I have just been informed that I will not be paid for an assignment I completed for this company becuse the target employee was not there. I was given the date and time range to go by the scheduler. BEWARE!! ALL IS NOT AS IT APPEARS TO BE!!!!

Was it suggested at any time in the instructions, emails etc. that you call ahead to verify that the target employee was there? If it was, and you did not, you don't have a leg to stand on. If it was not, you went during the date and time range suggested, and you are getting $0 for your time and effort, then that is clearly unacceptable.

But you point to the real danger of ANY target shop and shoppers need to be very cautious about a target shop. I personally just won't accept them, period. I refuse to spin my wheels for nothing.

I have another issue with aboutface. I accepted an assignment because of a bonus. However, the shop invoice on their site only shows the base amount. The scheduler said, I will be paid bonus. They keep their bonus stuff separate. Any clue?

Did the scheduler tell you in writing? I had difficulty with my last shop for AboutFAce. After I accepted the shop, the paperwork was changed to reflect lower fee information. It was not very much money, but I never accepted another shop with them.

About face processes their bonuses separate from their fees. I don't think it's a good system but at least we have been given consistent info.

From your post on the Job Board, it appears that you were assigned to shop a particular employee and you learned when you arrived that the employee was not there, but you chose to go ahead with the shop because you did not want to blow your cover. Better to blow your cover than continue with a shop knowing that your assigned target is not there, because, regardless of which MSP you are shopping, when you are assigned a target shopping someone else usually means you will not get paid. When you are assigned a target, shopping that target employee is part of the requirements of the shop. I would have left. There are a lot of ways to walk away and most times the employees will not notice or care. One that I have used is getting a cell phone call from a teenager and needing to leave immediately .....oh, golly gee, the kid needs me, I'll just have to come back and finish this later,

Very well put Flash, and i agree.

It is so important that we take what we are doing seriously also. Follow the directions. If it says to oder a Big Mac and you get a fish mac-whatever and fries.... sorry, no gum ball.

It sounds as if the person went by and did not ask for the target person, or was not fully informed. If you loose a ten dollar shop and spent your time and gas...just be careful and do a great job following the directions. We need to be fully aware and fully informed before we shop. Our time is so very important. Now that I am in my 50's I actually politely scoot people out of my way if they try to waste it.

Don

Don




Flash Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Was it suggested at any time in the instructions,
> emails etc. that you call ahead to verify that the
> target employee was there? If it was, and you did
> not, you don't have a leg to stand on. If it was
> not, you went during the date and time range
> suggested, and you are getting $0 for your time
> and effort, then that is clearly unacceptable.
>
> But you point to the real danger of ANY target
> shop and shoppers need to be very cautious about a
> target shop. I personally just won't accept them,
> period. I refuse to spin my wheels for nothing.

Don't get me wrong. I have no idea what the shop instructions suggested since I avoid target shops like the plague. The ones I have read through have required a pre-visit phone call to make sure the target was there. I don't know that I have ever read an AboutFace target shop so I have no way of knowing if this was suggested or not. So it may well be that the OP did EXACTLY what they were supposed to do and it failed. Shops like that may be convenient for the MSP, but they will have shoppers screaming foul on forums.

AboutFace has never stiffed me. I haven't done shops on their Prophet site in a long while, as I don't see any here. Their Shopmetrics site has shops that I periodically take. Payment is PayPal. Fee/bonus, is delineated separately from reimbursement when payment occurs. Heather Stokes from AboutFace has posted on this forum, and is a shopper's first point of contact with any payment concerns.

About face tried to stiff me once, we worked it out, maybe they don't with a new shopper, having a good track record always helps...first time doing a job for any MSC, follow directions, don't give them a reason to find fault because they will. I perfer Prophet site, have never seen a bonus here, but I do believe they are seperate and you will get it. Heather is fair.

I am doing a target (new home) hopefully today. I'll call and see if she's working and go up since it's in my town. I do not find them as difficult as some, just depends, one never knows before you try. I don't find that many of them, new homes and at times cosmetics, if their not working (cosmetics) and should be, I believe the client wants to know that as well.

