Thx....after all these years it works.

Irene, fyi, they told me you have to do 8 or so restaurant shops before they'll consider you for a hotel stay.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/29/2014 04:30PM by Bayberry.

I wasn't aware of that, although I am seeing hotels listed, and have only done one shop fro them.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 05/25/2014 10:29PM by Irene_L.A..

SteveSoCal Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Dollar for dollar, the phone shops are much more
> exhausting than restaurants, IMHO.
>
> I don't know if there is any secret other than
> knowing the reporting style well and choosing
> locations where it's worth putting in the work.
>
> I happy to spend a few hours on a report if I net
> a $200+ dinner. If it was a lunch with a $45
> reimbursement, I would burn out rather fast.
>
> I does appear to me that over the years, more and
> more work has been required of these particular
> assignments. With some of the recent added
> limitations, I'm with Irene that there are other
> companies requiring less work for a better return.
> They may not have the quality of the clients that
> Coyle has, however


Where are these Coyle shops located if they are paying that? Geez, I am happy to get reimbursed $45 for a pizza place!

SteveSoCal.....I felt on my 1st. job I got paid more than other companies for a breakfast/brunch (30.00) pay + 65.00 reimbursement...usually, as in
A Closer Look, no fee. They were more helpful than any others, and I applied for a couple lunches to continue getting the hang of it. Hoping my bubble doesn't burst.

Irene, I see the hotels, too. It was when I applied for a hotel that they sent me a very nice email saying that hotels are reserved for shoppers who have completed 8 to 10 highly rated restaurant shops. I have top scores with them, so that wasn't an issue. But who knows, it can be totally different by location depending on how many shoppers they have there.

It's different depending on location. I was given a hotel shop with only three restaurant shops under my belt. Granted, I took a hotel shop that nobody else seemed to want.

BooG690
Posts:24

It's different depending on location. I was given a hotel shop with only three restaurant shops under my belt. Granted, I took a hotel shop that nobody else seemed to want.



What did you think of your hotel shop?

It's an upcoming hotel shop. I will definitely keep the thread updated though.

SteveSoCal Wrote:
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> Now...the $20 properties don't make any sense
> given my argument above. Once you take away the
> appeal of the 5-star visit, you need to start
> compensating the evaluators better, IMHO.

It seems they pushed the deadlines for the hotels back into June. The pay is still $20. Odd.

I always visit the ladies' room twice. Once while at the bar, right before I request the check. And once at the end of the meal, after the check is settled. My guest visits the men's room, then when he returns, I visit the ladies' room. Then we leave.

SteveSoCal,
Full reimbursement? I shopped an expensive restaurant where all entrees were over $32. We went over the reimbursement amount of $165 by as much as $100. Coyle only paid $165. That is not full reimbursement.

We generally do not go over budget at a Coyle shop. They're pretty generous. ON our first job at a buffet, the reimbursement did not cover everything. The buffet price was the price. we got one beer and one glass of wine. we went over, but I pointed out to them what the price of two buffets were, one beer and one glass of wine. Plus tax and tip. The next time we got the job, the amount was increased.

I mean if the buffet was $32, times two, that's $64. Even if you get no beverages, you need to add in tax and tip. Budget was $85, so with two beverages, of course you're going to go over.

I always check out the online menu and start pre-planning the meal. Think if you have to get chicken or if you can splurge on swordfish. Can you get the lobster mac and cheese or potatoes. I can't see how with a reumbursement of $165 you would go over by $100. Unless you get a 25 year old whisky.......

ShopperFun99 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------

> Full reimbursement? I shopped an expensive
> restaurant where all entrees were over $32. We
> went over the reimbursement amount of $165 by as
> much as $100. Coyle only paid $165. That is not
> full reimbursement.

Well, that begs a few questions...

#1-How did your expenses break down? Two entrees at $35 each is still only around $90 with tax and tip, so that leaves you $75 for app, dessert and drinks. I think there are usually options in the $15 range for all of those things, so with getting one drink each, then splitting the app and dessert I would expect you to come in around the budget and be fully reimbursed. Were there options on the menu that would have let you come in under the reimbursement limit?

#2-Did you order within the shop guidelines and bring the budget problems to the attention of the MSC? Every single time I have been unable to make a meal fit within the reimbursement level while ordering within the guidelines, Coyle has modified the guidelines or reimbursement so I would not be out of pocket.

