The Mystery Shopping thread - part 5

Scaredy_Cat_3

fabsaver wrote: »

Can anyone still see the pub jobs on RE? I have searched loads of areas in the North but I am just seeing chemist and airport jobs. I don't have any pub jobs lined up so either they have all gone or I've been banned from them:rolleyes:

I don't know whereabouts in the north you are, but as of 9.30am this morning I can see pub jobs on RE in Middlesbrough, Peterlee, Redcar, Richmond, Darlington, Bishop Auckland, Durham, Stockton, Hartlepool.

This may be out of your area, the 'north' covers a lot of territory!

Interestingly, I see AA consider Huddersfield and Leeds to be north east! It's especially interesting since the emails I have received from them indicate they are based just up the road from me in Birtley, so they should know what's north and what's north east.

Scaredy_Cat_3

Becles wrote: »

I've been a proof reader for MS company before. You'd be amazed at the rubbish that gets submitted as a report.

Reports full of spelling mistakes, no capital letters or punctuation, poor sentence construction or writing things in note form or text speak. There were often contradictions too - like saying in the till section, I wasn't greeted at the till, then writing in the summary "I approached the till and Hollypear said hi."

Often the form you type on screen is sent direct to the client so it needs to look professional. If there are bad comments on a report, a manager will really pick at it to find a reason to make it invalid so they don't suffer. If they find inconsistancies such as the example above, they will reject the report and it will have been wasted and you may not get paid.

I know it seems like a chore filling it all in, but if that is what the client requires, then that is what you have to do. All the work is optional, so if people find it's not for them, they don't have to do it. There's a few companies I don't work for as I don't like their reporting etc.

That's interesting to know. I can imagine it's a really frustrating job - I've sometimes typed up documents for my husband and find he writes sentences that make no sense at all and I struggle to work out what he meant!

I'm curious, though, about why companies accept reports like these? All the ones I've done reports for seem to put great emphasis on things like punctuation and grammar etc., warning time and time again that you have to write in a certain way - so are you saying companies will still take people who put in poor reports, or have the guidelines tightened up since you left that type of work?

On a separate note I am annoyed to see the number of times I've slipped up and put i instead of I because the print was so bloomin' small I couldn't read it and didn't notice the mistake until I got the email copy of my report back! Gets me mad because I am usually so careful but I think these days my fingers are not quite in tune with my brain and I must have released the caps key a split second before I hit the I. I usually catch the error on my read-through but a couple have slipped through and it makes me feel awful!

Scaredy_Cat_3

Does anyone have any experience of a MS company called Headcount? I tried to register with them but they wanted me to post them my actual passport and ID stuff. I wasn't happy to do this with a company which is (to me) no more than a page on the internet, so I emailed and asked if they would accept a copy. That was about a month ago and they've only just replied saying they must have the originals.

I understand that if you go for a proper job now you have to take a passport - I've had to hand over my passport at a few job interviews recently, but I thought as MSers we're self-employed. Just wonder what the rest of you think and if anyone does work for them.

fabsaver

Scaredy_Cat wrote: »

I don't know whereabouts in the north you are, but as of 9.30am this morning I can see pub jobs on RE in Middlesbrough, Peterlee, Redcar, Richmond, Darlington, Bishop Auckland, Durham, Stockton, Hartlepool.

This may be out of your area, the 'north' covers a lot of territory!

Interestingly, I see AA consider Huddersfield and Leeds to be north east! It's especially interesting since the emails I have received from them indicate they are based just up the road from me in Birtley, so they should know what's north and what's north east.

Thanks Scaredy Cat. Those jobs you can see are in my area but I can't see any of them From the locations I know exactly which type they are and I have done a couple of those in the last few weeks but have none pending at the moment so it is very strange. I did think it surprising that they had all gone when they only pay for one person and are therefore unpopular (if I do them I always order side dishes up to the spending limit and get the maximum amount of food possible that way;) ).

I can only see one other type of pub which is drinks only and no fee:mad: so I'm certainly not doing that one.

Perhaps my banned theory is right:mad: I'm not sure how to contact them and ask what they are playing at without letting them know how I know they are missing

ThinkingOfLinking

paulherts wrote: »

RE - 17 questions just to accept an assignement.

" Are you really really really sure you understand what is required?"

Treating people like Muppets.

Woah, which assignment is that for?

ThinkingOfLinking

Fabsaver, try playing the innocent...ring them.

"Oh, hi there, I really enjoyed my last pub visit. Are there any more planned soon? " You could add something like, "I don't usually have the time or money to treat myself but if there were any pub assignments coming up in my area, I was planning to take my friend along so wanted to plan ahead as she has childcare issues." Or you could even just say, "Hiya, my friend is also a mystery shopper with *company name, I assume RE in this case&, and she is able to see lots of pub jobs, but when I sign into my account I can't; I was just wondering what's wrong?" HTH

Scaredy_Cat_3

fabsaver wrote: »

Thanks Scaredy Cat. Those jobs you can see are in my area but I can't see any of them From the locations I know exactly which type they are and I have done a couple of those in the last few weeks but have none pending at the moment so it is very strange. I did think it surprising that they had all gone when they only pay for one person and are therefore unpopular (if I do them I always order side dishes up to the spending limit and get the maximum amount of food possible that way;) ).

I can only see one other type of pub which is drinks only and no fee:mad: so I'm certainly not doing that one.

Perhaps my banned theory is right:mad: I'm not sure how to contact them and ask what they are playing at without letting them know how I know they are missing

Couldn't you just email and innocently ask if they are expecting to have any work in your area because you really enjoyed doing those pub jobs etc etc etc and you've been checking the site but can't see any work. Maybe worth it to see what they say.

Thepopster

quick question..ive signed up to retail eyes and ive found 2 assignments..

but.. it says assignment fee £5.. and spend up to £5.. and u have to buy 2 things.. so im not exactly making money am i?

anyone enlighten me on the situation?

Vickisaver

I thought that it meant you get £5 as your fee, and they will reimburse you up to £5 as well, but I may be wrong, very new at this!

ThinkingOfLinking

Depends what 2 things you have to buy...and while you don't always exactly make money, you get a free meal. Like I love going for pub meals but cannot afford it; When RE offers me the chance, I jump at it. Or I buy more posh sandwiches than I usually can afford. I like it, and you don't have to take a job if you don't want it.