JM RIDGEWAY is horrible!!!!
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First and foremost: I hope that you are already well and very well. An update on that would be good. 
It is a tough situation, though, because it might not have been easy or possible to re-schedule due to deadlines. Even when it is justified and for a good cause (so that you can stay home and re-capture your breath), the workload automatically increases for the scheduler. Perhaps they had to contact numerous other shoppers in order to fill the shops that you had scheduled.
If you were experiencing difficulty with breathing, this would apply to all shop types you had scheduled for the time frame. Was that part of the scheduler's decision? [I have no idea about that.]
It is a tough situation, though, because it might not have been easy or possible to re-schedule due to deadlines. Even when it is justified and for a good cause (so that you can stay home and re-capture your breath), the workload automatically increases for the scheduler. Perhaps they had to contact numerous other shoppers in order to fill the shops that you had scheduled.
If you were experiencing difficulty with breathing, this would apply to all shop types you had scheduled for the time frame. Was that part of the scheduler's decision? [I have no idea about that.]
@Sdcntrygal wrote:
I was taken off of all shops because i wanted to reschedule mid-month due to being deathly sick! I don't know a single person other than a mystery shopper that would shop for a new mattress and furniture while coughing so badly that they cannot catch their breath. Out of the 300 companies i contract with, this is the only company that doesn't allow sick days. I didn't plan to nor want to be sick, but i am. Nikki has done this to me twice in 3 years. Her next plea for help completing jobs, won't receive any help from me!
Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished. - Lao-Tzu
@Sdcntrygal wrote:
Nikki has done this to me twice in 3 years. Her next plea for help completing jobs, won't receive any help from me!
Like anyone you'd prefer not to get email from, you can block the email address. Then you significantly increase the chances of NOT receiving emails from her. NOTE: She has more than one email address.
**edited to add an opening clause to sentence #1.**
Bilingual (Spanish<>English)
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/17/2020 07:34AM by JSM2019.
@JSM2019 wrote:
@Sdcntrygal wrote:
Nikki has done this to me twice in 3 years. Her next plea for help completing jobs, won't receive any help from me!
You can block her email address. Then you significantly increase the chances of NOT receiving emails from her. NOTE: She has more than one email address.
Note: Nikki reads this forum and has people who tell her when there is chatter.
Not me though. I've probably done less than 5 shops for her in 20 years, but I do know who she is.
I will not do any shops for her either. She does not have much of a heart when it comes to shoppers based on what I see here and the FB groups I belong to.
A heart I do not care about it is the brain that gets me.
Nikki has been fired from MANY mystery shopping companies. She is rude, unprofessional, untruthful and if I were an owner I would NOT want her representing my company.
Owner’s email address:
frank.k@jmridgway.com
Let Frank know how Nikki is representing his company.
Owner’s email address:
frank.k@jmridgway.com
Let Frank know how Nikki is representing his company.
Frank won't give a hoot. He's worse than Nikki.
Frank is evidence that some people have no business being in business.
@guysmom wrote:
Frank won't give a hoot. He's worse than Nikki.
Frank has zero tolerance for wasting time and B.S.
And he likes his money.
If enough shoppers got shiny spines and emailed him examples of how Nikki’s actions are costing him time and money - how she refuses to reschedule shops, her illiterate email style that leads to misunderstandings, her arbitrary cancellation of shops - he will pay attention. Guaranteed.
Frank is impatient and abrupt, but he’s 100% focused on his bottom line. Tell him that she’s costing him money and client reports, and he will pay attention.
Just don’t blather on, and make your point to him in five sentences, max.
For example:
“Dear Frank, I attempted to reschedule a mattress shop out 48 hours due to illness. Nikki refused, and removed the shop. It is now back on your board, with a $10 bonus. Thought you’d like to know. Screenshots attached.”
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/19/2020 10:17PM by ColoKate63.
@ wrote:
Note: Nikki reads this forum and has people who tell her when there is chatter
Ooooo, scary! (eyeroll)
I would suggest that if somebody has negative feelings about the scheduler and/or MSC, but still desires to work for them, such a "reminder" is a good thing.... I, personally, have had only a few interactions with either as they don't typically have the work I seek out. I have no reason to complain about any of them.
@ColoKate63 wrote:
@ wrote:
Note: Nikki reads this forum and has people who tell her when there is chatter
Ooooo, scary! (eyeroll)
Hard work builds character and homework is good for your soul.
It’s only my personal experience, but I’ve burned some bridges (well-deserved ones, like with Nikki) and - voila! It’s opened up MORE work for me. Not less.
How?
We all know who the “bad apples” in the industry are, whether they are schedulers or companies. Out of fear of reprisals, there’s this silly code of omertà that most follow.
We don’t dare discuss Scheduler X or Company Z when we have genuine issues with unprofessional behavior, ICA violations or pay shortages because we’re worried about the dreaded “blackball.”
That has not been my experience. The “bad apples” have burned a LOT of companies. After publicly calling out a bad apple, I literally tripled my business - because Companies A, B, and C were 110% sick of X and Z’s nonsense, knew that I was being truthful, and respected that. A lot goes on behind the scenes that you may not know about.
How?
