I only do ACL shops when they get heavily bonused (a minimum of $20 bonus or more) at the end of the month...I don't get the sense they have a lot of shoppers in the SF Bay Area. After my first shop, I started getting offers to do hotel shops and tester shops for new clients.

Personally I couldn't squeze one more lunch shop in, plus I'd have to drive the freeway for their shops without a fee, not happening.

@callinectes wrote:

Let me preface this by saying I love my scheduler but I am over it with this company. The pay is way too low for the length of time it takes to do the report. To make matters worse, why on earth do they require you write a dissertation on a recorded phone call? You know the MSC and the client are going to listen to the call so what is the point? Just, ugh.

Yeah, I did a shop for them also and followed the sample they had as far as details go. They still came back with way too many questions. Definitely a reimbursement that does not even cover the meal is not enough money.

For a while they had shops for a regional chain of senior residence homes in my area. They paid a little more than average and were pretty easy to do. Sadly, I haven't seen those for a while.

I don't think there's ever been a time that I've done an ACL shop that I didn't get an email asking follow up questions. And usually the follow up questions are questions that I already wrote in my report! Last week I got an email about a shop I did (no fee, just reimbursement as most of them are). They came back with 21 follow up questions. Seriously?? More than half of them were questions I already answered in my report and the last question actually kind of pissed me off. It said "Why did you bring 2 guests with you when the guidelines specified you bring only 1?" I only brought 1 guest, the receipt actually showed 2 guests so I'm not sure where they thought I brought 2 extra people. Of course there was no apology or anything.. they just forwarded my report to the client.. how annoying.

I'm definitely limiting my ACL shops from now on because the reports are way too long for no fees. I rarely see one with a fee and when I do its low.Unless its a restaurant I really enjoy, I'll just eat at home. (or ask for a bonus if they're desperate haha)

Hmm. I just did a pizza shop and an ethnic food shop and got zero questions.

I rarely get questions and do several shops per month across an area wide enough so that I encounter about 5 different editors.

Also, if you are sure that the editor is "off base" escalate to the shopper help email, since schedulers cannot counter editors. Never had a problem with this approach.

IN this case that does absolutely NOthINg!
The higher ups are more than knowledgable about the inconsistency of the editors.

quote=walesmaven]
I rarely get questions and do several shops per month across an area wide enough so that I encounter about 5 different editors.

Also, if you are sure that the editor is "off base" escalate to the shopper help email, since schedulers cannot counter editors. Never had a problem with this approach.[/quote]

They're very stingy with pay so I am stingy with my effort. Quid pro quo.

I have done many shops for ACL and the only times I get questions are when the timings for the pizza shop are way off their target times...like when start to finish is 20 minutes or more.
For once though I agree with D Trump. I agree they are stingy on pay. But D Trump seems to know how to evade taxes and work in this business. Maybe I can learn from you D. T.

I am feeling grumpy about ACL right now. I am sure this, too, shall pass, but I am surely not a happy ACL shopper today.

I think I may just need to take a break from ACL (or at least one scheduler). I can just wait for the next scheduler reshuffle. It's much more productive, profitable, and satisfying working with other schedulers and MSCs.

The editors are far more grumpy inducing than the schedulers!

@BusyBeeBuzzBuzzBuzz wrote:

I am feeling grumpy about ACL right now. I am sure this, too, shall pass, but I am surely not a happy ACL shopper today.

I think I may just need to take a break from ACL (or at least one scheduler). I can just wait for the next scheduler reshuffle. It's much more productive, profitable, and satisfying working with other schedulers and MSCs.

My experience differs. I rarely have issues with editors, especially at ACL Some ACL editors (such as Jim Holding and Lindsay Dekker) have been extremely helpful; they help me improve as a shopper.

Come to think of it, I rarely have issues with schedulers, either. It just frustrates/annoys me when I take the time to try to build a cordial working relationship and feel that effort is not reciprocated. This is when the high ACL scheduler turnover/reshuffle rate (at least in my area) works in my favor. I just need to remind myself to chill and wait for the next round.

Some editors are nice and helpful, but some are totally out of control IMO. I forgot to attach 1 photo and she returned the entire report instead of asking me for the attachment. Then I'll need to log in, resubmit the report instead of just emailing the attachment. I don't sit here all day in front of the PC. If I have to log into the website to resubmit, it will only delay the report which doesn't help anyone.

