I've had shops go on error for issues that have never been a problem before. On one shop, the editor said I had to submit a diesel photo even though the pump was not under the branded canopy. The guidelines were very specific about this and said a photo was not required and to not evaluate pumps that were not under the branded canopy.

For a different shop, I've always taken the employee photo (face cannot be included) at a certain angle: close, but still showing the counter between the two of us. I've had several shops put on error because they weren't close enough. It's absolutely clear in my photos whether the employee wore a name tag and whether they had a brand name on the shirt, so I'm not getting why my photos aren't acceptable.

Just curious if anyone else has experienced this? The number of shops sent back as a hold in the last month has been fairly high, and nearly all the issues were similar to the examples above.

I had the first issue you mentioned. The editor put my shop on hold requesting a photo of the diesel pump. She/he said specifically that I was correct not to evaluate it but to please submit a photo anyway. I thought about that overnight, double checked the handbook, and wrote back that I did not have a photo of the diesel pump as the guidelines specifically say it is not required if not under the branded canopy. My shop went through after that.
I started taking a photo of the diesel pump anyway after that, even when it's not under the branded canopy and I submit it with the rest of the required photos. So far so good, none of the rest have been put on hold. I don't know why they want it when the guidelines say they don't, but I just snap a photo and get on with my day.

^ I had the EXACT same experience as CoffeeQueen!

If this is the same station I am thinking they have a updated requirements that covers the diesel pump issue. It is on one of the requirement sheets that we use when we are conducting the shops for the client.

Unfortunately, Maritz constantly changes editors. I don't think it is a permanent life choice for a career. I think they move on to bigger and better things as soon as they graduate college or high school. If this is the brand where you have to photo every pump it clearly states "if the pump only offers diesel, you should not evaluate it." See pg 15 of the customer guide. I would point this out to the editor and refer her to pg 15. I would also get a scheduler involved who in turn usually gets a supervisor involved. And, like magic, the hold will disappear.

I had a bank shop placed on hold; the editor asked me to provide a detailed summary of my interaction with the banker including each question that I asked the banker. I had submitted the report in the evening and got the hold message shortly thereafter. I did not respond. By the next morning Maritz had cancelled the hold without my intervention.

Call me anal, but here is what I do for mystery shopping:
When I do a new location, I take pictures of every pump, whether gasoline or diesel only. I save those pictures as well as all the other required photos to my laptop in a specific file for the city/town and then a sub-file to the address.
When and if I perform the shop again, I review my previous photos of that location, the pumps and any infractions and then delete all but the diesel photos (if they indeed have stand-alone diesels).
When, in the infrequent instance a request by an editor asks for a picture of a diesel pump, I just submit a pic from that file.
As an added safeguard, every 3 to 6 months, I save all of my mystery shopping files to a cloned laptop. Every 6 months, I save my complete recycle bin to a remote hard drive.
Works for me.

Unfortunately because of the new editors I am taking less gas station shops. On a shop I took a picture of the food. It went on hold as they wanted the picture to include more of the area. All the food was in the picture so I didn't know why they needed a bigger area in the picture. I have started taking tons of pictures of any gas station shops I do for them.

When a hold is ridiculous like yours, just call.

I was an editor for them part time. They only pay 8.75/hour with no possibility of a raise. The life span of an editor is short.

The editors are the main reason I don't take many (if any) of the low paying shops with reveals. I absolutely hate being told "please reread the requirements" only to in turn have to explain TO THEM the requirements and why they are wrong. It is ridiculous that we should have to point out the document, page, and question (and often times point out the supplemental document, page and information) that details the specific, and often strict, requirements. If we are 100% compliant with their requirements, why is it impossible for the editors be just as knowledgeable? (Lstockwell answered that for us <grin>

I completely understand and have no problem when they ask for clarification. But when we have to take the time to explain to them the requirements, it's just ridiculous. The lower paying shops are not worth the time.

That said, when it comes to photos, I always take lots of extra ones. If I even have a fleeting thought about commenting on something, I take extra photos. If it is something they say not to take a photo of (e.g. a Diesel dispenser), I take the extra photo or two. The only photo I don't take extra photos of is in regards to customers, employee faces, etc... (if the shop "prohibits" something, I follow that to the letter).

When entering on my tablet, I just bounce between the OnSite app and my camera app. For the shops that don't allow tablet/OnSite data entry, I just take extra photos with the camera. It takes all of 3 seconds to take the extra photo: maybe an extra 2-5 minutes on location for a complex shop..

When doing numerous shops, I find the extra photos are great for recalling the exact details of a site. Only once or twice have I had to pull from my extra photos and resubmit to correct a hold. One of those times was because the evil app did not submit/upload one (I realized that after I submitted the extra photo).

Ultimately, I have partially come to terms with the fact that, when experienced, we know more than the editors. On the flip side, I have noticed that it is usually the same editor (or few) that handle a certain shop. (That may be coincidence). Once I have taken the extra time to respond to their ludicrous hold reason/comments with a detailed explanation of the actual requirement, I have yet to get another one bounced back for the same reason: which proves the editors can learn. (And, with that, I just jinxed myself...)

Well said. I liked app entry and bouncing between camera and Onsite app is genius. I however, have reverted to camera only on site. I don't like the amount of time I have to look down at my screen with the app. I feel the need to remain alert to everything around me at a gas station. I can snap photos with the camera on my wrist and still be completely aware of everything.
That being said, you are right. The single biggest thing a shopper can do to have successful gas station audits is take a LOT of extra photos.

@CarpeNoctumDC wrote:

The editors are the main reason I don't take many (if any) of the low paying shops with reveals. I absolutely hate being told "please reread the requirements" only to in turn have to explain TO THEM the requirements and why they are wrong. It is ridiculous that we should have to point out the document, page, and question (and often times point out the supplemental document, page and information) that details the specific, and often strict, requirements. If we are 100% compliant with their requirements, why is it impossible for the editors be just as knowledgeable? (Lstockwell answered that for us <grin>

I completely understand and have no problem when they ask for clarification. But when we have to take the time to explain to them the requirements, it's just ridiculous. The lower paying shops are not worth the time.

That said, when it comes to photos, I always take lots of extra ones. If I even have a fleeting thought about commenting on something, I take extra photos. If it is something they say not to take a photo of (e.g. a Diesel dispenser), I take the extra photo or two. The only photo I don't take extra photos of is in regards to customers, employee faces, etc... (if the shop "prohibits" something, I follow that to the letter).

When entering on my tablet, I just bounce between the OnSite app and my camera app. For the shops that don't allow tablet/OnSite data entry, I just take extra photos with the camera. It takes all of 3 seconds to take the extra photo: maybe an extra 2-5 minutes on location for a complex shop..

When doing numerous shops, I find the extra photos are great for recalling the exact details of a site. Only once or twice have I had to pull from my extra photos and resubmit to correct a hold. One of those times was because the evil app did not submit/upload one (I realized that after I submitted the extra photo).

Ultimately, I have partially come to terms with the fact that, when experienced, we know more than the editors. On the flip side, I have noticed that it is usually the same editor (or few) that handle a certain shop. (That may be coincidence). Once I have taken the extra time to respond to their ludicrous hold reason/comments with a detailed explanation of the actual requirement, I have yet to get another one bounced back for the same reason: which proves the editors can learn. (And, with that, I just jinxed myself...)

@Lstockwell wrote:

I was an editor for them part time. They only pay 8.75/hour with no possibility of a raise. The life span of an editor is short.

That explains the inconsistent editing and the high turnover. You get what you pay for.