About Face does NOT stiff anyone. I have found them to be fair and understanding. Heather is very responsive to any pay problems. Liz is super in her help to Shoppers.
They had a rough spot a while back with cash flow. They took the time to contact each shopper and promise to pay. They did! If you have problems simply contact them. They are always willing to assist Shoppers...

Your concern is understood. However, you were told who to shop and did not. Why would there be an issue?

Don in Las Vegas



ietkind Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I have just been informed that I will not be paid
> for an assignment I completed for this company
> becuse the target employee was not there. I was
> given the date and time range to go by the
> scheduler. BEWARE!! ALL IS NOT AS IT APPEARS TO
> BE!!!!

I do lots of target shops. I feel kind of like a bounty hunter

Most MSPs make allowances for things that a shopper cannot control. Usually, the target must be reached by phone prior to the visit. Usually, an appointment is made with the target. However, if the shopper shows at the appointed time, and the target is not available, the shopper is 'handed off' to another agent and completes the onsite. This is then explained in the report, assuming the guidelines so stated.

Some MSPs will provide the target's schedule, and do not require a pre-call or appointment. The shopper shows up during the time that the target is supposed to be working. If the target is there, then proceed with the onsite. If the target is not there, leave, and report it. In that instance, there's a no-show or closed location fee paid the shopper.

Careful reading and understanding the guidelines is a must.

Doing a target shop (at least, trying too) today for another MSC, however, phone # given is another development, same street...so, obviously, target not there, and don't have correct #. Just emailed them, but being Sunday, don't know what will happen. Real problem is, this is MSC's fault giving wrong #, and since I have no land line, don't want to spend $1.50 to call 411over and over...have time to wait awhile, or will just go up there and take my chances, they say she is supposed to work Sunday. Just got this job emailed to me yesterday, does that really leave alot of time. I now feel like a tracking device or detective of sorts....will find target if it kills me!!

The lowest price targeted shops that I do pay $50. The high end tops $100 for targeted videos for some clients. At those rates, I can make a couple of calls. And, at those rates, the schedulers often help with catching the target.

Video pays more than msing, we all know that, so not comparable. Just got email answered and was told to hold off till they straighten out phone #...whew!!

When I started doing shopping 5 years ago, they stiffed me for 2 new home shops ($100 in 2006). The instructions were very poorly designed and the schedulers could not answer the questions I asked. I did 4 shops in one day. I was paid for 2 and then told I didn't follow the correct scenario for the other two. I told them I had followed same scenario for all 4 shops and so either all or none. They wouldn't budge. I had made suggestions on how to fix instructions. They told me I did things wrong. I found next week they changed their instructions to exactly what I had suggested, which removed the ambiguity. I never did any other work for them after that. I would never recommend anyone to do work for them. On the plus, they did pay that $3 good report bonus on the reports they did accept from me. The only company to stiff me in 5 years and I have done a lot of shops.

I personally won't do any more shops for About Face because of the experience I had. It was with a pet shop for vaccinations. I brought my dog, waited for 1/2 hour in line, filled out all of the paperwork correctly and when it was my turn for the vaccinations, because my dog had had a previous reaction from his last years' vaccination, the associate told me that they would not vaccinate him. I understand the concern, but I had followed all of the appropriate steps in observing and noting my observations and names and filled out my report properly, but About Face told me that they wouldn't pay me because the dog didn't get vaccinated. There was nothing in any of their paperwork to indicate that I wouldn't get paid if the company refused to vaccinate and there was also no mention in the company forms that I filled out in the store that indicated that a pet couldn't be vaccinated if the animal had had any previous problems. I appealed to a supervisor but still I lost about an hour of my time as well as the $30 I was to be paid.

I remember doing their Kiosk, took an hour and I did forget to pick up a small item, after counting heads, so no receipt. I did get a brochure from the Kiosk, so, they knew I was there. I did not get paid, this was a long time ago. They are sticklers and do not work with you as much as others MSC's I work for. They are o.k., about a 7 on the rating scale.

Just received an email (3+ weeks after my job), asking for more info.
The Buyer was on her Ipad for about 20 minutes during my visit. They want to know exactly what she was doing, details (really, she didn't tell me) plus other clarifacation that I gave in the report. How does one answser that!
Then I get an email while I'm answering that one, to do the exact same shop at the same location......from a scheduling Co. o.k., msing at it best....

