The Mystery Shopping thread - VII

Becles

I got the call from the MS company less than 2 hours after I left shop 4, so I hadn't even typed the reports up at that stage! The shop must have literally phoned HO as I left, who got onto the contact at the MS company and then they phoned me to ask if anything strange happened on the visits. When I said no, they explained what the client said.

I'm at a loss how the shop say I'm at fault, as I just went in as normal and asked the set question.

It's hard for the MS company as they know I'm telling the truth, but they can't upset the client as they'll just go elsewhere. Big mess!

jdan9

culchied wrote: »

I've conducted fast food jobs for several MS companies over the years. I can't recall a visit where the service was really bad or the food poor when I've actually been conducting a mystery shop. It would always be the case that I'd have a crap experience in one of these places when I wasn't MS-ing it.

Thankfully, today I was conducting an MS visit and the service was crap, the waiting times horrendous and various other aspects appalling. A detailed report has gone in to that effect. Satisfaction at last!

(Sorry - just had to share that with you all)

Why is it 'satisfying' to write up a negative report? I'd much rather report back positively as much as is possible. Staff already mostly think MSers are there to catch them out or pick on any minute mistake, which is NOT what we are about IMO.

angel13

Loolabell wrote: »

Hi, i recently called my bank about this and they dont charge, i think it depends on the bank you are with and the amount that is being deposited??? you will possibly be charged a small conversion fee though as it has to change from Euros to Stirling....

Hope this helps!!

i am new to bare and mystery shopping. i had set it up to pay into my bank account. can anyone tell me which ones will or wont charge - i had no idea there may be charges attached??? I can use either natwest or nationwide.

purt

culchied wrote: »

Is anyone else on here 'barred' from doing the burger joint assignments on Gap?

I emailed Gap about this. They told me that I'd answered one of the entry requirements wrongly and they'd reset it for me to take again. They did point out that I'd have to be careful when completing it again as they could only reset it once.

angel13

culchied wrote: »

I emailed Gap about this. They told me that I'd answered one of the entry requirements wrongly and they'd reset it for me to take again. They did point out that I'd have to be careful when completing it again as they could only reset it once.

im new to ms but i went into gap earlier. i got barred from ALL the food type places i guess becuase i put im a vegetarian. why that means id get barred from ones that i can eat in i have no idea - plus why that means id get barred from the others is also beyond me as i cam still be a customer as most companies sell something i can eat or drink plus i have family who are non veggies. i feel like if i cant even mystery shop in their stores i certainly wont be eating in any of them again! :eek:

have any other veggies had the same thing and was it possible to get this sorted out with gap so you can be offered work?

angel13

Becles wrote: »

I got the call from the MS company less than 2 hours after I left shop 4, so I hadn't even typed the reports up at that stage! The shop must have literally phoned HO as I left, who got onto the contact at the MS company and then they phoned me to ask if anything strange happened on the visits. When I said no, they explained what the client said.

I'm at a loss how the shop say I'm at fault, as I just went in as normal and asked the set question.

It's hard for the MS company as they know I'm telling the truth, but they can't upset the client as they'll just go elsewhere. Big mess!

i know im new to this but im finding it hard to understand how they knew you were definitely a mshopper in the first place and secondly just becuase you went into shop 1 why would that mean they know you are going to definitely be going into shops 2, 3 and 4? for all they know the other shops might not have been going to be assigned to anyone or someone else might have been doing them. i find all of this a bit weird and i hope nothing like that happens to me as im only starting ms for something to keep me occupied as im out of work and stuck at home for the time being.

plus how can they possibly say you are being unprofessional as they dont know what your brief was plus the point of a ms is you are being a standard customer so what does that imply they think of their customers? obviously the shops are completely unprofessional and i can understand why they need ms' s to be checking how staff serve customers if this is how the staff are behaving.

i have no idea why any member of staff would be like that as ive done all sorts of retail and bar work in the past and ms's are there to aid the company you work for and if staff have not throughly been trained it means Head office find out and you actually get the training you need. plus you can get rewarded if you do well - a family member works for a supermarket chain and they get told if theyve had an excellent report and get a tiny reimbursement for doing well.

i hope you get all of this sorted out

nads

angel13 wrote: »

i know im new to this but im finding it hard to understand how they knew you were definitely a mshopper in the first place and secondly just becuase you went into shop 1 why would that mean they know you are going to definitely be going into shops 2, 3 and 4? for all they know the other shops might not have been going to be assigned to anyone or someone else might have been doing them. i find all of this a bit weird and i hope nothing like that happens to me as im only starting ms for something to keep me occupied as im out of work and stuck at home for the time being.

plus how can they possibly say you are being unprofessional as they dont know what your brief was plus the point of a ms is you are being a standard customer so what does that imply they think of their customers? obviously the shops are completely unprofessional and i can understand why they need ms' s to be checking how staff serve customers if this is how the staff are behaving.

i have no idea why any member of staff would be like that as ive done all sorts of retail and bar work in the past and ms's are there to aid the company you work for and if staff have not throughly been trained it means Head office find out and you actually get the training you need. plus you can get rewarded if you do well - a family member works for a supermarket chain and they get told if theyve had an excellent report and get a tiny reimbursement for doing well.

i hope you get all of this sorted out

It's quite possible the same person would do it and it might just be a solidarity thing between the shops :rolleyes: Although it never happened whilst I worked at Spar, but at the time if one shop thought they had a mystery shopper visit, they would ring the other stores to let them know.

A very good point you've raised about the shop not knowing what the brief was in the first. Considering there previous visit was !!!!! and Becles visits to the other three shops were reported back as expected I'm sure even head office would be inclined to believe Becles compared to the actual shop.


Becles, any clues to the shop? PM if you wish

jdan9

angel13 wrote: »

im new to ms but i went into gap earlier. i got barred from ALL the food type places i guess becuase i put im a vegetarian. why that means id get barred from ones that i can eat in i have no idea - plus why that means id get barred from the others is also beyond me as i cam still be a customer as most companies sell something i can eat or drink plus i have family who are non veggies. i feel like if i cant even mystery shop in their stores i certainly wont be eating in any of them again! :eek:

have any other veggies had the same thing and was it possible to get this sorted out with gap so you can be offered work?

GAP are very keen on dictating exactly what you can and can't order - and I think for most of the places there is no vegetarian option in the list of 'approved' order items. It's not as straightforward as going and getting, say, a margherita pizza rather than a chicken and bacon one, GAP just won't allow it. Don't really see why, but that's how it is. I once got refused payment for a job because I accidentally ordered a pizza with the wrong base.

jediteacher

Becles wrote: »

I got the call from the MS company less than 2 hours after I left shop 4, so I hadn't even typed the reports up at that stage! The shop must have literally phoned HO as I left, who got onto the contact at the MS company and then they phoned me to ask if anything strange happened on the visits. When I said no, they explained what the client said.

I'm at a loss how the shop say I'm at fault, as I just went in as normal and asked the set question.

It's hard for the MS company as they know I'm telling the truth, but they can't upset the client as they'll just go elsewhere. Big mess!

I know I don't post that often but felt I had to lend you my support. It's disgraceful what they did. I'm glad the MS company is supporting you. In this day and age of CCTV they could check that the shop is lying and that you did your job in a professional manner.

Big hugs. :grouphug: (Sorry, I know it's a dodgy hug!)

jediteacher

I just popped onto RE and finally saw some jobs - the pub ones. However, they've all vanished suddenly - all 40 of them! I literally applied for one and then went back to see others and in the space of less than 2 minutes they had all gone. :mad:

Still cannot see the hotels!