Coyle scores?
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I did a pretty easy shop for them initially. I made sure it was some of my best work, since it was my first time working with them. They dinged me for ordering an extra dessert, which I paid for out of pocket. I ordered everything required and I felt it was just a snarky way for them to not give me 100%, slap my hand and show me who's boss. The sample narrative they provide is for a high end dining shop and does not apply to lounge or bar shops much. I think they use that to try to bait and switch you at the end. I have another dinner shop scheduled next week, but if it's another hassle, I will be hesitant to work with them in the future. I have been doing this for decades, so I'm pretty confident in my skills and writing abilities.
I think it's funny that they have their "intro" shop. I got 100% on that. Then I did one of their "real" shops. It's like the gateway, and then the actual stuff hits you. I am waiting on a few report evaluations, and have another few shops coming up. They turned into my main company at the moment. I am not quite sure how I went from no offers of a job, to ten, but we will see what happens.
Update if anyone does a Coyle search- after two months, they give me mostly consistent 100 grades and they have not asked me any questions for a good ten reports. I am typing the reports on a laptop mostly, but still do it on my phone if I want to hang out on my couch or if we are driving. The reports have been taking about five hours each for a fine dining with a bar shop, compared to 2-2.5 hours at most for a similar ACL shop.
So, the last shop I did, I copied their "test" shop narrative and changed it to fit my needs. I added a few things here and there, but for the most part it was spot on. I got my lowest score yet. 91%. Your editors must be more lenient. I am going to do them once a quarter and see if it changes.
@Niner wrote:
The reports have been taking about five hours each for a fine dining with a bar shop, compared to 2-2.5 hours at most for a similar ACL shop.
Congrats Niner. Sounds like you got the format down. My goals are for timing instead of scores there days. I can do a fine dining report in 2 hours but may get some questions back, so 3 hours on the report is my current approach to avoid wasting time replying to questions later on.
For the hotels that have a lot more subjective components, I use speech-to-text to speed the process, but the restaurants I can usually do fastest by powering through on a keyboard. If you are still using an iPad or phone for reports, I'd suggest getting the Word app and utilizing speech-to-text though. If you know the format and have organized notes, it can save you a lot of time.
@jellyfish; The sample narratives don't reflect a lot of their current format requirements in my experience. I find it faster to type from scratch.
@SteveSoCal I was typing from scratch, and I couldn't get 100%. Each time it was some little ding that would give me 99 or 98. I decided to try their sample narrative to see if it would help me. They didn't ask me any questions, but they did give me a lower score than normal. I wrote double the narrative I have at my other shops too. I can't figure them out.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/11/2019 04:16PM by jellyfish.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/11/2019 04:16PM by jellyfish.
For my longest report, the one I worked the hardest on, they gave me a 75. My word document was eight pages long. I assure you I included everything in proper format. The reports before and after that were all 100. I still have no idea. I asked for feedback and they did not reply. I cannot figure them out.
They are still my favorite company to do dining shops for, unless ACL has a place worth visiting.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/12/2019 12:00PM by Niner.
They are still my favorite company to do dining shops for, unless ACL has a place worth visiting.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/12/2019 12:00PM by Niner.
I usually get 100%, but the reports take so long, usually 3 to 4 hours for a fine dining... I also got 96 recently and was told I had one apostrophe in the wrong place when I asked why....I rarely get questions back and when I do, usually about something already included in the narrative.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/13/2019 07:47AM by caro555.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/13/2019 07:47AM by caro555.
Five hours? I would be crying and say never again. You must really love their venues. While I do as well, I would not be doing them if I had to spend 5 hours. You are a trooper. :-)
@Niner wrote:
For my longest report, the one I worked the hardest on, they gave me a 75. My word document was eight pages long. I assure you I included everything in proper format. The reports before and after that were all 100. I still have no idea. I asked for feedback and they did not reply. I cannot figure them out.
They are still my favorite company to do dining shops for, unless ACL has a place worth visiting.