I'm not saying that shoppers can order anything they want and be reimbursed for it, but it seems like the guidelines were set up to allow for shoppers to order within the reimbursement levels if they choose to not be out of pocket. If I go over budget on a Coyle assignment, it's generally 100% my choice to do so?

If you are trying to save $$ on the shop, know that you can have your guest meet you at the bar and only 1 drink from the bar. You can then bring that drink to the table and have your guest order beer/wine with their meal. Most restaurants will also split salads for you if you want an affordable first course, and you can simply order a cup of coffee for the dessert service (most fine dining places will give you some kind of sweet at the end of the meal anyway). If you approach a $165 budget that way (and consider the fee you are provided as well), you can order well above the lowest priced entrees and still come in under budget at most restaurants.

SteveSoCal Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Most restaurants will
> also split salads for you if you want an
> affordable first course, and you can simply order
> a cup of coffee for the dessert service (most fine
> dining places will give you some kind of sweet at
> the end of the meal anyway). If you approach a
> $165 budget that way (and consider the fee you are
> provided as well), you can order well above the
> lowest priced entrees and still come in under
> budget at most restaurants.


Steve, if I am on a Coyle shop that requires me to order dessert, I am allowed to only order coffee?

Bayberry Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------

> Steve, if I am on a Coyle shop that requires me to
> order dessert, I am allowed to only order coffee?

Unless it specifies otherwise, coffee should be acceptable as a dessert item. It always has been in the past and I often order coffee only for dessert.

The idea is to have you check the service level for three courses...not make you go over budget or force you to eat sweets you don't need. It's not widely known so you may get some pushback from new editors. I would recommend asking in advanced about it being OK if you plan to do it.

Thank you, Steve. Another clarification, sharing a salad or getting a soup is an acceptable appetizer?

^^^yes to the above...

Again, the MSC is just looking for service timings on 3 courses for the majority of dinner evaluations. There is absolutely no attempt that I am aware of to force shoppers to purchase items outside the reimbursement limits and I have performed over 500 dining evaluations for this MSC.

Most important rule in shopping is to simply to ask the MSC if you have questions. If you don't approach them from a place of hostility or with an assumption that they are requiring too much from you, you may find that there is a really nice group of editors and schedulers out there just trying to do their job, and who are happy to work with you.

Have I ever had problems with Coyle regarding reimbursement limits, confusing instructions, last-minute changes, untrained editors and contradictory requirements? I absolutely have to all of the above...but in ever single case we have been able to work out the issues with some polite communication and I have always been paid. That says a lot as far as being a company I like to work for.

I do 4 and 5 stars hotel shops for other msc besides Coyle. Salad or soup are allowable substitute for appetizers.

Steve, thanks for your comments. It's because of you that we know the questions we can even think about asking. I think I might also have learned from you about asking for 24 hours for fine dining shops where the MSC has a 12 hour deadline. That has made all the difference in the world. Thanks again.

SteveSoCal,
We are allowed to order only coffee for dessert? Temperature is no problem, but how do you describe Presentation, Portion Size, Value, and Taste ??? The reason they want us to order dessert is for us to describe those criteria, I thought.

Was your coffee cup well-filled, but not over-filled? Was it presented neatly on the saucer, or was it over-full, and sloshed over onto the saucer? Taste: Weak? Burnt? Just right? Did they provide a spoon, choice of sweeteners, cream, milk? Was it worth the price you paid for it from that establishment?

Most FD establishments I've shopped have presented the coffee with a biscotti or shortbread on the saucer. Some pair it with dark chocolate.

ShopperFun99 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> SteveSoCal,
> We are allowed to order only coffee for dessert?
> Temperature is no problem, but how do you describe
> Presentation, Portion Size, Value, and Taste ???
> The reason they want us to order dessert is for us
> to describe those criteria, I thought.

Coffee presentation can vary greatly. I had coffee for dessert on my shop the other day. It was a large serving size in an oversized cup that was attractively presented on a decorative saucer with a variety of sweeteners. It had excellent flavor and tasted freshly brewed. It was a good value (compared to the overpriced desserts on the menu) and exceeded my expectations. OK…I would not put the bit about the overpriced dessert in my narrative, but I think you get the idea.

