Those waiting on payments...

I just received this email from a big mystery shopping company that owes me around $1500.

Good day and thank you for contacting us,

In accordance with the COVID 19 guidelines for the state of xxxxx our office is temporarily closed until further notice. Due to the closure of the xxxxxxxx office all of the accounting processes have been suspended until the guidelines have been lifted and it is safe for our staff to return to normal operating procedures. Once the normal operating procedures are back in place an email will be generated. We appreciate your patience in this matter and we apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused.

Once again, we thank you for your loyalty and patience. We look forward to working with you in the future. Please stay safe.

They are past their payment window and I sent this email.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/17/2020 05:08PM by Flyy1220.

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Oh man, that really stinks. Sorry to hear that.

Why post this and withhold the company name. It's a useless post unless you are simply looking for sympathy.

There are reasons that a body stays in motion
At the moment only demons come to mind

Sometimes people are just looking for sympathy. I didn't see the OP ask what they should do or for any other advice.

No they seemed to be giving information to those of us waiting on payments. But the only information is there is a random company who sent out an email that they aren't paying right now.

There are reasons that a body stays in motion
At the moment only demons come to mind

The MSC is hiding behind the pandemic. There is no reason why the accounts payable functions of an MSC cannot be done remotely. If it was able to send out the e-mail above from a remote place, then the payments could be as well.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/17/2020 06:59PM by Rousseau.

I totally get people looking for sympathy, don't get me wrong, but it's not worded that way at all.

There are reasons that a body stays in motion
At the moment only demons come to mind

I am not looking for sympathy. I don't know who monitors these blogs and I have seen people get in trouble for posting companies not paying. I am simply warning people that companies are giving out reasons to not pay. FYI, there aren't many companies out there that can owe that much money. I am not in need of the money, I can wait. It was just a warning for people. I am sure if you go asking around about money you are owed, you will start getting the same answers.

Yeah it's weird because it wasn't an automated response.

I think all of us are aware there are companies that have not paid or are not going to pay. Not knowing what specific company is not paying does not further anyone's knowledge.

There are reasons that a body stays in motion
At the moment only demons come to mind

Sounds like Regal Hospitality.

ETA I don’t think Regal is going to stiff us. I think that it’s an excuse to pay us 1-2 months late, which is lame.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/17/2020 07:53PM by SoCalMama.

What is the point of the warning in this case, when even the state has been anonymized?...so people don't take jobs from a company that's apparently completely shuttered itself? I doubt they are offering shops in that case.

Outside of MSing, all of the companies I do business with are finding a workaround for payments. I sent an invoice yesterday and received a Zelle transfer less than hour later from the accountant, who was working from home. That's what I would expect from any professional operation.

I took stock of the MSC's I was working with a few years ago and deactived from all that I thuoght were acting unprofessionally. As of yesterday, I'm current on payments from the MSCs that I continued to do business with, so would also add that while I feel for anyone who's still owed, there have been indications along the way about which companies were more likely to stiff shoppers....

SoCalMama states--Sounds like Regal Hospitality.

Bob agrees--Very possibly. I fired that company many years ago, after they sent an E-letter notice of extending payment from net 45 to net 90. That indicated to me they were either experiencing a flow problem or they desired to use my money as an interest free loan.

Be a business I am okay with net 30 or even last day of month following the month shop completed anything longer is truly ridiculous. On a positive note Bare an upstanding MSC paid me April 15th for work done in march per their normal terms. I agree that it would have been nice for the OP to name the MSC.

Shopping Western NY, Northeast and Central PA, and parts of Ohio and West Virginia. Have car will travel anywhere if the monies right.

...but Regal offers very cash intensive audits. They are insistent that the shopper pay for nearly everything in cash to the point where it's gives you away. When they moved to longer payment structures, that was a sign for me (and apparently Bob) to step away.

If that's the company holding shopper payments up under the guise of pandemic shut down, they are hanging onto a lot of shopper's cash in a really unfortunate time to do that. I've been writing this a lot here the past month, but it's shameful, unprofessional, and worthy of being called out.

I simply can't imagine there's a company out there that doesn't have access to their bank accounts and shop reports remotely. If they are not paying, it's a strong indicator they don't have the funds, and that's scary because hotels are taking a financial beating right now.

I only live in one state but Calif which is prob one of the states with stricter rules has not shut down all businesses. They have shut down retail stores. Businesses that are not "open" to the public are not closed. So it seems to me for most states even if they for some reason could not have their accounts payable person working from home, that person could most likely go into the office and pick up whatever they needed to make the payments. Perhaps whatever state this is has stricter laws perhaps they are using it as a cover.

I received a similar email but she stated that they would be paying as soon as they were able to.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/04/2020 02:02AM by helpmehelpyou.

I'm waiting for Satisfaction Services to pay for an assignment that I conducted in February. I had received an email from Mickie on 04/14/20, stating that they would process payroll when the restrictions against non-essential travel were rescinded, as evidently they don't have the ability to process payments remotely.

I'm waiting for Advanced Feedback to send the payment for some February assignments, but they are not significantly beyond their Payment Schedule at this time.

ETA to mention that Advanced Feedback had mailed payment; they have paid in full. I am still waiting for Satisfaction Services to pay me for the assignment that I conducted on 02/22/20.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/12/2020 11:07PM by Opanel.

I tip my hat to the following companies for paying me, during the pandemic, both the correct sum and when due:

1-Reality Based Group
2-Strategic Reflections
3-Confero

I currently have a single outstanding fee, from Service Sleuth, arriving the end of May.

@shopperbob wrote:

I tip my hat to the following companies for paying me, during the pandemic, both the correct sum and when due:

1-Reality Based Group
2-Strategic Reflections
3-Confero

I currently have a single outstanding fee, from Service Sleuth, arriving the end of May.

Hat tip also for on-time, correct payment to

Ardent Services
MarketForce
Second to None
Consumer Impressions

Strategic Reflections and Jancyn have paid me up to date which is professional. I will remember them in the future if I ever mystery shop again.

After a few back and forth emails and some statements from this thread, I received payment for my January and February shops this week for the company I was talking about. Thank you for your insight.

That's awesome. For that big of a sum, I'm sure it was a major relief!

@Flyy1220 wrote:

After a few back and forth emails and some statements from this thread, I received payment for my January and February shops this week for the company I was talking about. Thank you for your insight.

So now would be a good time to name the MSC so they can be recognized for taking care of the situation instead of having other members randomly guessing.

Strategic Reflections is the only outstanding payment that I have yet to receive!

@teriraia wrote:

Strategic Reflections and Jancyn have paid me up to date which is professional. I will remember them in the future if I ever mystery shop again.

I AM

Superior Customer Solutions still owes everyone shop payments from JANUARY - pre-covid.

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