Coyle Report Tips
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Did you look at their guide? When you log in, look over to the right on the home page and click on "Coyle Evaluator Resource Center" and you should find out most of what you need to know. Once you open the resource center, click on "evaluations" and then "style guidelines" and "checklists" from the drop down menu.
I don't know if airport reports are different, but Coyle fine dining take me about 4-5 hours. For a regular company, it might take me 30-45 minutes for a casual dining report ($35 for dinner type of place).
Maybe someone here knows more about the airport ones.
Maybe someone here knows more about the airport ones.
SteveSoCal might chime in, he knows quite a bit about this MSC.
Add time stamps for everything, even if not requested or not in the samples.
I’ve done this exact shop, as has SteveSoCal. Follow the format. Take photos to remember presentation and timing. It won’t take an hour to write it up.
Go with the format in the samples the provide. If you address all of the questions in the narrative and just put a small comment for the no or n/a answers that's generally fine.
Thanks for the help everyone! The shop went well and I got a 90 on the report (Apparently they wanted a lot more detail about the food I ate...The sample narrative barely had any details about the food).
Good job azncollege!
I just did my first bar/restaurant evaluation for this company but didn’t take photos. I thought that would be too obvious. There was specific language in the summary stating that evaluators who are remembered as using smart phones too much will have their evaluations rejected. Also it took me about three hours to fill out my questionnaire. Is that typical for a first-timer?
Also, can the people we’re mystery-shopping tell who we are? There must be tells. I would never normally ask a manager to come over during my dinner but I had to for this one.
I just did my first bar/restaurant evaluation for this company but didn’t take photos. I thought that would be too obvious. There was specific language in the summary stating that evaluators who are remembered as using smart phones too much will have their evaluations rejected. Also it took me about three hours to fill out my questionnaire. Is that typical for a first-timer?
Also, can the people we’re mystery-shopping tell who we are? There must be tells. I would never normally ask a manager to come over during my dinner but I had to for this one.
Super nice schedulers for fine dining but time stamp everything! Long reports on fine dining.
@VVT wrote:
Also, can the people we’re mystery-shopping tell who we are? There must be tells. I would never normally ask a manager to come over during my dinner but I had to for this one.
A manager I used to know said he and the bartenders could usually spot the shoppers. The tell was for his locations was how much the customer looks around and what they focus on. It was kind of a long explanation but basically, shoppers focus on more and different things for longer than regular customers. At his establishments, the bartenders had the best view of people and their behavior so they usually could see it easier. Questions change so he didn't rely on that. Things like asking the manager to come over would confirm his suspicion but he felt he often had the shopper pegged before that stage.
I recently completed a Coyle restaurant shop. I read through the guidelines and the report and thought it looked pretty manageable. Only two photos were necessary; one for a food item and then the other for the receipt. I paid careful attention to the host, manager, and server and made sure that I knew their names. I checked the bathroom, exterior, interior, and you name it. The report was sent back needing every timing detail. For example, when did the host escort you to the table, when did the server come to the table, when was the water poured, when did you order drinks, when were the drinks delivered, etc. I had a general idea of the timing but was not prepared with the to the minute details. The time stamps on the two photos helped and I geo-verified when I entered the establishment and had the time on the receipt for some of the last timing questions. I will know better the next time if there is a next time. In the future, I will make sure I know the timing of every single interaction.
@queenie1 wrote:
I recently completed a Coyle restaurant shop. I read through the guidelines and the report and thought it looked pretty manageable. Only two photos were necessary; one for a food item and then the other for the receipt. I paid careful attention to the host, manager, and server and made sure that I knew their names. I checked the bathroom, exterior, interior, and you name it. The report was sent back needing every timing detail. For example, when did the host escort you to the table, when did the server come to the table, when was the water poured, when did you order drinks, when were the drinks delivered, etc. I had a general idea of the timing but was not prepared with the to the minute details. The time stamps on the two photos helped and I geo-verified when I entered the establishment and had the time on the receipt for some of the last timing questions. I will know better the next time if there is a next time. In the future, I will make sure I know the timing of every single interaction.
That kind of detail seems ridiculous!
@Whatfun14LF wrote:
@queenie1 wrote:
I recently completed a Coyle restaurant shop. I read through the guidelines and the report and thought it looked pretty manageable. Only two photos were necessary; one for a food item and then the other for the receipt. I paid careful attention to the host, manager, and server and made sure that I knew their names. I checked the bathroom, exterior, interior, and you name it. The report was sent back needing every timing detail. For example, when did the host escort you to the table, when did the server come to the table, when was the water poured, when did you order drinks, when were the drinks delivered, etc. I had a general idea of the timing but was not prepared with the to the minute details. The time stamps on the two photos helped and I geo-verified when I entered the establishment and had the time on the receipt for some of the last timing questions. I will know better the next time if there is a next time. In the future, I will make sure I know the timing of every single interaction.
That kind of detail seems ridiculous!
Time stamps of every interaction are very normal for fine dining and bar shops.
Hi...I am new at all this...What is time stamp? How do you time stamp, by taking pics on the cell?..how with out being noticed? Plz help...suggestions appreciated. 
Take a screen shot during different points (arrival, seating, greeting, ordering, etc). You can do it without looking at your phone, to be sneaky and undetectable.
I recently started with Coyle.
Got a 99 and 95 on my first 2 shops.
