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Marketforce: hurricane adjustment!

August 25, 2011 07:13PM
I had a shop for the blue portal scheduled for this sunday. Just got an email saying they want to halt all shops for that client until after the hurricane and instructing shoppers about rescheduling.

Credit where credit is due: this is the first time I have seen an MSC anticipate and act positively in the face of storm danger.

Based in MD, near DC
Shopping from the Carolinas to New York
Have video cam; will travel

Poor customer service? Don't get mad; get video.
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August 25, 2011 07:36PM
Several years ago when we were on the direct path for an incoming hurricane I contacted them about the possibility of rescheduling a shop for EARLIER before the storm. I knew it was outside of the selection window I had originally had. They were outstandingly nice about explaining that my scheduled date was the first possible for the shop and that if, indeed, a storm hit, it was unlikely that the location would be open and available during the window. We left it as 'do it if you can, and if you can't, don't worry about it.' The hurricane passed by offshore with nothing but a little rain, I was able to do the shop as scheduled and heard no more about it.
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August 26, 2011 12:01AM
I actually was contacted by them during a major winter storm and told to reschedule.

It was one of those great storms---- 1/2 inch of ice topped by 16 inches of snow.

At least that is one area they seem extremely reasonable about.
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August 26, 2011 03:58AM
Shelly Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I actually was contacted by them during a major
> winter storm and told to reschedule.
>
> It was one of those great storms---- 1/2 inch of
> ice topped by 16 inches of snow.
>
> At least that is one area they seem extremely
> reasonable about.

Maybe when they have advance warning (ie, winter storm or hurricane). But dang, don't cancel on them because your house literally got hit by a F3 tornado 6 hours before a scheduled shop. They don't look kindly on that one, trust me :/
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August 27, 2011 04:45PM
I have a shop for this Sunday too, but spoke with the scheduler yest. and she said that rescheduling will not be a problem. For the past two days, there have been Hurricane Irene messages on their website stating safety first.
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August 27, 2011 09:50PM
I did have difficulty with another company during the same winter storm. Even though the news was full of don't travel unless it is an emergency, they still expected me to attempt that day as they were up against the end of the window. I work about 25 miles from home and can typically get home in just about 30 minutes.

That day it took me 2 hours and 35 minutes to get home. I refused to go 10 miles in the other direction. Scheduler was quite rude and adamant that it be completed. They canceled on me and then called me two days later and offered me a bonus to complete it. Thought it was funny that they bonused for something I would have done. Oh well ---- at least that time, the MS wasted their money and not mine.
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August 28, 2011 02:14PM
I was able to go into the website and rescheduled my visit for today to tomorrow, so I am happy. Storm should be out of here by then. I won't have to call the scheduler although she said that she would be in until 3pm today if I had any problems.
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August 28, 2011 05:49PM
I see Market Force notices quite often in the winter advising that shopper safety is more important than completing the shop.

They appreciate when I tell them “it can't be done” BEFORE THE SHOP IS DUE rather than after the fact. They never cancel the shop, they just move the time slot to another day.

I do surprise them and tell them I may perform shops if the location is open. I call the location first and ask how long do they think the location would be open today. When I walk into the shop the crew must be thinking, “he must be a mystery shopper. “

I love driving in the snow. It is fun. No use having winter if you don't have snow to drive in. Winter without snow is cold and yucky!
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September 21, 2011 05:58PM
I heard that the workers at MF were even working from their home computers so they wouldn't have to get out and possibly get stranded in flooded waters.

I got a message like that for LaborDay weekend. I was told not to try to do this merch assign during the weekend (Thurs-Mon) since they would be very busy with customers. I thought that was nice of them not to bother the store managers during the busy time.
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