Ipsos Editors bonce back on Yellow Gas stations

Please verify your answer to Rec_Explain. The ratings and comments must match. All 5 ratings say something bad about the station but
your comments are all positive. Please explain what that was or correct your ratings

Please verify your ratings and comments for Rec_Explain. There are almost no infractions for the Forecourt, and yet you say it is meeting
minimal standards. Please verify or expand on your answer.

This is in the customer rates section
Yes, It might be a dumb question but what are the wanting here? I have had 10 shops returned in two days and have 48 more to go

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/13/2022 04:21AM by bmttinman.

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@bmttinman wrote:

Please verify your answer to Rec_Explain. The ratings and comments must match. All 5 ratings say something bad about the station but
your comments are all positive. Please explain what that was or correct your ratings

Please verify your ratings and comments for Rec_Explain. There are almost no infractions for the Forecourt, and yet you say it is meeting
minimal standards. Please verify or expand on your answer.

This is in the customer rates section
Yes, It might be a dumb question but what are the wanting here? I have had 10 shops returned in two days and have 48 more to go

The first one your ratings say something bad, but your comments are positive. This seems like you are contradicting yourself.

The second one says there are no infractions and you say its meeting minimal standards. If there are no infractions it should be meeting more than the minimual standards.
What are the 5 points are they asking for? I am having a hard time here as not getting the points on this site and I can't show the form
In the first part, they basically want your comments and ratings to match. If you give a bad rating, it should be reflected or explained in the comments.

On the second, I would think having no infractions is the minimal standard. I would verify or remove the word minimal just to make them happy.

The 5 points I assume are the 5 ratings you give on the form.

Good luck with the next 48. Last month I had more clarification requests than I had all of last year. Most were justified, but some were just silly. I'm glad I'm done with those for a while.
I had one editor who was upset that I did not also evaluate a neighboring unrelated business, one across a road from the station but visible in the distance one of my pictures. IPSOS oftentimes, but not always, hits the bottom of the barrel when they engage editors.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/14/2022 12:19AM by Rousseau.
Yellow shops were the worst one in dealing with editors when Maritz had them. It appears that it is the same with Ipsos.
@pegleg2000 wrote:

Yellow shops were the worst one in dealing with editors when Maritz had them. It appears that it is the same with Ipsos.

I find that the Blue editing is far worse.
@Rousseau wrote:

@pegleg2000 wrote:

Yellow shops were the worst one in dealing with editors when Maritz had them. It appears that it is the same with Ipsos.

I find that the Blue editing is far worse.

I am doing all of Ipsos Gas shops and I am finding the editors will return the report for any reason. The late one was the wanted the pumps put in order before I could return the report ( 1 2 3 5 6 4 )
@bmttinman wrote:

@Rousseau wrote:

@pegleg2000 wrote:

Yellow shops were the worst one in dealing with editors when Maritz had them. It appears that it is the same with Ipsos.

I find that the Blue editing is far worse.

I am doing all of Ipsos Gas shops and I am finding the editors will return the report for any reason. The late one was the wanted the pumps put in order before I could return the report ( 1 2 3 5 6 4 )

Yes, as was pointed out on the other thread you started on this matter, pumps are always supposed to be listed in ascending numerical order.

Incidentally, it is considered good form not to start duplicative threads on the same matter.
Now How o I write this differently folk,
These are your comments: "The staff was friendly and fast. There was a large selection of products to purchase. Their staff was cleaning windows as I stepped into the store."
You said all positive things about the station and yet you rated 5's for Return, recommend, and satisfaction. These do not match. If your experience was as positive as the comments suggest, the ratings should be 10, 9, or even 8. A 5 ratings says there was something you did not like about the station, which should then be noted in the comments for Rec_explain. Please make sure you are rating each station fairly.

This is what I had written original

The staff was friendly and fast. There is a large selection of products to purchase. There was three-vehicle parked at the pumps. preventing
proper pump photos.
Why did you rate it a 5?

Yes, I know, the ratings seem so arbitrary. One might think a 5 is just a normal, average station. What the editor seems to be saying, I think, is that unless there was something specific that turned you off, a "normal" rating would be 8-10. Personally I stay in the 8-10 range unless there was some major failing, like no gas, tons of trash, or plain rudeness. I don't get any pushback. If I do go below a 9, I usually put something negative in the rating comments. "There were no hot food options." "I had to wait a long time in line because only one register was open." "Most of the pumps were out of order and I had to wait in line to fuel." "Many shelves were bare and the selection was limited." "No restroom was available."
What parts of the country are the yellow gas shops being posted in? There are none yet in the Pacific Northwest or in other areas where I've looked (other than the measurement jobs at newly converted or remodeled stations). I've been wondering what's going on...
Don't hate me, bmittin, but I think both of your examples in the OP are legitimate send backs on the editors behalf.