@Madetoshop wrote:
Five hours? I would be crying and say never again. You must really love their venues. While I do as well, I would not be doing them if I had to spend 5 hours. You are a trooper. :-)
@Niner wrote:
For my longest report, the one I worked the hardest on, they gave me a 75. My word document was eight pages long. I assure you I included everything in proper format. The reports before and after that were all 100. I still have no idea. I asked for feedback and they did not reply. I cannot figure them out.
They are still my favorite company to do dining shops for, unless ACL has a place worth visiting.
She does them on her phone ....
If we are driving 1.5 hours home, yes, I will start the report on my phone. I will also write up the phone call portion on my way to the restaurant. If some of you can type on a laptop in your car, that's great, I can't.
Typing on my laptop, it took me over five hours for my longest report.
No, I don't mind. I used to work from 7:00 AM until 10:00 PM. I now work 6:30 AM to 2:30 PM. Four or five hours spread over two days doing something I enjoy is not an issue. For the $100-200 I could just pay for dinner, it's not a big deal, I like doing this though.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/15/2019 01:02AM by Niner.
Typing on my laptop, it took me over five hours for my longest report.
No, I don't mind. I used to work from 7:00 AM until 10:00 PM. I now work 6:30 AM to 2:30 PM. Four or five hours spread over two days doing something I enjoy is not an issue. For the $100-200 I could just pay for dinner, it's not a big deal, I like doing this though.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/15/2019 01:02AM by Niner.
@Niner wrote:
For the $100-200 I could just pay for dinner, it's not a big deal, I like doing this though.
...and that's why you have the assignment offers. It's no secret that they want evaluators who would frequent the clients on their own.
@SteveSoCal wrote:
@SoCalMama wrote:
Did you get a 92 or 93 lately? Inquiring minds want to know.
I had a 88 a few weeks back...and I wrote the guidelines for correct submissions!
I think the editors get pushback if they have too many perfect scores.[/quote
I also think it's true that sometimes editors are told to give out fewer perfect scores. I did a dozen shops for Amusement Advantage and got 100% on all of them. A year or so ago, I did a shop for them and got a 75%. I did the shop and completed the report the same way I had always done, so I was confused and did not shop for them for several months. I did decide to shop for them again, and most of my scores were 100%. The one exception was truly my fault. I forgot to evaluate one area, and I apologized, explained, and gave as much detail as possible surrounding that "missed" area. I got an 88% on that report...with a pretty major snafu...which confuses me even more about the 75% a while back... lol
Like Niner, I have also typed documents on my phone, some of them being 6-8 pages long. They have been legal or formal docs that have gone into permanent files. It's not the ideal way to do things, for sure.
Also similar to Niner, my scores on shops matter to me a LOT. I put nearly as much emphasis on my scores/feedback as I do on the pay. I don't know why I am that way, but I've learned to accept and embrace this personality quirk. When I was in grad school, I got a B in one class and I cried. It STILL bothers me, and I graduated 7 years ago! If my "name" is going to be associated with something or attached to something, I want it to shine! That goes for mundane household tasks to legal document preparation.
(No, I'm not a lawyer. I'm just a stay at home mom)
@SteveSoCal wrote:
@Niner wrote:
For the $100-200 I could just pay for dinner, it's not a big deal, I like doing this though.
...and that's why you have the assignment offers. It's no secret that they want evaluators who would frequent the clients on their own.
How would they even know?
@Niner Most likely, due to the profile and/or application you filled out. I made it a point to indicate my decade of fine dining employment experience on apps for Coyle and others with shops of the same caliber. I think it helped when I was first getting my feet wet MSing. I am able to complete any restaurant shop in my sleep. My education is normally listed second, as my degree in a field of science and shows objectivity. I flip flopped the two highlights, depending on which MSC I applied for, given what I learned when researching said MSC.
ETA ...or you checked a box indicating how many times per week you frequent fine dining establishments on your own dime.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/15/2019 01:51PM by nslinhar.
