I have been with Confero for a few years now and have decided to part ways. I contract now for 32 different MSPs, am employed by one as an editor and help assist with scheduling when needed.

Throughout my career as a Mystery Shopper, I have written reports that required minimal editing and were sent directly to the client. With that preface, I wish to direct my concern toward Confero.

This company has never awarded a score of 10 on a report -- to me anyway. I called a client manager and asked about it, and she referred me to an editor who said that they did not give out tens. I was extremely disappointed to hear about this. Who in their right mind would not follow the Sassie grading system that awarded a ten for an excellent report?

Today Confero paid me for the last shop I conducted in early September for them. They awarded me with a mere 8 with no comment regarding why. I deleted my account with Confero this morning and wanted to warn anyone else who prides themselves with excellent mystery shopping skills to avoid this MSP. Out of the 32 companies I contract, Confero was the only MSP who acted in this unfair manner. I apologize to the Forum that I have nothing positive to say about Confero and hope they will permit the posting of this thread.

Thank you for reading my rant about this MSP and Happy Shopping!

Scott

Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 11/18/2018 10:06PM by scottk4sl.

I've received many "10s" from Confero, certainly not all, but a lot.

@MsJudi wrote:

I've received many "10s" from Confero, certainly not all, but a lot.

Gotten a 10 before, but Confero doesn't have enough shops near me.

Really love them them.

An 8 pays the same as a 10. An 8 average does not affect ones ability to see or accept shops. The score is private and has no affect on ones relationship with other providers.

Pride is fine when we remove vanity from it.

Judi that is awesome that you received tens from Confero, but the Editor I spoke with told me they do NOT award scores of 10. I do not know when you received yours, but in 2016 when I queried her about it, they did not at that time.

@scottk4sl wrote:

Judi that is awesome that you received tens from Confero, but the Editor I spoke with told me they do NOT award scores of 10. I do not know when you received yours, but in 2016 when I queried her about it, they did not at that time.

I've gotten one since then!

Although, I did put many, many hours into my shop that was a very low-paying job. I probably exceeded client expectations or something.

I had a very large and well-known MSC tell me that my reports broke all expectations and set a new gold standard for them. lol. I wrote a novel practically!

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/13/2018 02:29PM by shoptastic.

Isaiah, you are correct, but I stand up for what is right and just. I always have done this. They are not doing what is right and just. Pride has nothing to do with it. You are correct about one statement you made. The score does not affect one's ability to see or accept shops, and it is private. True and another truth is you will be paid, but a good report worth a ten should be awarded a ten and not be degraded by the irrational protocols of this company.

I try to do the same for every shop I report

It used to bug the snot out of me that Confero would not give me a "10" on any of my shops that I know were written correctly and thoroughly. I would receive 8s and some 9s. Then last year, on a grocery shop, I received a "10" and nearly fainted!! Since then, I've received one more 10 on a grocery shop and then all 9s on other non-grocery shops. But....like others have said, they still paid me, so I learned to get over it.

Thank you for the reply, guysmom. I have not conducted any grocery shops for them. Perhaps it depends upon the editor, and certain editors are assigned to a particular type of shop. Again, it is great to see that they are starting to award shoppers for their excellent reports. Too bad it is too late for me. I have had enough and am finished with that MSP. But there are thousands of others

I have done their oil change shops 3-4 times a year since 2005 and have a ton of 10s and many 9s and an 8 or two. I suspect that we are seeing different editors.

Thanks, walesmaven. Must be. I wished they did oil change shops here. Since Intellishop went to domestics only, I don't get my free oil changes anymore

Some shops can't get a 10. They are the easy shops with little to no narrative. My average is a 9.
I have done almost 200 shops for them. I have a 2 digit shopper ID. I have never had a payment issue with them ever. I have been shopping for them for at least 15 years.

Yes, I have been with Confero for many years and most of my 10s were with a bank that they no longer have as a client. I have, however, received 10s for other clients more recently. I don't do much for them these days. It must depend on the editor. Don't worry too much about the grade. An 8 with Confero is a good grade.

Thanks Judi

This is timely! I just completed my first 2 shops with Confero. I got a 7 on the first shop (forgot to change AM to PM and I put the time I left store instead of receipt time in error). To me, I thought a 7 was harsh for those, but I'll learn.

I received an 8 on the second one and the comment said that the photo of the receipt was blurry. I thought the photo looked OK and could have easily sent a new photo (but I really thought the photo was fine). Again, I thought it was a little harsh, but I'm just letting it go. Nothing less than one 9 with anyone else. The rest have all been 10s.