The narrative does say, "before you revealed yourself as a mystery shopper", therefore I don't consider things like expired POP, whether certain photos were tough to get, or if the clerk who was fine during the shop became annoying after the reveal. I report as an average customer, though I will say something like, "though my pump was fine, I could see other pumps nearby were dirty," etc. If the station hits on the basics, I give a 9 or 10. A couple minor things not related to customer service, a 7 or 8. Customer service issues? Big deduction. Using phone while I am the register? Oh boy Mr/Mrs clerk, you're gonna regret that!

Migrants: Haven't seen them in the northeast, either. Now maybe... they're holding both of our regions for March because they think (but we know better) we will have better winter weather then?
I can tell you my experiences with the yellow gas stations. The few that have been returned to me have been for a good reason, and I have done my best to fix them. These are mostly faults because I can't see the thumbnail pics very well when I load them, so occasionally I mix up gas pumps. I have learned that my tablet cuts off a significant portion of the tops of the pics in the thumbnails, so I have to take the pics of the pumps so that they are centered closer to the bottom of the pic. And last week I had some issues with the rain and some fog creating fuzzy pictures..

When I do the mystery shop portion; if someone says hi to me, checks me out, offers me the receipt without me having to ask, and the store is at least reasonably clean, I give them a 9 (10 is perfect, and no station is perfect). If I have to ask for my receipt, or I'm not greeted, or if i'm inconvenienced in almost anyway my rating goes down to 7 or 8. If the shop is gross, and the customer service is lack luster or down right rude, my rating goes down severely.. 4 or 5. I've only ever given out less than that one time, and it was VERY well deserved.

And my comments on my ratings say exactly that. If they were rude, if the shop was a mess or so dirty you don't want to touch the stuff that's for sale, that is what I write in the narrative. If I had to make an effort to get what I need for my shop, that is in my report. If they hit all the markers, I say that I was greeted, got great customer service and was offered my receipt without asking. You have to give them credit for doing their job the way they are supposed to.

5 is not a good or average rating, 5 would be BAD service, or a store that is almost too disgusting to walk into. Or the forecourt is full of trash and drug dealers (I've been to this station, and I won't go back.. lol)

Migrants: We've had yellow stations in AL since early January, the stations for TN posted near the end of January, and are just now starting to get little bonus' I haven't looked at GA, because google GPS doesn't work well in most of GA and I hate having to backtrack to find my way forward. I don't go to MS, or FL, but my son will.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/15/2022 07:33AM by Morledzep.
Great post Morledzep. I agree with the 5 rating, Any store getting that rating is either on its way to shutting down or is in an area without competition, in my opinion. Personally, though, I don't care if they offer me a receipt and actually get annoyed by it a little in real life.
The order of the pumps never used to be a problem, and , in fact, IPSOS asked for the pump number that one was evaluating as the first question for each pump section....I also received the message asking for the pumps to be evaluated in order.....so WHY not specify that in the instructions?
One stock construction I use in many reports, for different MSCs and different clients: "Although the staff was friendly and efficient, they did not exceed expectations." Or "...did nothing extraordinary." On occasion, I'll write, "I expect staff which is friendly, efficient, and highly professional when I visit XYZ. The staff met my exceptions, but did nothing extraordinary."

Seldom do I score someone as extraordinary. I did once write, "In the middle of my purchase, the cashier abruptly left the register, in what might have been a panicked rush if not for the calmness with which the cashier reacted to the situation. The cashier continued to perform CPR on the customer who had taken ill until paramedics arrived. After the emergency was resolved, the cashier returned to the register - only then returning my credit card - and calmly apologized for the delay. The cashier's calmness was extraordinary."
All of you are being so helpful and extremely generous with your time in responding and providing details based on your prior learned experiences. You deserve a golden ticket. It sounds like IPSOS should provide better training materials that are thorough and easy to understand. BTW, what is that Golden Ticket that's included in the printing requirements? I've never attempted these shops because of all the problems that the experienced shoppers have been having. I see they start at 12.50 and now have a $4.50 bonus, plus $10 reimbursement. Seems like there's a steep learning curve but experience makes them easier and profitable? Are they sending lucrative private offers to experienced shoppers after weeding out newbies, etc...? Did someone accept the shop/audit in N.Cali on Donner Pass, Soda Springs, et al, at the aforementioned rate??? OP, are you working on a pre negotiated route, strategizing your location for $200 bonuses on way out yonder locations?

