Maritx Editors

I am not certain if the editors at Maritz are new, have been instructed to be more diligent or, are former editors of the "Green" gas stations.
No matter.
I am finding (especially so with "Blue" gas stations) that the editors this new year are asking more questions and questioning legitimate photos that, in years past were not a problem. Most worrisome are the questions about answers that are backed up by a photo, yet still questioned. Did the editor really look at the photo?
Example: It looks like there are diesel pumps at this site. Please answer the question about the diesel handle. Please Mr or Ms Editor, before you ask those questions, please review the pump photos. When I look at them, I do not see a diesel pump!

Create an Account or Log In

Membership is free. Simply choose your username, type in your email address, and choose a password. You immediately get full access to the forum.

More About Mystery Shopping Editors

I had a shop bounced back because of the diesel handle. The editor referenced pg 44 of the guide and the color requirements and asked me to submit a close-up of the pump. The handle was the same green color as the picture but I could not re-submit without changing my answer from yes to no, which I did. I called this morning and spoke to a scheduler who spoke to the editor and was told there should be a black decal on the handle as well as the proper color. I pointed out that there is no mention of a decal on pg 44, just the colors. She said there has been some problems with the diesel question and a clarification would be sent. Oh well.

Here is a recent one: Please explain there is not a photo of the employee, restroom or CStore receipt.

Uhh, because, as I explained in the comments, this gas station is an unmanned shop without an employee or Cstore or restroom.
Tsk tsk

Sounds to me like they have some new editors. Not unusual. However, the good news is that i did around 30 of these shops this month and only one was rejected. Hopefully they are quick learners.

@LIJake wrote:

Sounds to me like they have some new editors. Not unusual. However, the good news is that i did around 30 of these shops this month and only one was rejected. Hopefully they are quick learners.

Wow! Good for you.
Not to brag, but I'm near 80!
The weather has been good for me. I've been in 3 states to do it with some nice bonuses. But, now the temps are too far below zero (-18) and the snow has become formidable. I hope I can do the remainder! Plus, the snowmobile suit is going to look silly for the selfie.

I hold my hreath everytime I click on "Shops on Hold." I have 29 yellows to do by Sunday. -Double digit wind chills all week.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/22/2019 04:25AM by janalou.

I have had editor questions from day one with Maritz. Over the years, their editors have taught me patience.

When I do numerous photo gas station shops this time of year, I look 100# heavier in my black leather riding gear. Head to toe. Top it off with a face mask that screams terrorist and a snazzy orange vest at times and I'm certain the editors have had a good chuckle.

I call this Kleenex bonus pay weather.

LIJake...We must have had the same editor...smh. The diesel handle was obviously green but i just went ahead as directed and marked it no with a picture of the handle and resubmitted the hold to let then figure out.

Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 01/22/2019 08:34AM by yankeepoo2.

The handles need to be more then just green, they need to have the (probably can't say the word) sticker on them.

Well, guess I've been lucky. My green handles had no stickers and I submitted them as the right color. Haven't gotten any on hold...yet.

*****************************************************************************
The more I learn about people...the more I like my dog..

Mark Twain

Problem is pg 44 of the guide covers the diesel handle colors and requires SDE Gray or Green nozzle covers. There are 5 pictures of compliant nozzle covers and they do have a decal. However, the question asks about color only with no mention of a decal. I didn't check for decals on any of the 30 shops I have done this month so I don't know if they were fully compliant. But no big deal. Now I know to check for decals although it is difficult to tell what color they are from the pictures. A clarification page is supposed to be sent.

@LIJake wrote:

Problem is pg 44 of the guide covers the diesel handle colors and requires SDE Gray or Green nozzle covers. There are 5 pictures of compliant nozzle covers and they do have a decal. However, the question asks about color only with no mention of a decal. ….. Now I know to check for decals although it is difficult to tell what color they are from the pictures. A clarification page is supposed to be sent.

Well, the interesting part about this is a photo is only needed if you answer that the colors (etc) are not gray or green.

I started taking a full page screen shot after filling out my reports (I do this for other companies as well). I keep it in a folder on my computer that contains all my pictures for that particular job. I can go back to the full page screen shot and see the actual pictures and answers of the entire report. If need be, I will email the entire full page screen shot to prove the picture was attached, etc. I have proof of what I answered, what was attached, etc. I also use the screen shots to improve my writing skills, how I can answer questions better, etc.

Shopping Arkansas, Louisiana, & Mississippi.

I’ve found with Maritz I don’t mind so much if I miss an issue and they have to ask me to change my response. Most of these questions are subjective anyway. The problem comes when you don’t have a picture to back it up or can’t crop an existing picture. I haven’t had it happen in ages but I recently started taking my pics in 640x480 rather than full resolution which makes it harder to crop too far if needed. It’s a bit of a risk.