Like Walesmaven, I have earned many 10s, many 9s, and a few 8s -- they all pay the same!

It's not the company, it's the editor. I do their alcohol compliance movie theater shops. I've always received an 8 and inquired why to no avail. I got a new scheduler this summer and I get 9s on the same shop. I answer all of the questions the same, use the same camera to upload pictures, take the pictures in the same location, still 9.

I received one 10 in 2 years.

Hmmm...Interesting. I was thinking about this just the other day. I do as many shops as I can pick up involving age compliance for rated R movies. I always do the very best I can on any shop, and it bothers me a bit that I have only gotten 9's from them. But it's worse that there is no explanation about why I got a 9 versus a 10.

Let me also say that I know 7, 8, 9, 10 from any MSC all still get paid. I know that scores like that keep you in good standing with MSCs. However, I really, really like to get 10's. I strive for it. I strive for positive comments from editors and schedulers. Maybe it boosts my ego. Who knows? I'm like that in all walks of life, though.

Somewhere a few years ago, I read where Confero said they rarely gives "10's"..... Confero says a 10 is truly exceptional and "8" is a really good score.

I think you are right about the editor making the difference. I don't shop for Confero, but I have found that other companies are the same. Seems like a new editor has a tendency to score low. Once I got an 8 for a shop I have done several times and received 10s. The editor said it was because I double spaced one of the narratives. I wasn't aware of it, but it was one of those shops with long narratives, and I used Word for some of them and just typed right into the form for others. I'm like you about scores. I feel an obligation to write the best report I'm capable of writing, so getting a lowered score for a report I know is good bothers me so much that I would most likely stop working for that company.

They can give me whatever they want as long as they pay me. I have nine reports that are all 8's, and they sent me $75 for each report reimbursement and fee, and what would a score 10 have done for me. Do they have special shops that you need all to be a ten to qualify for?

I've only done 3 shops for them and I have a rating of 9 combined. I don't remember what scores I've gotten because, well I don't really care, as long as I get paid - I mean if I got like a 7 or something I might care so that I can correct the issue for next time; but an 8 is like getting a B in school. A perfectly fine example. But to each their own.

I have shopped for Confero grocery shops for six years. I've gotten one ten and a few nines. Eight seems to be the standard. What bothered me was that I received the higher scores when I reported things amiss. Confero does require a great bit of detail on their shops. I shop them at my convenience. I don't know how they rate their shops. I work for other companies and regularly receive higher ratings. I recently sent the wrong receipt in and an editor contacted me and resolved the issue rather than canceling the shop. Co-operation goes both ways.

What difference does a grade make as long as you did your best work and got paid. If they give you negatve feed back or need more info...you didnt do your best.

I'm an editor with Wordsmithpros, and unless something is blatantly wrong I give 10's. I know how difficult some shops are, and no one needs extra negativity in their lives!
Just curious, what are some other companies I can edit for? Why are you leaving Confero!

Oh my goodness! I got ANOTHER "10" on a grocery shop from Confero this week! I'm amazed!! I'm so used to receiving 8s & 9s on their shops, and now I've gotten THREE (count 'em -- 3!!) 10's in the past few months on their grocery shops!! Truthfully, that's all well and good, but the BEST PART of this was that there was a $7 BONUS attached to this shop!! So, I'm a happy camper with them for the time being!!

I have only done one shop with them. I was suppose to ask if there were fees on a card. The person working said there were not any... so I noted that on my report. The agent also didn't charge me fees for purchasing the card and I had a receipt to show it. I was given a 3 with payment denied because the editor said she had been doing this for years and I obviously didn't ask the person working because no one has ever said "no fees" before. After I asked to escalate this to a manager because we are suppose to write the response of the worker - not the company policy.... she said she was the manager. She said they would pay me any way and take a loss on my shop but my score would still be 3. Obviously, with a score of THREE I can't do anymore shops for them. I asked her to not pay me but please delete the score because I was hoping to work with them more in the futures. What would you do?

Everyone says this is an easy company and I am really bummed out that I won't be able to shop with them now. ARGH!

Always get 9 nothing wrong with report. Perfectly written, spell and grammar checked
Cheap grading company
Got a nice email this week from another company saying I was awesome with great writing skills. I was given a bonus after the shop. So it is not me but Confero which tends to have shops that do not that well anyway.