Force
Service Intelligence
Certified Field Associates

and Certified is by far and large the most unprofessional and nasty company I have ever worked with. This was well before Market Force took over them, so that has little if anything to do with it.

I don't know why anyone would bother with them, unless they do the Theatre Checks, which is what I would use them for. I did some other assignments, but they pay absolutely zip.

I remember doing a Theater Install once for them, and it was my first time. I have never done one before, but didn't think it would be that difficult. I told them that I was struggling with it, and there was no way I could complete it. After doing probably 75-100 assignments successfully for them, they deactivated my account because of that one instance.

They are extremely cut-throat and I honestly wonder how they actually get and retain shoppers with their nastiness and extremely low paying shops ....

Market Force, I absolutely loved. I earned an enormous amount of income from them after I was laid off. I was just doing Mystery Shopping for several companies at one point. But I dare say I did about 500 shops for them, and in the blink of an eye, they stopped offering me shops. It began with McDonald's but then other assignments carried over.

Eventually, I stopped using them since I wasn't getting any work, and nor would they offer me ANY explanation when I asked ... if I was doing something wrong, or what have you.

I enjoyed this company and think their shop rates were more than fair.

But then just the other day I re-activated my account and still wasn't offered any shops. I told them I hadn't shopped them for 2 years. They email me back and thanked me for my past work, but said they were "discontinuing our IC contract."

Very frustrating. I don't know if they felt I was doing too many assignments, or what the situation was. I did a HELL of a lot of work for them, and was very reliable. But they won't offer me ANY explanation, which I think is wrong ... but obviously their choice.

mystikwizard Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------

> But then just the other day I re-activated my
> account and still wasn't offered any shops. I
> told them I hadn't shopped them for 2 years. They
> email me back and thanked me for my past work, but
> said they were "discontinuing our IC contract."
>
> Very frustrating. I don't know if they felt I was
> doing too many assignments, or what the situation
> was. I did a HELL of a lot of work for them, and
> was very reliable. But they won't offer me ANY
> explanation, which I think is wrong ... but
> obviously their choice.


It seems they've been doing a lot of that.

Perhaps, MF/clients want new shoppers' input and there are multitudes signed up, sufficient to allow willy-nilly deactivations. Purging shoppers, either quality or inferior, is inconsequential. Why didn't they rotate sufficiently to appease clients?

Hithere, I am new to this forum and new to CFA. I have never done any mystery shopping with them but just recently signed up with the company. Today I receieved a check in the mail and a letter telling me to wire some money to someone and that I would get paid $300. Is this for real? I have done other mystery shops for other companies, but have never made that amount of money. Help!

The check is a fake and do not cash it or send any money to any one. There are several different post on this subject on the forum just keep reading.

Anytime a "company" sends you a check and asks you to wire it, it will be a scam using a company's name. Run the other way, and report it to the authorities.

I just took an assignment to do a grocery audit. Anyone done one of these before? I have to find prices of 250 items, all while remaining anonymous. I'm just wondering how long this might take and if they pay for the full time you are in the store. The instructions say 2 hours max, but when I spoke to someone on the help desk they said I had to stay and find all items and that I would be paid for my full time.

I took it just to see what it was like and the store is close to me, but now I'"m having second thoughts LOL