Dear All,

I would like to know whether you have the same experience like me?
So, this is what happened:

I get an assignment to visit restaurant and bar in five-star hotels. I had performed this visit before.
So, before I conduct the visit, I read the manuals, have a brief look of the guidelines and questionnaire and off to go.

I finished my visit and sent my reports. To my surprise, the Bare Scheduler said that my report is failed since I don't include the money serial number. I said to the scheduler that it did not mention in the manual and the scheduler also did not mention that it a must. (last year report did not include serial number).
Besides the money serial number, I follow close to the manuals since I did this visit before and its fine.

As you know, the expense is big money for me. The scheduler refused to reimburse my money and only said that she will cancel all my task and will correct the manual.

So, I would like to know whether everyone ever has the same experience? What should I do to get my money reimburse?
I also feel it is not fair for the shoppers since if there are new regulations and did not get any mention in the manual.

Appreciate your reply.

First, the scheduler would not have been the one to reject a report. That would have gone to an editor and then a project manager.

If this were me, I would approach it like this:
* I would carefully read through all the guidelines, notes and communications again to verify that i was right and that there was not any mention being required to record serial numbers.
* Once I had confirmed that there was not any such requirement, I would send a respectful note to the project manager, outlining your concern and asking for clarification.
* I would keep in mind that Bare very much wants your report to be approved as they do not get paid unless you get paid.

If there really is not any mention of the requirement in any of your instructions, you should be just fine. However, if there is, you are likely out-of-luck.

Thank you for your reply,
Yes, I found out that it was the Project Manager that said she cannot approved my report since it did not contain the money serial number.

* I would carefully read through all the guidelines, notes and communications again to verify that i was right and that there was not any mention being required to record serial numbers.
Yes, I read through all the guidelines, notes and communication from her again (I have evidence the Skype Chat with her) and no mention of the money serial number.

* Once I had confirmed that there was not any such requirement, I would send a respectful note to the project manager, outlining your concern and asking for clarification.
I got 3 assignment. The first 2 task I did on the same day, so I just found out later that the money serial number is mandatory after I submit the report.
I also sent an email a respectful note to her, along with the manual screen capture and everything. But she refused it all.
For the last assignment, I did good, because she already told me about the money serial number. The project manager refused to pay first 2 task reimbursement.

* I would keep in mind that Bare very much wants your report to be approved as they do not get paid unless you get paid.
The project manager asked me whether I could perform the visit again, I said I can, but I need the first visit to reimburse my money otherwise, I can't afford to perform another visit. The project manager still did not say anything.

I'm really disappointed and don't think it fair to me if the Project Manager did make mistake. But, I don't know to whom that I can talk to with this.
It seems the Project manager is the only one who have the authority about my reimbursement.

You need to ask the project manager where in the guidelines you were told to record the serial number. If it is not there, you should be paid. None of us can be expected to follow guidelines that do not exist. Perhaps somebody on this board who has done the assignment can confirm. Or, there is a Bare scheduler who follows the forum.

Thereafter, it might be worth the effort to go above the project manager. Just don't do this unless you are absolutely certain that you are correct. I also need to ask: Your writing is a bit unclear - as if English may not be your first language? Is it possible that you and the project manager are not communicating well?



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/02/2018 03:47PM by MFJohnston.

Hi,

thanks for the reply.

Yes, English is my second language. The Project Manager is from China.
We are communicating in English.

Regarding the guidelines, I am sure that I was right and follow the guidelines closely.

I also knew that this Project Manager is a new person.
Anyway, I will try to talk to the Project Manager again about this.

Thank you for your comments
I really appreciate it.

Where was the evaluation performed? I’m asking about the city/state/country, not the client.

If the shop instructions didn't state to get the serial number then you absolutely should be paid. And if it's a large sum of money, definitely go higher up in management if you need to. Sounds like the scheduler/project mgr are wrong on this.

I would not have ever thought to record the serial numbers unless it was in the guidelines, other communications, or on the report form where I could see it in advance. Where were you supposed to report the numbers?

If it is a cash integrity shop, sometimes you have to record or photograph the serial numbers. Just curious, since we are waiting on OP to clarify.

Sorry for the troubles OP. I hope Bare helps you out on this one.
One question: what is Money Serial Number?! Where does it show? I haven’t done any restautant or bars shops in over a year so maybe this is somwthing new.

Money serial number? As in the serial number on paper money? Who would request something like that!

@HonnyBrown wrote:

Money serial number? As in the serial number on paper money? Who would request something like that!

The client who wants to track where the money went.
It's not that uncommon.

Serial numbers on the individual bills for tracking, MikiNV. Pull a dollar bill out of your wallet and look at it, you will see the serial number. People play poker with bills using the serial number all of the time. Also odd serial numbers are great collector items and sometimes collectors will pay big bucks for this.

It makes sense for the MSC to do this with a cash integrity shop to track the money, but that should have been in the guidelines if it was expected for the shopper to follow that procedure.

Just to clarify, in this assignment you are expected to hand in a 'lost' 10 dollar bill to a member of the hotel staff. The hotel then can check if the money made it to the Lost & Found.