______________________________________________________________________
Seriously, nobody cares that you're offended.

I am suddenly getting a ton of them back asking for the selfie, with the guide or tablet showing...or just asking for the selfie, showing dress attire (two different shops)...
But the selfie is always attached before I submit....wth? Anyone else having this issues, or have any ideas? I'm going to start taking the selfie in front of the address sign!

@Mousegal wrote:

I am suddenly getting a ton of them back asking for the selfie, with the guide or tablet showing...or just asking for the selfie, showing dress attire (two different shops)...
But the selfie is always attached before I submit....wth? Anyone else having this issues, or have any ideas? I'm going to start taking the selfie in front of the address sign!

I've submitted a lot of selfies. They were taken in the restroom mirror. None have been questioned. But, I remember the old "Yellow" gas station shops always wanted the selfie plus the tablet or written copy of the latest guidelines. In reading those latest guidelines for the "yellow" gas stations, I do not see where the tablet or written guidelines are part of the selfie pic.
BTW, the weather is very cold. My selfie pics have been me with my coat, jacket, or snowmobile suit unzipped. Why? Because, who in their right mind in this part of the country walks around without a coat?

30 yellow's done this week. I'm getting holds for the vest photo. The problem is the vest photo is there. I see it in the upload space. What the heck do they want? Frustrating. Almost not worth doing even with an incentive that is double the base. pay.

@ArkLaMissshopping wrote:

"I started taking a full page screen shot after filling out my reports (I do this for other companies as well). I keep it in a folder on my computer that contains all my pictures for that particular job. I can go back to the full page screen shot and see the actual pictures and answers of the entire report. If need be, I will email the entire full page screen shot to prove the picture was attached, etc. I have proof of what I answered, what was attached, etc. I also use the screen shots to improve my writing skills, how I can answer questions better, etc."

I wish I had remembered to do that on my last shops. My pictures are visible in the returned/hold report. A screen shot before submitting is good insurance.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/26/2019 02:58AM by janalou.

@Mousegal wrote:

I am suddenly getting a ton of them back asking for the selfie, with the guide or tablet showing...or just asking for the selfie, showing dress attire (two different shops)...
But the selfie is always attached before I submit....wth? Anyone else having this issues, or have any ideas? I'm going to start taking the selfie in front of the address sign!

I'm getting them back now, too. Ugh.

Im wondering whether it's an issue with the team that covers the yellow shops? I did 35 blue shops this month with a new required vest photo and have not had a single clarification email regarding the vest, rather only 2 emails about the diesel pumps handle covers. The vest photo for yellow shops is not a new requirement so i am confused why they are questioning the photos that you can clearly see that you are submitting.

You guys. I just checked the Yellow guidelines again. It says that you need to take the picture in the style of either Kim Kardashian's famous champagne photo or Marilyn Monroe's iconic Seven Year Itch photo.

______________________________________________________________________
Seriously, nobody cares that you're offended.

I have a chromebook and have "Full Page Screen Shot Capture" installed. I am not sure what you would use on any other computer. When I take a screen shot, it makes the entire report into a pdf file.

@janalou wrote:

@ArkLaMissshopping wrote:

"I started taking a full page screen shot after filling out my reports (I do this for other companies as well). I keep it in a folder on my computer that contains all my pictures for that particular job. I can go back to the full page screen shot and see the actual pictures and answers of the entire report. If need be, I will email the entire full page screen shot to prove the picture was attached, etc. I have proof of what I answered, what was attached, etc. I also use the screen shots to improve my writing skills, how I can answer questions better, etc."

I wish I had remembered to do that on my last shops. My pictures are visible in the returned/hold report. A screen shot before submitting is good insurance.

Shopping Arkansas, Louisiana, & Mississippi.

I'm getting an unusual amount of holds from Maritz lately as well. For some of the bank shops, they ask me what to explain in the comments what scenario was used. Uh, there was only one scenario to use in the guidelines, and if they wanted you to put that in every report, there should be a dedicated spot for it, not in the comments section. Similarly, I get yellow gas station bounces because they want more detail of my experience before revealing myself. I've done about 100 of these and the same detail that was fine in the past is no longer sufficient.

I suspect that Maritz has a couple of new editors.... I recently did shop for a free "car battery test." I scheduled an appointment, as per the directions, and showed up a few minutes early. I was only onsite for 15 minutes. The editor wanted to know how I could have only been on site for such a short amount of time and needed an explanation. Well... a "car batter test" takes only a few seconds. They rolled my car into the garage, hooked up a meter and were done. Had the editor been around a little while s/he might have realized that the visit shouldn't take more that a few minutes -there is a reason the base pay was only $10.

My issue was straightened out very quickly. (I had to call because the comment field only allowed 25 characters.) I'm guessing most other issues will be as well.

Hard work builds character and homework is good for your soul.

A yellow editor sent a report back asking me what my feelings were during the shop. WTF? Heavy sigh.

"I felt like I was at a gas station" ???

Sorry, only registered users may post in this forum.

Click here to login

Maritx Editors

Create an Account or Log In

Official List of Mystery Shopping Companies

Mystery Shopper Magazine