Let me clear up another myth about fine dining evaluations; Shoppers are not hired to be food critics! Sometimes, they get a bit carried away and forget that the focus of the job is customer service. The criteria that Coyle requests for the food service is based primarily on things that the kitchen staff have some control over. The idea in offering presentation is so that if your flaming pineapple torte has been extinguished by the time it reaches the table, or your tower of chocolate has toppled, or some coffee has simply spilled from the side onto the saucer, the client will know that the presentation was less than perfect. Portion size, value and taste are there to note problems as well, and coffee can have problems will all three of them, so it functions fine as a dessert requirement. In a fine dining establishment, I'm guessing the pastry chef already feels pretty good about their creations. They don't need a mystery shopper to tell them it was delicious. When was the last time you a $20 dessert that was not delicious?

Now, if everyone were to take my advice and start ordering coffee, that allowance may just go away (have you ever wondering why eggs Benedict is not allowed?…it's because almost everyone orders it if they can!). For now, it's a good way to stay under the limits when you get to the end of the meal and are concerned about the check.

Now, did you ask the MSC what was required for the dessert order, ShopperFun99?…or did you order the tower of chocolate?

Seriously though, you haven't named the client, so let's see your breakdown of how you ended up $100 over on a meal slated to come in at $165. I'll give you mine to get the ball rolling:

Bar-Tanqueray & tonic = $15 (with tip)
Glass of Riesling (at table) = $16
App-Crudo Tasting = $19
Entree 1-Sea Bass = $39
Entree 2-Mediteranian Branzino = $31
Dessert-Cafe Latte = $8.00
Tax = $10.17
Tip = $21
-----------
Total = $159.17

As I expected, the server brought over a plate of petit fours with the overpriced latte, so we pretty much ended up with dessert anyway. There were also much cheaper appetizers, but we settled a tasting of 4 different apps to share, and it was a great meal. Reimbursement at this particular location was actually higher than $165, but I drove to this one so I limited my drinking, and was fortunate because there was a sobriety checkpoint on the way home! Stick to one drink each and it may save you a lot more than $15 someday...

Bayberry Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Steve, thanks for your comments.

Bayberry, it's nice to know that my input helps

I would like to see someone from Coyle confirm that coffee can be considered dessert

Why don't you email the support address and ask? Those who can confirm the dessert status of coffee are probably not going to post here just because you don't believe it...

ShopperFun99,

You still haven't posted a breakdown of how you ended up so far over budget. I gave an example above of a fine dining restaurant where most entrees were in the $30-40 range and still came well within your stated budget range. How did your meal end being $100 more than mine?

Not sure about ShopperFun's situations... But there was a time where you could order two appetizers and two desserts. So perhaps that could have done it? With two appetizers, two desserts and an expensive wine, that could go over the budget.

There still are some locations where you can order two of everything and be under budget, and I can totally see how someone could run up at $265 tab at a fine dining establishment, but it's our job as independent businesspeople to asses the potential cost of the meal and balance that against the allotted budget, then find a way to work within it if we don't want to be out of pocket for dining evaluations.

I supplied an example of how that could be done. My prices are taken from a restaurant where the reimbursement is pretty far over $165 as well, so I imagine that a bill of $265 where $165 is allowed would have include 2 drinks at the bar, 2 appetizers, 2 expensive entrees, 2 glasses of expensive wine at the table, 2 desserts and possibly more. When I say the company offers full reimbursement, I don't mean that shoppers can order anything they want and be reimbursed. I mean that the MSC makes it possible for the shopper to enjoy a nice mean and still be fully reimbursed, and going over budget is a choice the shopper makes.

ShopperFun has been blasting Coyle for months on this thread, and claims to have been shorted by as much as $100 on a dinner assignment. If they are going to make a claim like that, I think it's only fair that they offer up a breakdown of the check so we can see what the problem may be. I'm guessing it lies in over-ordering.

Coyle shops are extremely detailed and can be time consuming. However, it has allowed me to visit hotels, resorts and upscale fine dining restaurants I would normally not be able to afford on a regular basis. The hardest part is figuring out how to organize yourself enough to make the writing of the shop easy. Of course we all have our own 'system' and need to adjust individually. What has made the Coyle writing easy for me is to just write all reports regardless of the MSC I am working for to the Coyle standard. Once you get that down everything goes fast. Yes, timing for everything is crucial, even the restroom visit. Remember we are not shopping the every day we are shopping extraordinary. Coyle is worth working for in my opinion.