The Mystery Shopping thread - part 6

josie

me_and wrote: »

http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/manuals/bimmanual/BIM47702.htm gives it as 20p per mile, as I think someone already stated. There's more info at http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/manuals/bimmanual/BIM47701.htm.

2002 since they last updated it - wonder what price petrol was then!! Knew it hadn't gone up for a while, but that's ridiculous!

fabsaver

Timmne wrote: »

I think I told everyone about my experience a long while back - but the last job I did for RE was a hotel/restaurant where we were supposed to buy a main meal and a drink each (a cappuccino too IIRC). I had heard of this place so thought we'd give it a go. I put a polo shirt and some smart jeans on, my wife wore a vest top and jeans type deal.

We got there and we had obviously judged it incorrectly - the place was exceptionally expensive, to the point that to even afford one meal and drink, we'd have used the whole reimbursement about 1.5 times over! We were thoroughly underdressed (imagine a country house type place with chinos aplenty!) and being served our meals under kloshes (sp?) was excrutiating. We ended up spending about £70 quid and left feeling awful.

Good old RE though, after hours of email & phone negotiating, gave me an extra £10 :rolleyes:

I told them that not only should they have warned about the reimbursement not even touching the sides, but that the place was being pitched on their job board alongside (and with the same briefs etc) other pub type restaurants in the county.

Still makes me angry to this day!

I had a very similar experience recently. The place was billed as a standard down to earth pub with the same reimbursement and fee but when I got there I discovered that this wouldn't even cover one main course! I would have ended up £30 out of pocket if I had stayed so I made my excuses and left. I was annoyed because I incurred petrol costs to get there and then had to go hungry:mad:

I didn't rate my chances of getting any extra out of RE. Even an extra £10 wouldn't have been worth it. I wish they would forewarn us.

Even though your experience was a while ago obviously nothing has changed:rolleyes: I did tell them but I wouldn't be surprised if they just put it straight back on the job board for some other unsuspecting shopper to pick up.

I do always try and check places out online first but sometimes the information just isn't there.

fabsaver

Flickering_Ember wrote: »

I am an experienced MS'er; been doing it for almost 4 years now, and have literally MS'ed all over the country, along my travels; Scotland, London, Manchester, Chester, Liverpool, Brighton, you get the picture...

BUt I still don't get precisely why RE makes us choose specific meals on some assignments.

Is it because the pub or restaurant had a lot of complaints about these meals? RE is getting worse with certain clients; it used to be you could choose one of 3 or 4 meals plus EITHER a wine or a lager, sometimes choose a Pepsi too. Now it's you must have this brand of drink and THIS is the only meal you can order. Why?

I agree that it is pointless and I won't do these ones either. It's also very unfair on vegetarians.

What gets me is the latest scenario seems to penalise us if the member of staff doesn't do their job properly You have to order meal A and meal B then the staff member is supposed to advise you to order 2 of A instead which is much cheaper. So if they do then you spend much less and can stay within the spending allowance. If they don't then you end up spending more than the allowance out of your own pocket. Crazy

mtem74

they say you never forget some things, first love, first kiss...

but what was your first MS job

mine was to a 'so near so..' Shop. Wasn't the greatest in the world and I spent ages parked outside (out of sight) going over and over the brief to make sure I knew what I was doing.. More because I was so nervous.

pebblespop

my first job was telling a chemist my partner had the !!!!!! for two whole weeks!!

i was really embarrased!!

ThinkingOfLinking

fabsaver wrote: »

I agree that it is pointless and I won't do these ones either. It's also very unfair on vegetarians.

What gets me is the latest scenario seems to penalise us if the member of staff doesn't do their job properly You have to order meal A and meal B then the staff member is supposed to advise you to order 2 of A instead which is much cheaper. So if they do then you spend much less and can stay within the spending allowance. If they don't then you end up spending more than the allowance out of your own pocket. Crazy

I hate the thing they're meant to upsell you to in terms of meals, and am not so keen on the main part of that particular meal. The Italian-inspired one is passable but not so good for veggies, as you say.

I've also tried the non-wine drink before and I'd need a hell of a fee as compensation for having to drink that nastiness again. The wine is ok; I wouldn't mind that.

But as others have said, and as I was thinking, it'll stick out like a sore thumb who the MS'er is as soon as they order. I worked in retail before and our manager briefed us when we were going to be MS'ed, eg "OK, gang, we have someone coming today between 10 and 5, remember to mention X promotion, and offer them the chance to enter the prize draw etc etc" so I wouldn't be surprised if they do the same at these establishments.

It was like when Bare used to send us to that clothing chain and we had to object to the prices and ask for a discount; I felt like the biggest idiot ever. Especially when it was like:

ME: "Ooh, nice T shirt, but £30 is a bit pricey. Can I have a discount?"
S/A: "No"
ME: "Ok, I'll buy it anyway."

:rolleyes: :rotfl:

Timmne

mtem74 wrote: »

but what was your first MS job

Mine was a camera shop for GAP, where I had to give a reason why I wanted an SLR or something - an expensive camera. I told the guy we were going on honeymoon to Africa and potentially Hong Kong (at that point we weren't sure but the general outline of my scenario was true!).

He was shocked to the core that we would consider a) buying from that store as you could buy what I wanted cheaper online or b) in Hong Kong!

I almost had to tell the guy I was going to buy a camera whatever he told me as he just refused to suggest something to me :eek: :rotfl: :rotfl:

I thought MSing would all be that fun, sadly I was mistaken

Loolabell_2

Flickering_Ember wrote: »

I hate the thing they're meant to upsell you to in terms of meals, and am not so keen on the main part of that particular meal. The Italian-inspired one is passable but not so good for veggies, as you say.

I've also tried the non-wine drink before and I'd need a hell of a fee as compensation for having to drink that nastiness again. The wine is ok; I wouldn't mind that.

But as others have said, and as I was thinking, it'll stick out like a sore thumb who the MS'er is as soon as they order. I worked in retail before and our manager briefed us when we were going to be MS'ed, eg "OK, gang, we have someone coming today between 10 and 5, remember to mention X promotion, and offer them the chance to enter the prize draw etc etc" so I wouldn't be surprised if they do the same at these establishments.

It was like when Bare used to send us to that clothing chain and we had to object to the prices and ask for a discount; I felt like the biggest idiot ever. Especially when it was like:

ME: "Ooh, nice T shirt, but £30 is a bit pricey. Can I have a discount?"
S/A: "No"
ME: "Ok, I'll buy it anyway."

:rolleyes: :rotfl:

:rotfl: :rotfl: So funny!!! :rotfl: :rotfl:

princess_leia_3

My first job was a pub restaurant where one of our meals had to be the huge mixed grill type special :eek: which we had agreed dh would eat but when they day came he had huge toothache and so I had to order that and being 7 months pregnant I guess it helped the reality that such a small girl could eat such a huge dinner :rotfl:

Becles

fabsaver wrote: »

I agree that it is pointless and I won't do these ones either. It's also very unfair on vegetarians.

LOL - I think the jobs are run for the benefit of the establishment not the shoppers! If you read the notes on this one, you have to order the Italian dish to make sure it is presented in a certain way.

It's to do with brand image and making sure every customer gets the same experience. I've done other restaurants where you have to order specific dishes and and you get a food spec showing what ingredients you should have and the way it should be presented. Some are so specific - "your salad garnish must contain 4 pieces of pepper and 2 cherry tomatoes" or "the bread must be arranged like this and have 2 pats of butter with it".

I've just had to turn down an Italian restaurant as this time you had to order a seafood based dish, and both husband and me hate seafood!