The Mystery Shopping thread - IX

angel13

jdan9 wrote: »

I was going to call myself, I don't think I'll bother since the rest of you aren't having much luck. Will wait for reply to my email...

Im waiting for replies to my emails too. I have two stations that I wanted to do today that I can now do two weeks time, another 2 at a different station that I want to allocate to next thursday (was able to allocate some parts of the questionaire) and then a pub that I found either later that I could have done this evening but now want to do next Saturday. Fingers crossed I am able to get them all changed as very annoying otherwise, especially as I could have covered a lot of them today.

I have also decided to risk my local station this time around (last time all 3 jobs were cancelled and taken off of me as were wrong and I lost 6 points :mad:). I know at this station I have to buy a cheap one way ticket to get to the platforms but Ive got three jobs so with the little extra from the extra questionnaire for each I can still make a bit of profit and its really near my house. I really hope they dont take them all off of me again though :rolleyes:

angel13

tbw wrote: »

Sorry folks, at the risk of being shouted at I reckon its wrong to grab everything in sight on the basis that FFF gets the jobs - and then release them some time later when you've got around to sorting out your workload & timetable etc. Check the feasibility of doing the job before you commit yourself and, if its not clear, then don't book it!

I'm fed up with various companies phoning me at short notice to do jobs that they have been let down on - usually without any valid reason given so presumably just a case of 'well I took it to stop anyone else grabbing it but its not really practical for me to do it'. If you aren't sure you can do it - barring acts of god etc - then leave it for somebody else. This 'grab it all before someone else ' is selfish 0- and it won't endear you to the companies when you keep letting them down!

i agree with some of this. I checked the jobs and for some the allocated date on them was already out of date (extra questionnaire in with each one was not) so they are jobs I can do on dates available when I am in those particular towns. I have a large spreadsheet showing me what I should earn each day so if its in red becuase of a cancellation or long drive I try to bulk jobs up if something comes along on the same day. I also have a busy calendar I use alongside this so I can check if I can do dates further on. I only release jobs if theres a problem at home or we are ill or if a job turns out to not be what I was expecting and I will make a large loss. I have had lots of jobs taken off of me recently by RE especially as they are all booked but booked out wrong which always leaves me in a bad situation as I can either do the other jobs I have arranged for the same date with other companies and then make a loss becuase of the fuel needed and parking which then has to be divided between less job s overall or I have to cancel at short notice because I cannot justify making such a large loss. I had to cancel a recent job with GR unfortunately as I had it booked and was not going to earn me much becuase its a long way from me but as you know you dont get to see the briefing notes until nearer the date, it was a supermarket where I had to rate and buy fish and as I am veggie (I cook meat on occasions for people but Ive never bought or cooked fresh fish) I really would not know if something was decent enough to eat or not. Annoying as I didnt want to cancel at short notice.

tbw

angel13 wrote: »

i agree with some of this. I checked the jobs and for some the allocated date on them was already out of date (extra questionnaire in with each one was not) so they are jobs I can do on dates available when I am in those particular towns. I have a large spreadsheet showing me what I should earn each day so if its in red becuase of a cancellation or long drive I try to bulk jobs up if something comes along on the same day. I also have a busy calendar I use alongside this so I can check if I can do dates further on. I only release jobs if theres a problem at home or we are ill or if a job turns out to not be what I was expecting and I will make a large loss. I have had lots of jobs taken off of me recently by RE especially as they are all booked but booked out wrong which always leaves me in a bad situation as I can either do the other jobs I have arranged for the same date with other companies and then make a loss becuase of the fuel needed and parking which then has to be divided between less job s overall or I have to cancel at short notice because I cannot justify making such a large loss. I had to cancel a recent job with GR unfortunately as I had it booked and was not going to earn me much becuase its a long way from me but as you know you dont get to see the briefing notes until nearer the date, it was a supermarket where I had to rate and buy fish and as I am veggie (I cook meat on occasions for people but Ive never bought or cooked fresh fish) I really would not know if something was decent enough to eat or not. Annoying as I didnt want to cancel at short notice.

