TrendSource Reporting Changes

I just received an email that grocery store shops must be reported within two hours of the end of the shop - preferably onsite. I'm not sure I like this change. I usually write down notes and then report on the website when I get home. I don't like typing on the phone. Also, not sure how to scan the receipt. Hopefully, there's a way to do it on the app. I usually scan it on my printer and then submit.

I guess I need to catch up with technology.

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WOW! I think they are going to have some push back on that one!

That’s interesting. I have a few scheduled shops for next week and did not receive that email. There is no mention of a change in policy on their website. Was the email from TrendSource itself or from one of their schedulers? I would have a problem with completing the report in the store as the one location I often visit has terrible cell service. They do have WiFi but that is sometimes not working as well.

The email was from TrendSource itself. Effective Sunday January 3.. "Any project not input within 2-hours of the time printed on the store receipt will not be accepted." I'm assuming that if you can get to your computer and input it within two hours, you'll be OK.

Inputting within two hours becomes almost impossible when I have two or more grocery shops in one day. I hope they change this if enough of us complain.

The grocery store that I do for them is so simple with no narrative, you can have 90% of it done on the app before you leave your store. I don’t like reporting them in the store or touching my phone too much in the store because people are dirty, and I have no desire to get coronavirus.

SoCalMama - did you get this email notice of a change? I see nothing different on their website. I’m wondering if it’s only certain regions and/or shoppers.

OK, I got the email now. Apparently they only sent it out to shoppers with assignments that start on Jan 3rd as those assignments are shown in the email. I’m going to try and use their app on my iPad and use my phone as a hot spot while in my car. Other choice is to find the nearest Starbucks or Jack in the Box, etc and use their wifi. I don’t like inputting on a small screen.

i wonder what prompted this change? if “the client” believed that that shoppers were mis-reporting data by giving shoppers until midnight to finish the report, why can’t trendsource weed out those shoppers from the program? i don’t think getting the data 4+ hours earlier for a shop changes anything on the client’s end.

i like kenasch’s idea of now taking my ipad with and using my phone as a hotspot when i’m back in my car. while the report during covid is smaller, inputting on my phone is a pain, even with their app.

Gladys, just take a picture of the receipt with the phone and upload it directly to the shop when submitting via phone. Also, you don't have to type much on the phone. When the keyboard pops up, press the little microphone icon and speak your narrative. The phone will type it for you. Or you can speak-write the same way in your phone's note taking program, make corrections if needed, then copy and paste into the MSC's form.

@kenasch wrote:

SoCalMama - did you get this email notice of a change? I see nothing different on their website. I’m wondering if it’s only certain regions and/or shoppers.

I just got home from work.
No, I didn't get the email, but I also have nothing currently scheduled.

Thanks, Sestra. Since I had a grocery shop today, I thought I'd try to input on my phone, and it worked. Not much typing, but I still prefer using my computer.

I have only used the app to fill out the reports for at least a year, I haven’t had any issues. For the receipt, you just take a photo with your phone.

These shops have no narrative. The typing you have to do is at most employee's name.

There is minimal narrative if you give a negative response in some sections. Nevertheless I have been using the app to input the shops real time ever since it became an option to do so and prefer it. Hopefully it doesn’t negatively impact any shoppers as it is not a difficult requirement.

Its really easy just use your phone and take a picture of it. I isually always submit my grocery shops on site. It takes all of 10 minutes if that. Then when im back at home i dont have to worry about it

Only took two and a half hours for their website and app to crash today. Sitting in the parking lot trying to get one of mine in. I normally do them in the parking lot but their app needs to be a little bit more stable before I feel good about this. I normally get them in immediately because I do five a day.

Me too. I did two and haven’t finished submitting the second one. At my third one now but not confident about doing it and getting it input within 2 hours. I have a fourth one as well. Not happy.

Edited to add..... can’t get on their regular site to input the shops either.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/03/2021 06:51PM by grille.

@grille wrote:

Me too. I did two and haven’t finished submitting the second one. At my third one now but not confident about doing it and getting it input within 2 hours. I have a fourth one as well. Not happy.

Edited to add..... can’t get on their regular site to input the shops either.

Agree, it's not working on website or app. Sent the help desk a message but you know how that goes.

I was finally able to enter my last one using the website just now so 40 minutes after I started trying.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/03/2021 07:00PM by foodluvr.

I was able to finish mine on the website as well - thank goodness!

I did 2 today. Took 3 minutes to input each one in my car in their parking lot.

@pegleg2000 wrote:

I did 2 today. Took 3 minutes to input each one in my car in their parking lot.

About how long it takes me when the app and website works! it seems to have finally resolved itself as I finished up my last two without any problems.

I did two today. One on the app in my car (10 minutes) and the other at home on my PC within the 2 hour timeframe. I will no longer schedule more than two on the same day and will not be purchasing ice cream or other frozen items if I need to complete the shop in my car.

@kenasch wrote:

I did two today. One on the app in my car (10 minutes) and the other at home on my PC within the 2 hour timeframe. I will no longer schedule more than two on the same day and will not be purchasing ice cream or other frozen items if I need to complete the shop in my car.

I totally agree.

I also did 3 today and had no luck inputting on my phone. Luckily, all three were close to my house and I was able to input them from the computer.

Take a picture of the receipt with your phone and then when you are to submit photo just hit camera and instead of taking a picture check your library and insert and download.

I was told that they are trying to move to completely app based reporting. So, if you can't do that, you're going to be "out" very soon.

I just did one today and yesterday. The app is easy to report the shop. You are mainly clicking on radio buttons for answers and minimal typing. There is a button you push on the app that takes a picture of the receipt.

i’ll admit, i was a little skeptical of the change. after doing a few, the app worked fine and was easy enough to use to input the data. i just have to remind myself to leave a little earlier if i want to route a few - the extra time entering the data in the parking lot for each shop adds up when you’re nearing 8pm.

I had more problems today with their app and website. I would answer the questions in the app and it would not save. It would just keep spinning, I switch the website and it would keep loading. When I finally got the app to work it would tell me I had no network connection when I was on the store internet.

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