We all know who the “bad apples” in the industry are, whether they are schedulers or companies. Out of fear of reprisals, there’s this silly code of omertà that most follow.
We don’t dare discuss Scheduler X or Company Z when we have genuine issues with unprofessional behavior, ICA violations or pay shortages because we’re worried about the dreaded “blackball.”
That has not been my experience. The “bad apples” have burned a LOT of companies. After publicly calling out a bad apple, I literally tripled my business - because Companies A, B, and C were 110% sick of X and Z’s nonsense, knew that I was being truthful, and respected that. A lot goes on behind the scenes that you may not know about.
The only time I was called "unprofessional" was by Nikki. I tried to reschedule because we were having flooding with the rain. Never worked for them again - there are plenty of MSC's.
@teriraia wrote:
The only time I was called "unprofessional" was by Nikki. I tried to reschedule because we were having flooding with the rain. Never worked for them again - there are plenty of MSC's.
That’s great, but did you let the project manager or the MSP owner know about that?
You have worth as a person and as an evaluator. We should all stand up for ourselves when we are clearly being abused by a known bad apple.
I used to be a science teacher, and one of my favorite topics was evolution. This could be seen as a micro-evolutionary problem.
Put enough environmental pressure on the bad schedulers and bad companies - in the form of us voicing our concerns in a professional manner and refusing to work for the bad schedulers and bad companies - and they’re going to get removed from the industry. And that leaves room for the GOOD people in this industry to succeed and flourish.
But it’s going to take a lot of shiny spines to see this happen. Right now, there’s damn few people saying anything; the vast majority just shuts up and takes it. Nothing will change until we realize our worth and act accordingly.
I agree 100% I do research on an MSC before I accept any shops. When I read negative posts I will not accept shops from the MSC or I only do 1 to see how it goes.
I never had problems with Nikki but Frank is the reason why JM Ridgway is the only company from which I have deregistered.
I had a query today from Frank about a shop I had done a few days ago before I had to go into the hospital. I explained that I had emergency surgery and discussed the issue, and I got a nice note back from him saying he hoped I was doing better. I wouldn't expect the monster you all are talking about to have even a modicum of courtesy.
I'm not saying you are wrong but I am saying I've been shopping for them for awhile and have not had any issues that couldn't be resolved with a little courtesy and professionalism and he gave both.
I'm not saying you are wrong but I am saying I've been shopping for them for awhile and have not had any issues that couldn't be resolved with a little courtesy and professionalism and he gave both.
It does bother me that some schedulers have no compassion for an independent contractor (shopper) getting sick. Employees with sick time don't have to deal with that. I have found most to be understanding, but periodically there is one "rotten egg" that makes you feel like a criminal.. Recently I had to cancel a shop because I was sick and thought I had the flu. The scheduler became unglued! It ended up that once I went to the doctor, I was sent to the ER and admitted for 5 days, not with the flu, but with cardiac problems. I emailed that scheduler with "proof" of the hospital stay. She responded and thanked me for providing that for her "records" and never even said she hoped I felt better. I hope she never asks me to help on a rush job! The other schedulers were compassionate and understanding.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/21/2020 10:19PM by EileenS.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/21/2020 10:19PM by EileenS.
Curious to see what @nikki4JMR has to say lol.
Can't wait for some drama and a spicy response.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/21/2020 10:33PM by azncollege.
Can't wait for some drama and a spicy response.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/21/2020 10:33PM by azncollege.
@azncollege wrote:
Curious to see what @nikki4JMR has to say lol.
Can't wait for some drama and a spicy response.
I don’t know that she’ll respond, but I’ve never had an issue with her.
I’ve never had an issue with Frank either, but I’ve heard from many people that he is not very pleasant. I picked up a shop a few years ago that had a special three day pay turnaround. I sent him an email; he never responded, but he paid me in three days.
I’ve probably done less than five shops in 20 years for them, but I’ve had no issues with any of those shops.
YMMV
@azncollege wrote:
Curious to see what @nikki4JMR has to say lol.
Can't wait for some drama and a spicy response.
She just got fired from a MSP** that she only worked a few weeks for, lol, so she’s probably scrambling to put out some job applications and is too busy to reply. :-)
** not JM Ridgway
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/23/2020 07:21PM by ColoKate63.
I have no experience with Nikki, or the company she works for, so I can't comment on that.
What I will comment on, from a scheduler's standpoint, is that sometimes we have certain shoppers that are sick every other week, break their hips every other month, and, in some cases, I've even had someone whose parent died three times in two years.
I always try to be sensitive to whatever situation the shopper is experiencing, but after a while enough becomes enough. Not accusing anyone here of being that type of shopper, just putting it out that there are shoppers like that out there. With two days of notice, I'd think that is a responsible shopper though, and would give the extension unless it just absolutely can't be given.
What I will comment on, from a scheduler's standpoint, is that sometimes we have certain shoppers that are sick every other week, break their hips every other month, and, in some cases, I've even had someone whose parent died three times in two years.
I always try to be sensitive to whatever situation the shopper is experiencing, but after a while enough becomes enough. Not accusing anyone here of being that type of shopper, just putting it out that there are shoppers like that out there. With two days of notice, I'd think that is a responsible shopper though, and would give the extension unless it just absolutely can't be given.
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