Irene_L.A. Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Just received an email (3+ weeks after my job),
> asking for more info.
> The Buyer was on her Ipad for about 20 minutes
> during my visit. They want to know exactly what
> she was doing, details (really, she didn't tell
> me) plus other clarifacation that I gave in the
> report. How does one answser that!

Two words: Angry Birds :-)

I performed one of those kiosk shops over two months ago. The employees were not handing out flyers or interacting with the customers. So that is what I put in my report. The other day, I received an email from the scheduler stating the company returned the report because they want more details. However, I did provide the details of exactly what the employees were doing at the kiosk. Thank goodness I was already paid for this shop, so I immediately transferred all my funds from paypal because I was afraid that AboutFace would try to reverse the money in my account.

Taking so long to complete the report (on their end) just delays pay, and gives them an out not to pay. I have done 1/2 dz. of these, and most have wanted more info., I'm thinking this client wants a good report. I have had about half done well by the Buyers, and half careless in handing out flyers, etc. I just write what I see, and am pretty detailed. The problem is there's or the clients, if I don't get paid, I'm pissed. I think I've done my last Kisok for them. The one before this was very tiny, and in the picure of it, you could hardly see it, but could see the name on the cart. I got a response saying nothing was there, oh yes, the cart was there, it is in the picure.....oy vey!

carolynsmystery Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I performed one of those kiosk shops over two
> months ago. The employees were not handing out
> flyers or interacting with the customers. So that
> is what I put in my report. The other day, I
> received an email from the scheduler stating the
> company returned the report because they want more
> details. However, I did provide the details of
> exactly what the employees were doing at the
> kiosk. Thank goodness I was already paid for this
> shop, so I immediately transferred all my funds
> from paypal because I was afraid that AboutFace
> would try to reverse the money in my account.

I know this is a little off topic for the thread but I haven't done a shop with aboutface for a while. I am having trouble with their website.

I cannot ever find jobs on it. I'll get a message stating a job is in my area and in the 5 seconds it takes me to get there there is no jobs - ever!

They can't be filling that fast - especially for a bookstore shop at a not so good jr. college. There is something wrong. I've played with my profile and changes the distance area and still nothing. I click on the link that says 1242 jobs available and still none show up.

They rarely have jobs I'm interested in anyway but I'm just wondering if anyone else has had this problem with them.

No problem with the web-site, after hitting the 1242 jobs, then go and hit the link above in red...that will bring up jobs in your area, be sure your zip and amount of miles you are willing to go are in there.

kalfini: Yes, I always have problems like this with MSCs that use PROPHET (including About Face)! After I click on "Open Opportunities" (ALL listings), I adjust the filter settings by removing my ZIP and distance and adding my state only. Then I click "Update Filter," and I can see all postings for my state. It's not one-click convenient, but it's the only way I can see many listings for some reason.

kalfini Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I know this is a little off topic for the thread
> but I haven't done a shop with aboutface for a
> while. I am having trouble with their website.
>
> I cannot ever find jobs on it. I'll get a message
> stating a job is in my area and in the 5 seconds
> it takes me to get there there is no jobs - ever!
>
> They can't be filling that fast - especially for a
> bookstore shop at a not so good jr. college. There
> is something wrong. I've played with my profile
> and changes the distance area and still nothing. I
> click on the link that says 1242 jobs available
> and still none show up.
>
> They rarely have jobs I'm interested in anyway but
> I'm just wondering if anyone else has had this
> problem with them.

AF uses both ShopMetrics and Prophet. As kalfini posted that she saw 1242 available jobs, I assume she's talking about their ShopMetrics side.

Shops I am talking about are all done in shopmetrics...haven't seen prophet anymore. My emails from them lead me to shopmetrics, I prefer prophet.

I am using the shop metrics. I have tried the change state thing and hitting update filter. I still have no jobs found. If I hit the Open opportunities link I only get one job for GA. Which might be understandable except for the fact that I live in MD.

I just got three more opportunities emailed to me and none appear on my site. I guess I will have to take Aboutface off my list.

Hmmm. I start out by clicking on the Open Opportunities link to the left. That returns shops that are in my defined mileage radius.

If all else fails, contact them for assistance. Something may be off.