In 2011, I completed my first of only two shops for ACL; as the work:pay ratio was unacceptable to me, my last job for them was not until 2018. On the pro side of the ledger, all details were exhaustively explained before it was necessary to accept the last piece of work and my guest quite enjoyed the pizza. After a few weeks, I was contacted concerning a casual dining assignment, without either a fee or reimbursement; it was a gift card for a later visit. In appreciation for their explanation on the last shop, I candidly replied that I did not have any interest in jobs that neither paid a fee nor a reimbursement. As was their prerogative, I was deactivated. They may have decided that only two shops in seven years and my attitude with respect to not being a "go to shopper" did not warrant a contract.

Having read the above comments, with respect to accepting work of a less desirable nature, hopeful that one will be rewarded in the future, if it works for you great. As for me, it is not my cup of tea! I stand on my dependability, willingness to work and my skills. I must, though, be remunerated commensurate with my efforts. Pay me for what I accomplish today and we will discuss tomorrow when, and if, it arrives.

I did retirement community tours and healthcare clinic shops that paid well. I miss the great restaurant shops.Compared to Coyle not bad shop to fill out lol. Shops are almost gone in S. FL & the normal schedulers have been replaced.

There are a lot of threads complaining about ACL. I have read them all and had some bad experiences, mostly with belligerent editors, but that was it, until yesterday. My previous scheduler was a dream and was with the company since I started shopping for them, which was early 2018. She recently left and I started getting emails from a new person. I am banned from their pizza shops because I am honest and have mentioned repeatedly that the pizza is not my cup of tea. I was supposed to do those shops to get the nicer fine dining shops in my area. Since I can’t, I don’t do much for them unless they are desperate.

Anyhow, new scheduler asked me to do the pizza chain and I wrote back that I was blocked. She confirmed and offered me other things, which I accepted. Low and behold the June shops posted and I could now see more options than in the past. I quickly applied for three shops in a far away location at a fancy resort. They were all assigned to me and came over from a different scheduler. I emailed the scheduler and asked her to move the dates back a week. This has NEVER been a problem. She came back at me super aggressively and said that if I can’t perform the shops on the date I should never have applied and passive aggressively indicated that I was wasting her time and she would unassign me. I went back and forth with her for multiple emails and stated that I had always been able to move the dates without issue and I was providing ample notice. Her emails got nastier with each one. She called my loyalty and record into question and again passive aggressively called me stupid, a liar, I can’t follow directions, etc. I have an education and have been shopping for decades without issues. I was so floored by this exchange.

She also insisted that I cannot do multiple shops in one day, as that was the ACL policy. Again, this was never an issue in the past. She proceeded to slag my old scheduler, and wound up unassigning me from all the shops. She told this would affect my already negative record since I had so many previous cancellations. I cancelled one shop when I got into a car accident. The other unassignments were from my scheduler when I self assigned shops that had a rotation. I explained this and she told Me she was correcting my belief about the past with reality.

This left such a bad taste in my mouth and I am actually quite upset about this treatment. I have two shops scheduled this week from the other scheduler, which is in my area. But once those are done, I am not going to work for them again. Thanks for letting me vent here.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/26/2019 08:46PM by jellyfish.

Time to contact the shopper help line at ACL.

Jellyfish, I hear you about the issue with dates on a shop. The ACL site seems to encourage one to apply for a shop and then ask for a change of date. I have emailed a scheduler or helpdesk often before accepting a shop asking about a change but that is only when it is a shop I do not think will be taken quickly or I don't care that much about while I wait for a response. Otherwise I have to resort to the method they present of asking for a change of dates by self assigning the shop. I generally do not do this unless I could actually go on the date listed in the assignment but it is not my preferred date From a schedulers point of view I would think this method would be a nightmare as they would then have to unschedule shops they thought were covered. Often there is a tight period of time they can get the shop done for client reasons or bumping up against the timing of another upcoming shop at the same location. Keeping your requests for schedule changes after applying to a shop to a minimum would cause a lot less friction between the shopper and the scheduler. You have been lucky in the past if your schedule change requests have all or mostly been filled. That scenario is not always the case.
In other news, if you have not yet found out, the pizza shops will be gone as of June 1st so you need not worry about them anymore.
But also my advice would be not to keep mentioning that you do not like the main product of a place you are shopping if it is a requirement to purchase but you still want to take the shop. If you don't care for the shop just ignore it. We are supposed to be objective about our shops and I could see where a scheduler might wonder how objective a shopper can be if they do not like the item they need to purchase. I am just mentioning these as issues I subjectively picked up from your post. I am only trying to be helpful from my non scheduler point of view so if I am reading incorrectly into what you said just ignore my advice and I am sorry.