ETA ...or you checked a box indicating how many times per week you frequent fine dining establishments on your own dime.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/15/2019 01:51PM by nslinhar.
Coyle listens to, and runs by, a different drummer. Let's put it this way...responding to applications, emails and phone calls is NOT their strong suit
@nslinhar wrote:
I made it a point to indicate my decade of fine dining employment experience on apps for Coyle and others with shops of the same caliber.
Actually, some MSC's try to avoid hiring evaluators from the hospitality industry, while others look for that type of experience. The idea being that if you worked in the industry, your opinion may be biased. It would definitely make the observations easier, though. I went to bartending school when I was younger and that made me much more comfortable with bar shops when starting MSing.
@Niner; They can tell from your narratives. As someone who edited thousands of dining reports, I could quickly tell if the evaluator was comfortable in the environment or not...and I'm not saying if the evaluator was able to afford the meals or not, but if they had experience and a good comfort level with fine dining.
I gained a lot of dining experience in my previous career (when I was also not footing the bill) and that's one of the things that drive me into mystery shopping when I shifted careers. I missed the food, and suddenly had a job with a lot of downtime where I could write, so it was good fit for me.
Another question I wanted to ask about Coyle, since you guys shop them so much. I will apply for dining shops that have a long timeframe. IE: Posted in early January, not due until the end of March. I will give a date later out on the shop and will hear absolutely nothing until the week or so prior, if they do accept me. Is this normal? It makes it hard to schedule other shops, as I never know if they are going to give the shop to me.
@jellyfish; They are trying to parse the shops over the quarter evenly to keep an even load on editorial, so requests for earlier dates may get more attention at first.
When I see shops with a wide date availability, I tend to try to schedule them at the traditionally slow times of the month, like the first few days of the following month when other monthly shops will still be in the process of being posted. (i.e. I put in a request Jan 2nd for a shop on Feb 1st that just got assigned yesterday, but I also put in a request Jan 2nd for a shop tonight, and it was assigned the day after I made the request).
The good news with requesting shops for the 1st or 2nd is that it's unlikely another shops will crop up and need me on that date, so I can leave my schedule open without giving up good monthly opportunities.
When I see shops with a wide date availability, I tend to try to schedule them at the traditionally slow times of the month, like the first few days of the following month when other monthly shops will still be in the process of being posted. (i.e. I put in a request Jan 2nd for a shop on Feb 1st that just got assigned yesterday, but I also put in a request Jan 2nd for a shop tonight, and it was assigned the day after I made the request).
The good news with requesting shops for the 1st or 2nd is that it's unlikely another shops will crop up and need me on that date, so I can leave my schedule open without giving up good monthly opportunities.
@SteveSoCal wrote:
@nslinhar wrote:
I made it a point to indicate my decade of fine dining employment experience on apps for Coyle and others with shops of the same caliber.
Actually, some MSC's try to avoid hiring evaluators from the hospitality industry, while others look for that type of experience. The idea being that if you worked in the industry, your opinion may be biased. It would definitely make the observations easier, though. I went to bartending school when I was younger and that made me much more comfortable with bar shops when starting MSing.
Understood, yet I have received jobs applied for.
@SteveSoCal wrote:
@nslinhar wrote:
I made it a point to indicate my decade of fine dining employment experience on apps for Coyle and others with shops of the same caliber.
Actually, some MSC's try to avoid hiring evaluators from the hospitality industry, while others look for that type of experience. The idea being that if you worked in the industry, your opinion may be biased. It would definitely make the observations easier, though. I went to bartending school when I was younger and that made me much more comfortable with bar shops when starting MSing.
@Niner; They can tell from your narratives. As someone who edited thousands of dining reports, I could quickly tell if the evaluator was comfortable in the environment or not...and I'm not saying if the evaluator was able to afford the meals or not, but if they had experience and a good comfort level with fine dining.
I gained a lot of dining experience in my previous career (when I was also not footing the bill) and that's one of the things that drive me into mystery shopping when I shifted careers. I missed the food, and suddenly had a job with a lot of downtime where I could write, so it was good fit for me.
