Can ANYONE shed some light on why Ipsos is not making an app available to do these shops? These used to be my favorite shops to do, and even at base, I could make great money doing these, as they could be knocked out in 30-45 minutes, tops. And THAT was using the old Maritz app, that anyone who ever used it knows was buggy as hell at times! The only answer I get from Ipsos is that an app is not available at this time so please use our "Mobile Friendly" website. My ass! That website crashes every five minutes, loses data (that I have to re-enter on my dime) several times during a shop, won't upload pictures half the time, and is painfully SLOW. I have vented my frustration in the notes section of every single shop I've done since they restarted, but nobody seems to notice or care. I finally asked that they remove all shops (and there were a LOT) I'd signed up for because they aren't worth it anymore. I explained how frustrating it is in 100 degree heat with sweat stinging my eyes to have to stand there and wait for the website to load YET AGAIN after the third or fourth crash, but I can't even get a hint at a time-frame when an app would be ready or if they are even working on one. I can't understand why we can't just use the old Maritz app until one is ready, if that is the problem. All of the Ipsos and the old GFK shops are on either MobiAudit or Presto. And I refuse to answer all the questions on site and upload the pictures at home - too much room for error for one thing, but also because work time is work time and home time is home time. I don't bring work home, period. What, for the love of everything Holy, is Ipsos trying to accomplish with this craziness? Are they testing our resolve for some doomsday shop? Testing the melting point of the human body? I just don't get it!

I just don't get what is so hard about doing the shop on the website. If you are experience which you apparently are it is not hard to do the shop onsite and then input the report questions and photos from the site later. If you are unable to do the reports at home as in too many distractions then there are ample places with wifi to enter such as McDonalds or a local library. For this and other gas stations create a master cheat sheet stating what you need to photo and what you need to look for. The examples could be need to see if they have a car wash, ATM, garage, and/or QSR.

As to IPSOS eventually having a mobile app who knows when and if they ever will. I don't get why the maintain 3 different site of shopmetrics, Sassie, and the old maritz Legacy site and in addition also now presto. It is what it is and if you don't like the shops or how they need to be reported alas there are many other shops and mscs to choose from.

I didn't say t would be hard to go to the station, take the pics, and input later. In fact, it would be pretty easy. That is if you only do 2-3 shops a day and are super organized. But I average 7-8 of these a day, along with other shops most days, there are many reasons why that isn't the best approach.

1) Unless one posses a photogenic memory, the questions should be answered onsite. Otherwise its too easy to miss a question, like for instance, "Was the merchandiser present?" That's one I tend not to think about until I see the question. Without an app, you would need to print out a paper copy of the questions for each shop or you could print out one copy and use your phone to take notes. But that means flip-flopping between your camera app and your note app. And you need to make sure each set of notes is labeled properly so they don't get mixed up later.

2) I live in a rural area and it is not unusual for me to travel two hours to a metro area and do a cluster of shops and then drive two more hours home. This often puts me back home after the midnight cut-off to submit the surveys. Additionally, if I do miss something, I have to either drive the four hour round trip again to collect the missed info, pic, etc., or forfeit the shop. With the app, it is a lot less likely that anything will be missed.

3) You can't rely on the pics taken at a shop to help you remember there was an infraction. After a while, all those pump pics start looking the same

4) Using the app, when I leave a location, the shop is submitted. This means an editor can start her work sooner and the client can get a report sooner and is therefore able to address any urgent matters in a more timely fashion.

But the main reason I'm so miffed about not having the app (or a correctly working website) is because there is no reason not to! Maritz had a working app for these shops prior to the Ipsos takeover, but it is now unavailable to use. Yet Ipsos has not made another one available, even though all of their other shops on all the various platforms have one. It makes no sense whatsoever and I really hate things that don't make sense.

Is this the yellow and blue station that CoRi (Stericycle) used to have? If so, I don't see any in my area. I'm not familiar with yellow and blue.

I agree wholeheartedly. It is very frustrating not to have an app. I tried to use the website but it kept crashing after 2 or 3 questions. So now I have to wait until I get home and do 10 reports at one which takes forever and is always past their 12 hour time frame. I'm in New Mexico and we travel all over the state as you do so I completely understand the frustration. I had to create a cheat sheet to check off before I leave the location. So I don't forget anything and it never fails I forget something.

I do use an app for yellow stations.If it’s not bad to do it I’ll give you the app.

What app are you using?

@shawnthewoman wrote:

Can ANYONE shed some light on why Ipsos is not making an app available to do these shops? These used to be my favorite shops to do, and even at base, I could make great money doing these, as they could be knocked out in 30-45 minutes, tops. And THAT was using the old Maritz app, that anyone who ever used it knows was buggy as hell at times! The only answer I get from Ipsos is that an app is not available at this time so please use our "Mobile Friendly" website. My ass! That website crashes every five minutes, loses data (that I have to re-enter on my dime) several times during a shop, won't upload pictures half the time, and is painfully SLOW. I have vented my frustration in the notes section of every single shop I've done since they restarted, but nobody seems to notice or care. I finally asked that they remove all shops (and there were a LOT) I'd signed up for because they aren't worth it anymore. I explained how frustrating it is in 100 degree heat with sweat stinging my eyes to have to stand there and wait for the website to load YET AGAIN after the third or fourth crash, but I can't even get a hint at a time-frame when an app would be ready or if they are even working on one. I can't understand why we can't just use the old Maritz app until one is ready, if that is the problem. All of the Ipsos and the old GFK shops are on either MobiAudit or Presto. And I refuse to answer all the questions on site and upload the pictures at home - too much room for error for one thing, but also because work time is work time and home time is home time. I don't bring work home, period. What, for the love of everything Holy, is Ipsos trying to accomplish with this craziness? Are they testing our resolve for some doomsday shop? Testing the melting point of the human body? I just don't get it!

The answer I got

tcmsbox03@ishopforipsos.com
Thu, Jul 2, 12:04 PM
to me

The legacy MaritzCX OnSite app is no longer available to be used on any of our projects.
You can use our mobile friendly website (https://us-v2.ipsosmysteryshopping.com/) to access and complete your shops while at the location or you can print the eval and then enter online when you get home.