I actually, long ago, told the DMV area schedulers that I could not do the pizza pkace becasue I so disliked the product.

I deal with 5 ACL schedulers in this intensely shopped region. Unless there is a conflict, which they will tell me about, they are all very open to date changes. Best, of course, to have a solid track record with each scheduler when asking. That scheduler flexibility allows me to move shop dates around when I see a chance to pair and existing ACL assignment with a new opportunity that requires a different day.

Requesting change in dates after self assigning? Self assigning just to request a date change afterwards is not encouraged as far as I can see. There is a box next to each job "do different dates?". The box is there for that reason.

Thank you for your advice, everyone. I only did the local pizza shops because I was forced to. There is a question on my form that says “Would you come back here and spend your own money?” I can’t lie. I find the pizza repulsive. I was courteous about it when commenting, such as “Sauce doesn’t have enough flavor”, “crust was undercooked”, etc.

Ever since I got banned from the pizza place, I can’t self assign. My previous scheduler told me they always wanted shops done by the 20th, so I knew my timeframe when asking for date changes. I rarely moved shops in the past, and when I did there was no issue. This new scheduler is telling me about all these “policies” that were never mentioned previously/appear to be made up by her.

I keep hearing about scheduler turnover and rotation. I guess I can hope this lady will hop on her broomstick and go somewhere else. I’ve dealt with dumb, lazy, and absentee schedulers at various companies. This woman was the worst. I am an accountant by trade, so I’ve seen all types of people. It takes a lot to shock me.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/29/2019 04:43AM by jellyfish.

I get self-assigned shops' dates changes every month. No big deal. AND, I work with FIVE ACL schedulers at the moment and maybe 20 different ones over the years, all of whom are/were happy to move dates around when asked. As long as they know that they have a reliable shopper, it is to their advantage, after all.

I just want to follow up and say that I have gotten multiple “please help me” requests from the horrific scheduler. I found it rich that she said she could change dates, if necessary. I wanted so badly to reply and point out how she said it was against policy to change a date not a week ago to me. I honestly can’t believe the audacity she has to contact me begging for help when she was so hostile and rude to me recently.

Well, I would think only the original recipient of the report could hear the call. As printed copies are distributed, the typed narrative would be required for that section to have any meaning.

ACL seems to have the lowest pay (if any) + greatest amt. of work combo of any company that I know of.

They do have some very desirable higher end restaurant clients, though. I still don't think it's worthwhile, because I always end up regretting the reports as I'm writing them.

I've never had an issue with staff with them and liked the people there. If only they'd up the pay or reduce the work a bit......I'd accept a shop.

They are my favorite company to work for. The reports are fair and the reimbursements typically cover the meal. I don't need to spend five hours writing a report like I would otherwise. For two and a half hours for a $100 bill, I have no complaints. I would rather do this than get the $15 and five hour reports with opening and closing direct quotes for everyone. Also, ACL will reply to emails and you aren't in purgatory when you apply for shops.

I used to get lots of ACL editor questions but I seem to have found a writing style that pleases them and now I get very few. Answering every "no" or non-obvious N/A and writing short sentences so you reach the required number quickly make their reports a breeze.

My favorite scheduler told me she had been a shopper and wanted to work for ACL because she found they were most responsive to shopper e-mails. Alas that scheduler was just let go at the end of last month. Fewer shops overall was mentioned as one of the reasons (and of course there's no more pizza).

They have some great shops and some lousy ones. Locally a regional burger chain is being heavily shopped for reimbursement only. The dinner time shops can't start until after 8. A bar visit is required and no money for a tip at the bar is offered. Two of the locations are full-service and the reimbursement covers a 10% tip. Meanwhile nearly identical chains are shopped for $18-$35 in this market by other well-known MSCs. Every month the shop stays on the board until last-minute bonuses are offered. A famous regional seafood chain that used to be a reward shop is no longer being shopped. I feel bad for the schedulers who get saddled with placing these shops.

I don't get questions from ACL, just the thank you form email. There are no burger shops in my area, but we used to have the pizza shops that were used as bait for the nicer shops depending on the area. The schedulers are wonderful.

@ambrlie01 wrote:

Well, I would think only the original recipient of the report could hear the call. As printed copies are distributed, the typed narrative would be required for that section to have any meaning.

The phone calls are recorded. You call into the ACL system and it connects you to the client location. The recording is saved in the online report form.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/03/2019 12:07PM by callinectes.