Hello,
I am a new poster, but I have been mystery shopping for a little while now (about a year). I have my complaints about the types of emails we get from MSCs, but I just want to vent about something: subject lines in emails from MSCs.
1) Imploring me to RUSH and HURRY! to take a shop is very unlikely to induce me to take a shop; in fact, it is likely to do the opposite. A lack of planning (or too low a pay rate to get someone to complete your shop on time) on your part does not constitute an emergency on my part, as the saying goes.
~ I am especially talking to those MSCs who ALWAYS have an urgent deadline for, oh, say, a bank shop, but they don't want to HURRY or RUSH! to pay out your money when you turn in the required report. Is it okay if I send you a HURRY - RUSH! - GIVE ME MY MONEY email after I submit my narrative and documentation? Turnabout is fair play, right?
2) "Can you HELP MEEEEE PLEEEZZ" in a subject line is so obnoxious to me. I likely don't know you, and I don't do this to "help" (well, at least not primarily): I do this to make money (see #1 above). Now, don't get me wrong, there are schedulers that I would help out in a pinch, sometimes even if it's a bit out of the way or they can't give a bonus, just because they have been great to work with or we have a professional rapport. However, they are not the ones sending a generic email blast to every shopper in a 100 mile radius. Why would I HELP YOU PLEEEZ? Would you help me if I needed an extension, clarification on the guidelines, or more money? My experiences say that, too often, the answer is "not a chance." If you really need HELP, add a substantial BONUS (or pay what the job is worth in the first place).
A) Bonus content: Not a subject line, but it just rubs me the wrong way when an email is imploring us to please help an MSC out of the charitable kindness of our hearts in the subject line and first paragraph, and then they get all snarky in the body of the email. "You MUST do this." "You WILL NOT GET PAID!" "...or your SHOP WILL BE REJECTED." "Make sure you READ and UNDERSTAND the INSTRUCTIONS!!" I get that we need to follow the guidelines and no one wants to get a shop rejected, but my goodness, can you tone it down? Why are you asking me for "help" and then LECTURING me on all the ways I probably won't do it right and lose out on my money? Have a little tact and graciousness...too much to ask?
What do you fine people think? Am I way off base? Just a little too sensitive today?