Angel - I'm not referring to the unavoidable cancellations that result from illness, family problems or not being given the full details early enough. Those things just can't be helped.

But I have found lately that, not only am I being offered more last minute jobs which are clearly cancellations, I am also getting emails and also phone calls from companies checking 2/3 days before the job is due that I am actually still going to do it ! When I've asked why they say that they have been let down so many times that they are now phoning ALL shoppers to remind them and check that everything is on schedule. It seems that an increasing number of people are cancelling or evn just not doing the job without informing the company concerned.

That isn't very professional and is a sure way to get blacklisted.

angel13

tbw wrote: »

Angel - I'm not referring to the unavoidable cancellations that result from illness, family problems or not being given the full details early enough. Those things just can't be helped.

But I have found lately that, not only am I being offered more last minute jobs which are clearly cancellations, I am also getting emails and also phone calls from companies checking 2/3 days before the job is due that I am actually still going to do it ! When I've asked why they say that they have been let down so many times that they are now phoning ALL shoppers to remind them and check that everything is on schedule. It seems that an increasing number of people are cancelling or evn just not doing the job without informing the company concerned.

That isn't very professional and is a sure way to get blacklisted.

I agree in that case. I have an entertainment visit for RE for monday (i have booked it for first available day but theres a week of choices) and I got through email checking I was going to do it. This must be why then as if there was a family emergency I have dates to change it too but why would I have booked a job if I did not actually think I would be doing it. Ive never had any last minute jobs with big fees as of yet so not sure how they work plus its easier for me to book further ahead to get things organised. I did do a hotel visit in june which I guess might have been a cancellation as i had one day till i had to go.

kman

tbw wrote: »

Sorry folks, at the risk of being shouted at I reckon its wrong to grab everything in sight on the basis that FFF gets the jobs - and then release them some time later when you've got around to sorting out your workload & timetable etc. Check the feasibility of doing the job before you commit yourself and, if its not clear, then don't book it!

I'm fed up with various companies phoning me at short notice to do jobs that they have been let down on - usually without any valid reason given so presumably just a case of 'well I took it to stop anyone else grabbing it but its not really practical for me to do it'. If you aren't sure you can do it - barring acts of god etc - then leave it for somebody else. This 'grab it all before someone else ' is selfish 0- and it won't endear you to the companies when you keep letting them down!

TBW - many thanks for best post on here for ages...:beer::T

jdan9

angel13 wrote: »

yes well done jdan! :Tis it part time so you can ms in the hols as well?

It's casual, so it's as and when they need somebody, and if it happens to fit in with me at that time. I've got a two week assignment starting next week that will be FT nine to five, but after those two weeks could be anything, or might have a break! And when I go back to uni, they might be able to offer me something once or twice a week on a regular basis.

I'm very pleased because my application for this has been ongoing since last May... *sigh*

josie wrote: »

I think it was more to do with the fact that you're young enough to be able to do the Think 21 jobs!

Ah, I sees.

em1979

Does anyone know if the pizza jobs on gap cover the full cost or do you end up spending over?

jdan9

em1979 wrote: »

Does anyone know if the pizza jobs on gap cover the full cost or do you end up spending over?

Over usually.

absolutelynomoney

I just took the GAP betting orientation test and for question 12 when it asks you what question you have to ask the member of staff, the options it gives you don't include what the briefing notes say exactly. So I chose the closest answer to what is in the orientation manual and it says its wrong - but the test is wrong!! I can read very well and I answered it correctly, but apparently I failed because of it.

duchy

I've noticed a few greedy and self serving posts over recent weeks too-and I don't see the point in booking jobs you probably can't do -simply out of greed or for the sake of saying "I have XX number of jobs" when knowing there is no way you can complete them all. Makes all of us look bad IMO. Also it makes it harder for anyone cancelling a job for a genuine reason.
Book a job if you can do it-not if you *might* and if you know you can't do the dates and hope the MS company is desperate enough to move the dates then leave it for someone who CAN do the job as per brief. Same goes for claiming the job isn't profitable enough-do the maths before accepting the job -or take the loss (and keep the MS company thinking you are reliable too)