I've found that creating a template for what timing and descriptions are needed that helped me gather the info i needed during the meal.
I've created a Google Keep template for all the required info and just quickly jot the time of events quickly into my phone. Names, etc.
I think you can get pegged by NOT looking at your phone. My wife and I did one shop and this one family didn't get off their phone the whole time. So it seems like avoiding your phone too much could be a tell just based on observations.
I like the screenshot idea but you still have to remember the order of events, etc. Makes sorting through the different time stamps difficult for longer more complicated meals.
Just joined the forum and hope this helps!
Got a 99 and 95 on my first 2 shops.
I've found that creating a template for what timing and descriptions are needed that helped me gather the info i needed during the meal.
I've created a Google Keep template for all the required info and just quickly jot the time of events quickly into my phone. Names, etc.
I think you can get pegged by NOT looking at your phone. My wife and I did one shop and this one family didn't get off their phone the whole time. So it seems like avoiding your phone too much could be a tell just based on observations.
I like the screenshot idea but you still have to remember the order of events, etc. Makes sorting through the different time stamps difficult for longer more complicated meals.
Just joined the forum and hope this helps!
What kind of shops did you complete for them? (Riggsontherun)
@SoCalMama wrote:
@Whatfun14LF wrote:
@queenie1 wrote:
I recently completed a Coyle restaurant shop. I read through the guidelines and the report and thought it looked pretty manageable. Only two photos were necessary; one for a food item and then the other for the receipt. I paid careful attention to the host, manager, and server and made sure that I knew their names. I checked the bathroom, exterior, interior, and you name it. The report was sent back needing every timing detail. For example, when did the host escort you to the table, when did the server come to the table, when was the water poured, when did you order drinks, when were the drinks delivered, etc. I had a general idea of the timing but was not prepared with the to the minute details. The time stamps on the two photos helped and I geo-verified when I entered the establishment and had the time on the receipt for some of the last timing questions. I will know better the next time if there is a next time. In the future, I will make sure I know the timing of every single interaction.
That kind of detail seems ridiculous!
Time stamps of every interaction are very normal for fine dining and bar shops.
I repeat, that kind of detail seems ridiculous!
What time did you arrive?
Description of all hosts?
What did they say word for word?
Who seated you?
What did they talk about? Quote them exactly.
Did the pull the chair out?
Did they give you menus?
What did they say when they left, verbatim?
When did the server come over?
What did they say? Exact quote.
Did they greet you before asking for a drink order?
Did they explain specials, wine, suggest apps, upsell, make eye contact, smile, use a pleasant tone of voice?
First three minutes of your Coyle dining assignment and I am sure I missed a bunch.
Description of all hosts?
What did they say word for word?
Who seated you?
What did they talk about? Quote them exactly.
Did the pull the chair out?
Did they give you menus?
What did they say when they left, verbatim?
When did the server come over?
What did they say? Exact quote.
Did they greet you before asking for a drink order?
Did they explain specials, wine, suggest apps, upsell, make eye contact, smile, use a pleasant tone of voice?
First three minutes of your Coyle dining assignment and I am sure I missed a bunch.
Don't forget about that reservations call.
@Niner wrote:
What time did you arrive?
Description of all hosts?
What did they say word for word?
Who seated you?
What did they talk about? Quote them exactly.
Did the pull the chair out?
Did they give you menus?
What did they say when they left, verbatim?
When did the server come over?
What did they say? Exact quote.
Did they greet you before asking for a drink order?
Did they explain specials, wine, suggest apps, upsell, make eye contact, smile, use a pleasant tone of voice?
First three minutes of your Coyle dining assignment and I am sure I missed a bunch.
@Niner wrote:
What kind of shops did you complete for them? (Riggsontherun)
Casual and restaurant shops.
I had to actually cut back my main description as I exceeded 5000 characters. Lol
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/23/2019 04:46PM by riggsontherun.
I never heard of cutting back on a Coyle description.
My recommendation with Coyle: do NOT start with their 'phone call' shops to high end steak-houses. I did one, thought I aced it, but got a '50%' score that I've been trying to un-bury myself from ever since.
With Coyle you have to be over-the-top PC in describing people. Even if you could easily identify an employee by race that did a really good job you want to have recognized, you can't (just height and hair color, and in my reviews all the guys are 5'10" with black hair, which helps nobody). I even got dinged for saying 'bald' and was admonished to say 'shaved head' (even though all bald people don't shave their heads). I wish you could just take a picture, but then you wouldn't be very 'mysterious'.
With Coyle you have to be over-the-top PC in describing people. Even if you could easily identify an employee by race that did a really good job you want to have recognized, you can't (just height and hair color, and in my reviews all the guys are 5'10" with black hair, which helps nobody). I even got dinged for saying 'bald' and was admonished to say 'shaved head' (even though all bald people don't shave their heads). I wish you could just take a picture, but then you wouldn't be very 'mysterious'.
A phone call shop is the easiest kind of shop. If you scored 50%, consider yourself lucky that you didn’t do a full restaurant visit that would have cost you $$.
About logging the timelines without being too obvious: I did a fine dining shop (not Coyle) a while back. I sent text messages to my friend (who was with me) when an event time needed to be logged. We just looked like typical people texting during dinner. So. she had messages that said drink order, drink served, etc. After the shop I just wrote down the time the message were sent.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/09/2019 07:16PM by callinectes.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/09/2019 07:16PM by callinectes.
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