HS BRANDS Payment delay

Not only the late payments, but their practices are very concerning to me. I do their fitness shop often. The shop requires a recorded call and a visit. On the call, I can only say "I am thinking of joining the club." The instructions clearly state I cannot say anything else or lead the call in any way. Nine times out of ten, the person I am calling follows the speech they are supposed to give exactly. Without fail, every single time the person on the other end does not follow it, I get the shop back, am told I have to make the call again and am told it is my fault. I have challenged them a few times on it and they either do not respond or give me a contradictory response. Some of these responses are so ridiculous I cannot even believe them. "When she asked if you wanted to hear more, you said 'yes.' You should have said 'I'd like to hear more about the club.'" This is clearly leading the call. If I owned a company and was paying someone to mystery shop me, I'd want to know these things were happening so I could correct them. But it looks like they just want everything to be perfect. Why bother doing it?

So to summarize, they take 3 months to pay and reject any shop that is not perfect.

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In more than 10 years the only shop that they have rejected was one where I definately screwed up. And, I have written plenty of reports of poor performance.

Based in MD, near DC
Shopping from the Carolinas to New York
Have video cam; will travel

Poor customer service? Don't get mad; get video.

Tony's always been forthright with me.

These HSBrands shops have always been scheduled by a KSS scheduler. I love Tony and Mackensie! Yes, they do take a long time to pay but I already know that. They have been reliable to date, but it is a PITA to have to track receipt of their late payments.

Are these reports on the gyms? I have not had issue with any others.

madetoshop states--These HSBrands shops have always been scheduled by a KSS scheduler.

Bob's thought--When I began completing SS shops in 2006, I think they used an in-house scheduler named Evelyn. The reason I recalled her name was that the company, at that time, was located on Miles Standish. In high school, I read a novel written by Longfellow titled The Courtship of Miles Standish & Evelyn.

@shopperbob wrote:

madetoshop states--These HSBrands shops have always been scheduled by a KSS scheduler.

Bob's thought--When I began completing SS shops in 2006, I think they used an in-house scheduler named Evelyn. The reason I recalled her name was that the company, at that time, was located on Miles Standish. In high school, I read a novel written by Longfellow titled The Courtship of Miles Standish & Evelyn.

You are correct, Bob. Eveylyn Gledhill, IIRC.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/04/2019 09:24AM by BusyBeeBuzzBuzzBuzz.

As a data point, payment for an adult entertainment evaluation I did for HS brands that was approved on 9/15 hit my bank account this morning 11/6. This was surprisingly early.

Wait, you did the strip club shop?? Details.

Lol! I guess I should start doing those shops!

@thunderdeacon wrote:

As a data point, payment for an adult entertainment evaluation I did for HS brands that was approved on 9/15 hit my bank account this morning 11/6. This was surprisingly early.

It is certainly interesting. You get the full experience. Ive done them multiple times.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/07/2019 03:46AM by thunderdeacon.

I got paid today from July.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/15/2019 03:30AM by Niner.

got the finally payment from them. 100 plus days later. I will be unplugging from hs brands and this thread that I started.

I just got payment but I don't know what for. It was $10 so I'm guessing phone shops?

HS paid me today for a job I had done in September. This was the fastest HS payment that I have received. Maybe this thread is helping?

It sounds like they are preferentially paying some shops faster than others, although I wish this thread had power to influence payments. I just got paid for a shop in July.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/07/2019 05:33PM by chiffon cupcakes.

I am on a regular rotation to do three high-value casinos and two adult entertainment venues. I outlay anywhere between $200 to $900 a month. My guess is that they pay me faster because they don't want to piss me off. If I were just doing a burger shop or fried chicken shop, maybe they wouldn't be as concerned. It doesn't make it right, but it could be why. I almost always get paid between 45 and 60 days after the shop. Only once did I wait 80 days to get paid. But I have never gone over that.

I completely agree with you. There are several types of evaluations that fall into the class of being inconvenient, (time frame or location), relatively expensive (high outlay) or extensively detailed to the point of being redundant and "not worth the money". It is reasonable to believe that when a scheduler finds a shopper who, through past performance, demonstrates the ability to complete these shops on a regular basis, they will insure the shopper is paid according to policy. This is also reasonable because a shop that requires a reimbursement of say $1,000 a month must be a substantial profit generator for the MSC. These clients can not be lost because of failure to perform the shop.

I believe they view shoppers who do occasional assignments and complain about relatively small reimbursements are held in less than high regard and are viewed as "replaceable".

But then they ask these same shoppers to lay out $1500 for a casino shop (based on the latest email).

For people waiting for payment, I would suggest you email to ask about the status and also screenshot/attach the original payment terms in your contract. For several of us that have done this, suddenly the "check is in the mail" and we get paid in the next couple weeks.

If they are low on funds, they are paying the most urgent shops first, meaning the ones where people are making a fuss. For the people getting paid faster: I'm wondering if this is related to the particular jobs/client? Maybe the client wants a report or something showing that shoppers were paid by x date? No idea otherwise why some of us had to sit for 4 months waiting for reimbursement shops.

97 days for me.

KssPete,

Seriously, why would you advise us to accept shops from HSB, a company that consistently violates their written payment policy, signaling serious internal financial issues? I was finally paid FOUR months later, in spite of my calls to the payroll dept. Waiting four months to get paid is completely unacceptable in any industry. The fact is Mystery Shopping companies do go out of business. As competent, reliable shoppers we certainly have a right to alert other shoppers about any such disturbing, red flag practices.

Arist opines--If they are low on funds, they are paying the most urgent shops first, meaning the ones where people are making a fuss.

Bob concludes--If the above is correct, they must not be low on funds. My last shop was submitted 10/09 and paid 11/25. To my recollect, I have never, in 13+ years with SS, had an occasion to either mail or phone with a problem.

Has anyone been paid for November?

@Jmiranda70 wrote:

Has anyone been paid for November?

I received payment November 24 for shops completed in August. I have not received the December payment for September shops - usually comes the 24th and likely delayed because of the holidays. Shops completed in November will probably pay around February 24.

I was paid this week for an early Sept shop. I was paid mid-Dec for a late Aug shop.

delete

Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 12/28/2019 10:52AM by 1forum1.

When I emailed asking about payment, I got a message from the "CEO." Did anyone else get that too?

I got paid last week for two casino shops completed in early november.

I am still awaiting payment for November shops.

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