Warning about overlap of back to back times from marketforce
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No. It is your responsibility to make sure the times do not overlap. Well if the "shops were almost next to each other" then you should have made at least a half hour between then, that way you would not have to estimate the times.
If MF paid you this time, then next time both shop will be rejected. The question you should be asking is ----->"do I want to be paid for both shops or do I want the shops to be invalidated?
Why do you want a WRONG on your part to be removed from your record.
If MF paid you this time, then next time both shop will be rejected. The question you should be asking is ----->"do I want to be paid for both shops or do I want the shops to be invalidated?
Why do you want a WRONG on your part to be removed from your record.
You are human , you make mistakes. Learn from them and move on. That being said it was a mistake for which we have to be accountable. I dont think i would ask them to to remove it from my record.
Sojo917 Thank you for your response. I certainly realize what happened was wrong. And, as the following post says--I'm human. I can assure you that there's not going to be a next time. I make mistakes and I learn from them.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/17/2017 01:39PM by Meb.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/17/2017 01:39PM by Meb.
Be glad you only got a warning instead of having both shops declined. No, there's no way to remove the mistake from your record. You are human and we do make mistakes. Learn from it. Don't beat yourself up. Be happy you are still getting paid. Unfortunately, in mystery shopping, making a mistake often means not getting paid. And too many mistakes means deactivation. And the MSCs do count and document the mistakes.
Be especially careful of recording times. An editor friend tells me inaccurate times and timing makes an MSC question the data accuracy of your overall work.
Be especially careful of recording times. An editor friend tells me inaccurate times and timing makes an MSC question the data accuracy of your overall work.
In the future, an easy way to keep track of your times is to just text yourself. I always text myself when I'm entering and exiting a location. The text is time stamped and it's not a piece of paper I have to keep track of. For example, I'll text "USPS in" when I enter that location and "USPS out" when I leave. That way later when I'm writing my reports I'm not searching for notes. I can just grab my phone.
To add onto what Liz said, I use the notepad in my phone to type in in/out times of the shop.
Thank you. Texting and using the phone notepad are both good ideas. I'm a new shopper still learning the ropes.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/17/2017 03:33PM by Meb.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/17/2017 03:33PM by Meb.
You are in the right place to learn. Keep reading the forum and ask away.
I use an app called mystery stopwatch for all shops. I think it cost $1 or $2. It keeps track of all my in and out times, calculates intervals between markers and I think will email the info to me ( I haven't used that function).
Wwn: that's awesome! I'm going to research that now. I should have guessed there was an app for that!
I take a picture of tgecdite when I get thereand when I leave. My pictures are time stamped .
@adamaimeemom wrote:
I take a picture of the site when I get there and when I leave. My pictures are time stamped .
Never estimate times, that was your problem. Between having a pen and paper, or many methods via your phone or a tablet, there is no excuse to not have an exact reference to important times and timings. Many lazy shoppers have come here to complain about not being paid for shops, after they provided bad information.
My posts are solely based on my opinions and for my entertainment, contact a professional if you need real advice.
When you get in debt you become a slave. - Andrew Jackson
When you get in debt you become a slave. - Andrew Jackson
Isaiah58: I'm very aware of what caused this problem. This is both the first and last time that it will happen. It was an honest mistake. I can't speak to how many lazy shoppers post on this forum. I can say for sure that I'm not one of them. Thank you for your advise about the various methods for recording times.
I was not implying that you are lazy. I've seen shoppers state they estimated service timings, forgotten, guessed, etc.. bits of information. All of which they could have easily recorded one way or another before, during or immediately after the shop. Very few, like you, learn from or take responsibility for their mistakes. Sounds like you are on the right track for doing this as a professional.
My posts are solely based on my opinions and for my entertainment, contact a professional if you need real advice.
When you get in debt you become a slave. - Andrew Jackson
When you get in debt you become a slave. - Andrew Jackson
I do screen shots when I enter and exit a location, then transfer the information to my shop sheet.
Happiness is not a goal; it is a by-product. Eleanor Roosevelt
I use the GeoVerify app for in and out times. Easy
I also take a picture when entering and exiting each shop. It may be the store front, the ground or a close up of my palm. Just yesterday the sun was so bright I could not tell if my flash was on hence the palm of my hand picture.
I got the same warning a few months back. It will be my first and last as well. My mistake.
I was doing a mini route of locations right next to each other and made the mistake of using my cell phone for some times and my car clock for others. In reality, the times should have been a minute apart, but I entered the same end time of one shop and start time of another.
Now I screen shot when I arrive (start) and when I leave (end) a shop.
I was doing a mini route of locations right next to each other and made the mistake of using my cell phone for some times and my car clock for others. In reality, the times should have been a minute apart, but I entered the same end time of one shop and start time of another.
Now I screen shot when I arrive (start) and when I leave (end) a shop.
Part-time Colorado Shopper since 2016.
Could it be the company's reporting system time clock that is the problem? In my experience working retail and as a merchandiser that sometimes their system rounds time off to the nearest 15 minute block, not to the nearest minute. So, if you end a shop at 10:10am and then start another one at 10:14am that would be within the same 15 minute block. And, technically they overlap as far as they are concerned. Has, anyone noticed if this is the case?
The shoe shop in the mall after I leave, I text: "out 2:45, female Caucasian, red hair, 5.7, no name tag, 3 associates in store." Those are my notes
Thank you. I've started taking notes on my iPad as soon as I leave a shop.
@JezebelsDayDream wrote:
Could it be the company's reporting system time clock that is the problem? In my experience working retail and as a merchandiser that sometimes their system rounds time off to the nearest 15 minute block, not to the nearest minute. So, if you end a shop at 10:10am and then start another one at 10:14am that would be within the same 15 minute block. And, technically they overlap as far as they are concerned. Has, anyone noticed if this is the case?