That makes a lot of sense. I agree with you about missing the expense account. I left law and finance and no longer have those perks. I do enjoy having more time though, and that includes time to write reports. I enjoy writing the reports and the hope of helping restaurants improve.
@jellyfish wrote:
Another question I wanted to ask about Coyle, since you guys shop them so much. I will apply for dining shops that have a long timeframe. IE: Posted in early January, not due until the end of March. I will give a date later out on the shop and will hear absolutely nothing until the week or so prior, if they do accept me. Is this normal? It makes it hard to schedule other shops, as I never know if they are going to give the shop to me.
I usually hear from them pretty late also, and then will get multiple assignments at once.
@Niner wrote:
@jellyfish wrote:
Another question I wanted to ask about Coyle, since you guys shop them so much. I will apply for dining shops that have a long timeframe. IE: Posted in early January, not due until the end of March. I will give a date later out on the shop and will hear absolutely nothing until the week or so prior, if they do accept me. Is this normal? It makes it hard to schedule other shops, as I never know if they are going to give the shop to me.
I usually hear from them pretty late also, and then will get multiple assignments at once.
Does Coyle have an "unapply" feature? I know with some shops that are out of town, I will apply for them a couple days before I know I'm going out of town. If I don't receive an answer in time to read the guidelines and perform the shop, I "unapply."
An example is an apartment shop I was going to do in Denver. My daughter was trying out for a dance intensive and I was going to be hanging around town for hours with nothing to do. I applied three days prior to the date I would be there, indicating in the notes that I could "do it ONLY on such and such a date." After lunch that day, I had not heard back and so I deleted my request.
I'm hoping that ^^^^^ doesn't affect shopper rating
Just click on the x on the right where it says "cancel app."
I was just asking because I'm not signed up with Coyle yet and was hearing stories about how a shopper waits a long time and then gets a bunch scheduled at once, which could be bad for me, so I was wanting to make sure that they had the cancel app feature. Thanks so much for letting me know ! 
But the other question I have is this: when you apply for a shop and then cancel BEFORE it gets assigned, does that affect your shopper rating at all?
But the other question I have is this: when you apply for a shop and then cancel BEFORE it gets assigned, does that affect your shopper rating at all?
Coyle always asks me for things not included in the guidelines. I've learned to use time stamps like crazy in the narratives, take photos of each and every thing, and keep copies of the final reports using the methods others have described. Sometimes I wonder if they split up sections of reports among more than editor.
I keep a stream of texts to myself that are time stamped, for everything. I also write down opening and closings for each person we encounter. I did not know that was a requirement until I got marked for it.
We went to a fancy place where the servers did not really talk to you and did not appear to speak fluent English, it was a lot of "smile...madam," for everything. There were about eight different ones. Oh, and they were all male, with short black hair, same ethnicity. It was like "Server 1- Male, 5'8", short black hair" for each of them. I got destroyed on that evaluation even though I had timings for everything and tried my best and spent hours.
We went to a fancy place where the servers did not really talk to you and did not appear to speak fluent English, it was a lot of "smile...madam," for everything. There were about eight different ones. Oh, and they were all male, with short black hair, same ethnicity. It was like "Server 1- Male, 5'8", short black hair" for each of them. I got destroyed on that evaluation even though I had timings for everything and tried my best and spent hours.
Coyle does prefer that you are in their clients' targeted demographic, as do many other MSCs.
Do they, as a practice, check you out through social media channels - Facebook, Insta, LinkedIn? I'm looking at you, SteveSoCal.
Edited to add: Should this be posted to the "Unofficial Coyle Thread"?
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/16/2019 12:06AM by Professional Guest.
Do they, as a practice, check you out through social media channels - Facebook, Insta, LinkedIn? I'm looking at you, SteveSoCal.
Edited to add: Should this be posted to the "Unofficial Coyle Thread"?
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/16/2019 12:06AM by Professional Guest.
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