Kudos to any and all who are making a profit on these shop/audits that require 25 or more pictures and all the back and forth with the editors, and on and on. I wouldnt be able to do it. The pic requirement alone would take me an hour.
I am traveling, on non-shopping business, to a small town that is listed on the board at $17+$10. I thought perhaps I could pick up a station to offset my driving expenses, but after reading what was involved, a double shop of mystery and audit with at least 25 pics, I decided to pass on the work.
Bob, If it is a small, especially remote, town it likely won't be taken until the bonus is increased.
I am a "seasoned" shopper. I did one last month for $118. Some pumps were not numbered. I mean, truly, they did not have numbers anywhere; not above, not on, not beside....not on a sticker, not on a loop, no where. I took photos anyway, but the report was not accepted because the pump numbers were not in order. My explanation fell on deaf ears: You CANNOT get a photo of something that doesn't exist. I took 8 or 10 photos of each pump that had no number, to prove I searched thoroughly. No matter, the pump numbers "were not in order". Nothing I could do. They paid the next shopper $225 to do the same station. I do not know how that shopper managed to complete the report.
If the restroom is dirty and/or I have to walk in to get a gas receipt and/or I have to wait for a receipt and/or there is a sign on the door requiring a mask to walk in but the employees are maskless, I don't rate the station as more than a 5.


quote=mystery2me]
Why did you rate it a 5?

Yes, I know, the ratings seem so arbitrary. One might think a 5 is just a normal, average station. What the editor seems to be saying, I think, is that unless there was something specific that turned you off, a "normal" rating would be 8-10. Personally I stay in the 8-10 range unless there was some major failing, like no gas, tons of trash, or plain rudeness. I don't get any pushback. If I do go below a 9, I usually put something negative in the rating comments. "There were no hot food options." "I had to wait a long time in line because only one register was open." "Most of the pumps were out of order and I had to wait in line to fuel." "Many shelves were bare and the selection was limited." "No restroom was available."[/quote]
Depending on the auditor, the comments/feedback can be confusing. One time in the same shop I was told (1) this is not a white glove audit, infractions were marked off that should not be, and (2) be sure to mark off all infractions. No examples provided so I could wrap my head around the contradictory statements.
This was my first email this morning,"Comments: RETURN FOR CLARIFICATION: Thank you for partnering with Ipsos! Your report is being returned to you for additional clarification. Please review and make the corrections below within 24 hours. All updates should take place directly in Sassie." Absolutely no indication of why it was being sent back at all.

This was the second time it was sent back to me, "Comments: RETURN FOR CLARIFICATION: Thank you for partnering with Ipsos! Your report is being returned to you for additional clarification. Please review and make the corrections below within 24 hours. All updates should take place directly in Sassie.

Your thumb is covering up your product purchase. I need to see that it is not tobacco, alcohol, lottery tickets etc.
I need to see what it says. Please submit a photo that doesn't include your thumb."

I typically hold the receipt on the back of my wallet with my thumb when I take the pictures. And she doesn't actually need to know what I bought, in fact, it's none of her business. She needs to know if it's not alcohol, lottery (no receipt for lottery tickets because the ticket is the receipt), or tobacco.

I looked at the picture, you can clearly see that one of the lines (I bought dinner) says "tenders" and you can easily see that the second line says something similar because the last 3 letters show. (6 spicy tenders, and 1 mild, because it was all the chicken they had remaining at nearly 9 pm).

This is the second time this editor has made a fuss over seeing my thumb. I'm a @#$%&, I think she's gonna see a lot more of it now. I think i have very nice looking hands for someone who repaired cars for 30 years, and even for someone who hasn't.. lol
here's one for the books.. returned because the editor can't read time?

"Comments: -Incomplete. Please clarify the convenience store hours of operation in QStoreHours. Thanks."

05:00 - 00:00 - 7 days.

Does this need to be clarified? And why?
I have never heard of 00:00 myself. Had to Google it. Apparently it is part of the 24-hour clock, or military time. It refers to the beginning of the day, or midnight, and is traditionally used as the frist number in a time range. When midnight is the second number in a time range, it is more commonly written as 24:00. But, still, it seems petty to kick back the report for this as it is technically correct. If they want us to do it a certain way, they should tell us.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/22/2022 11:38AM by mystery2me.
You're not wrong! Because the in/out time requires a choice of AM/PM, I assume they would want the same format in the store hours. And I use that but ... I am not accustomed to using military time anyway so never even considered it. Again, if they need to be that picky, they should offer no other option.

There is another MSC for which you can use an app on their "attribute" audits and you have to choose store hours for each day of the week by a radio button in AM/PM.

Too bad these reports are not on Mobi!
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