For this assignment, previously you had to submit a photocopy of the money used. In that case there would be a record of the serial number. It seems like the photocopy is not required any more or Bare could easily add the number to the report themselves.

I used to play liar's poker, as JAS describes it, and it's a fun game.

Hi,
Sorry for my late reply since I was in different timezone.

The shop area is in Jakarta, Indonesia.

Thanks

Thank you all for your replies...

@SoCalMama the hotel is in Jakarta, Indonesia. The shop is Cash Integrity Shop. I have performed the same visit last year, but I didn't have to record the money serial number. In the new guidelines, it did not mention also. Even when I communicate with the Project Mgr, she did not mention it also.
After I submit the report, the Project Mgr started to mention it.

I already sent a respectful email to her, but she did not reply it, Instead, she chats with me via Skype to informed me that I had failed the report

@MikiNV, @mystery2me, @HonnyBrown
It shows in the report form, but it did not say it was mandatory.
I had 3 visits. The first and second visit, I did not mention the money serial number. After I submitted the report, the Project Mgr said that I had to mention it.
For the last visit, I mentioned it, since I've got informed before.
The Project Mgr also realize that the manual is incomplete, but she still said that I failed the visit.

I feel really disappointed

I would be disappointed too. Sounds like a lot of money at stake.

Ahh that’s disappointing! It happens to all of us sooner or later.
I see, serial money number! I lived in Vegas for 20 years, I should know this! Thank you for explanation

@gigides wrote:

It shows in the report form, but it did not say it was mandatory.

Did the guidelines instruct you to review the report form before doing the shop? What did you enter instead of the serial number? Did you ask about it after you saw it the first, or second time?

Yes, it SHOULD be in the guidelines, but after the first one, you should have realized you needed the serial number. I can see the MSC letting it slide once or twice because they forgot to update the instructions. But not three times. We are expected to review the report and ask questions.

@TroyHawkins, it seems that once @gigides knew this was a requirement, it was done on the third and final shop, which was completed a day later than the first two.

@OCyou2 Thank you for pointing that out, I see that now that I re-read it. Regardless, reviewing the report and asking questions is a fairly standard expectation.

If there's truly no more to the story, the project manager is being unreasonable and unethical. Definitely take it higher, record or save all interactions, and keep taking it higher when you hit a brick wall. It doesn't sound like suing is viable, but you'd probably win.
Is there any authority that a MSC would not want to be reported to? There should be.

I did one of these shops when they were with the old MSC. That was the only one I did because they took so long to reimburse me.

@SoCalMama wrote:

@HonnyBrown wrote:

Money serial number? As in the serial number on paper money? Who would request something like that!

The client who wants to track where the money went.
It's not that uncommon.

Just curious what happens when you review the question before your assignment, then send emails and make several calls to your scheduler without any response and you are due to perform your shop what is your advice on how to proceed?

From this moment forward I am taking photos of the money I spend if it is a cash shop. It is sad that you have to cover your butt or you will be screwed in the place you did not cover. Simpler to wearing a body cam 24/7/365.

@gigides wrote:

So, before I conduct the visit, I read the manuals, have a brief look of the guidelines and questionnaire and off to go..

I think you're trying to be a conscientious shopper, and I'm sorry you're out the money on these shops. But you answered your own question. It's tempting to have a "brief" look at the guidelines and survey for shops we've done before, but you should really read them. Some MSCs update shop materials on a regular basis; many will alert you to that. But some don't. The burden is on us. Sometimes the manuals, guidelines, and surveys don't always match up, and it's up to the shopper to get clarification. Better to over-prepare than under-prepare! I had a shop the other day that, when I read the survey, asked for an observation that wasn't mentioned in the guidelines. If I hadn't thoroughly read the survey, I'd have missed that.

In your case, if it was in the report form, even if not in the guidelines, I'd say it's mandatory. This doesn't seem to be a case of anything contradictory or confusing. More like just missing from one and not the other. If the guidelines say you don't need the serial numbers and the report says you do, that's different. I'm the first person to rant and rave about contradictions between the guidelines and surveys, but it seems this isn't the case here.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 06/03/2018 06:34PM by BirdyC.

Always read the questionnaire when assigned a shop. Often there are requirements / details not in the guidelines. Example: I was assigned a high end shoe store to see shoes for myself but the questionnaire asked if the review was for a bag to be given as a gift. I immediately called the scheduler and reconfirmed the scenario. It could have all gone horribly wrong if I hadn't paid attention.

@Catnap wrote:

Just to clarify, in this assignment you are expected to hand in a 'lost' 10 dollar bill to a member of the hotel staff. The hotel then can check if the money made it to the Lost & Found.

For this assignment, previously you had to submit a photocopy of the money used. In that case there would be a record of the serial number. It seems like the photocopy is not required any more or Bare could easily add the number to the report themselves.

Here’s the answer folks.

I didn’t see this post earlier??? I wonder if it had to get approved?

I have been sipping tea and reading trying to understand the problems pro and cons.
I don't want to work and not get paid even though my main focus is trying out restaurants.
If it is good food win-win? with a few hours of writing or filling out forms, if I get paid that is the cherry on top