Mf food shop specifically instructs you not to use the time at the location.
When I do a run of shops that are close to each other I try to sit in my car for 15 minutes at least or go do something in between. If you can report on the app, I've done it where I've filled in most of the data for the first shop and gone to do the second shop. When I'm home I can finish it off and have the accurate data.
@JezebelsDayDream wrote:
Could it be the company's reporting system time clock that is the problem? In my experience working retail and as a merchandiser that sometimes their system rounds time off to the nearest 15 minute block, not to the nearest minute. So, if you end a shop at 10:10am and then start another one at 10:14am that would be within the same 15 minute block. And, technically they overlap as far as they are concerned. Has, anyone noticed if this is the case?
This is what happened to me and MF gave me a warning email, 1st offense, PLUS did not pay me for either job. They were right across the street from each other so I actually did end one and 2 minutes later start the next but they called it overlapping times and nixed me on both. I haven't been a big MF shopper in the past and this has left a bad taste in my mouth. I'm giving it one more try this week then I will just quit working with them if they come up with more excuses not to pay me.
Leslie - Did you explain it to them and what was their response. I know they questioned me once because my start time was earlier than what the receipt stated and they accepted it after I explained it to them.
@LeslieKay111 wrote:
MF gave me a warning email, 1st offense, PLUS did not pay me for either job...........................................................called it overlapping times and nixed me on both.....................................left a bad taste in my mouth. I'm giving it one more try this week then I will just quit working with them if they come up with more excuses not to pay me.
They are not coming up with a reason not to pay You.
You are following the guidelines.
You said they warned you, but you still don't listen. How many warning do you need
MF is one of the easiest MSCs to work for. Apparently they have not deactivate you yet, so they still are giving you a chance. If you like ----->move on, but one shopper don't stop no show. MF is a nice "filler" shop.
If your shops are right across the street, then across the street and write up one report. 30 to 45 minutes is a good buffer-time between shops. Fill that time with another MSC shop, gas station shop, or cell phone shop, then go to your second MF shop.
When one can manged their shop time, they are not wasting time and getting paid. A rejected shop is wasted time and money. Your poor excuse is the reason they"come up not to pay you".
@7star------->@LeslieKay111 explained in her post what she did wrong. It is no clearer than that.
You learn from your mistakes or you keep making them.
;X
This is another good reason for making and having a worksheet for each and every shop you are assigned or have assigned yourself.
For me, my worksheet always has a "Time In" and a "Time Out". Of course, depending upon the MSC and its peculiarities, I also have checkpoints on the sheet for the various needs that I am supposed to perform during the shop. Plus there is a space for comments and driving directions. Before submitting the report, I always check my times with the previous and subsequent shops performed.
I've only been questioned once about overlapping times and that was with an old MSC that does not have the shops anymore. The receipt times overlapped on two shops that I had performed. In the report, I had correctly entered my times, yet I failed to comment on the receipt timing being off.
After some explanation involving time stamps on my photos versus the receipt timing, they agreed that my report was correct and the receipt times were off.
Recently, I performed two shops that were almost on top of each other. Knowing that my "In" and "Out" times would be very close (literally within minutes), I deliberately dawdled after leaving the first shop's location.
Is that dishonest? No, of course not.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/28/2017 01:00PM by French Farmer.
For me, my worksheet always has a "Time In" and a "Time Out". Of course, depending upon the MSC and its peculiarities, I also have checkpoints on the sheet for the various needs that I am supposed to perform during the shop. Plus there is a space for comments and driving directions. Before submitting the report, I always check my times with the previous and subsequent shops performed.
I've only been questioned once about overlapping times and that was with an old MSC that does not have the shops anymore. The receipt times overlapped on two shops that I had performed. In the report, I had correctly entered my times, yet I failed to comment on the receipt timing being off.
After some explanation involving time stamps on my photos versus the receipt timing, they agreed that my report was correct and the receipt times were off.
Recently, I performed two shops that were almost on top of each other. Knowing that my "In" and "Out" times would be very close (literally within minutes), I deliberately dawdled after leaving the first shop's location.
Is that dishonest? No, of course not.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/28/2017 01:00PM by French Farmer.
Sojo, two minutes apart is not overlapping times. Unless it is in the guidelines, no shopper should automatically wait 30 minutes between shops. That is just absurd.
The one time it happened to me they argued over three minutes between two audits. I explained if they looked at the photos from the first, they could actually see part of the second station across the street. I was paid for both and believe they said the requirement was five minutes between audits. Considering all data for an audit is captured on site, their excuse of how we should allow five minutes to review the data made no sense. The bottom line is Market Force prefers the dilettante to the professional shopper.
The one time it happened to me they argued over three minutes between two audits. I explained if they looked at the photos from the first, they could actually see part of the second station across the street. I was paid for both and believe they said the requirement was five minutes between audits. Considering all data for an audit is captured on site, their excuse of how we should allow five minutes to review the data made no sense. The bottom line is Market Force prefers the dilettante to the professional shopper.
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"I prefer someone who burns the flag and then wraps themselves up in the Constitution over someone who burns the Constitution and then wraps themselves up in the flag." -Molly Ivins
Never try to teach a pig to sing. It's a waste of your time and it really annoys the pig.
"I prefer someone who burns the flag and then wraps themselves up in the Constitution over someone who burns the Constitution and then wraps themselves up in the flag." -Molly Ivins
Never try to teach a pig to sing. It's a waste of your time and it really annoys the pig.
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