The Mystery Shopping thread - IX

DebtHater

absolutelynomoney wrote: »

and Grassroots, who never seem to have anything on their books! So I don;t think those 2 have been worthwhile.

To me, GAP and GFK seem to be the best. RE looks pretty good, but I can only ever see airside jobs.

I stronly disagree! Grassroots is one of the best MS companies I've had the honour of working with. Always a good fee for the amount of time you ctually spend doing the assignment, good length of report (not too long) and always pay on time and in full
Never get any queries from them, they take the report how it is written and thats that

RE, again very good as are GFK. Only gripe with RE is their damn website doesnt work half the time!

Dont get me started on Gap. They are a good company to start MS'ing with, but I think the more experienced shoppers will agree with me - they are more trouble than they are worth!

em1979

DebtHater wrote: »

I stronly disagree! Grassroots is one of the best MS companies I've had the honour of working with. Always a good fee for the amount of time you ctually spend doing the assignment, good length of report (not too long) and always pay on time and in full
Never get any queries from them, they take the report how it is written and thats that

RE, again very good as are GFK. Only gripe with RE is their damn website doesnt work half the time!

Dont get me started on Gap. They are a good company to start MS'ing with, but I think the more experienced shoppers will agree with me - they are more trouble than they are worth!

I have to agree, I love GrassRoots, I've had loads of jobs from them so far. I have used 4 postcodes though.

DebtHater

em1979 wrote: »

I have to agree, I love GrassRoots, I've had loads of jobs from them so far. I have used 4 postcodes though.

The staff are always so helpful as well - they even offer to call me back so as not to use up my phone bill (it charges to call 0800 from my mobile while I am out on a job)

glitterjunkie

KaramelRose wrote: »

I've got a few lined up for July but nothing special - mostly rubbish fees! Have a couple of shops that I'm excited about because I like the products and I quite fancy a "free" product as it were, but other than that...

Picked up a couple of travel agents ones from GR, but I've since realised that an ex-colleague of mine may work in one of them. She used to a long time ago, but not sure she still does. I might sneakily double check with her but I'll have to let GR know won't I if she still does as I'm not meant to know anyone.

Has anyone been in this situation before?

I've got the same problem - really want to pick up a GR travel agent but I think my friend's cousin might work there, so I can't! It's a minefield sometimes, this MS'ing, especially in a small town! I've done a few jobs where I've recognised the person serving me, just as an acquaintance - e.g. a bank job where my neighbours daughter served me, and a retail store where it was a woman who comes into the shop where I work! The bank job was particularly bad, as my neighbour had obviously told her daughter all about my life, and she started asking about my wedding plans and how my mum was :eek::rotfl:I didn't even know her name, so was very freaked out that she seemed to know so much about me! I emailed the company to explain, and I got paid for both of them because it was literally just people I knew to say hi to, and I had no way of knowing they worked there. I'm sure they wouldn't accept a friend or colleague though

On an unrelated note, I had a nice experience with TNS last week too I went to do a supermarket on a Sunday, only to find out it opened later than advertised on their website - it was advertised as 10am but it didnt open til 12. I couldn't complete the job any later, as I had to go to work. I emailed them half expecting to be told off, or told I should have phoned the store to double check - but they were great about it. They let me reschedule to a Tuesday, and still paid me the mileage and shopper fee for the Sunday! It's nice to know there are some nice understanding MS companies out there

I've got a bank and a nice sandwich lined up for my lunch next week, and had petrol and a clothes shop this week so quite enjoying MS'ing at the moment! It's not madly busy in my area, but am getting one or two jobs each week which I'm happy with.
Got a day off today, so am thinking I might take my laptop into the garden and finally get round to applying for Tern, which I've been meaning to do for ages - thanks so much to the MSE'ers who gave me the links for these!

glitterjunkie

absolutelynomoney wrote: »

Its interesting that you say that - Initally I just signed up with GAP, RE and GFK, but after a week or so and having read the forums on here, I registered with TNS and BARE, as these seemed to be the most popular.

I also registered at some point with MCS who haven't emailed me any jobs yet and Grassroots, who never seem to have anything on their books! So I don;t think those 2 have been worthwhile.

To me, GAP and GFK seem to be the best. RE looks pretty good, but I can only ever see airside jobs.

Definitely persevere with GR! I didn't see anything on there for about 4 months when I first registered - it was all big fat zero's when I logged in. However one day I randomly got an email for one job near me, which I accepted and completed - since then I've done 4 other jobs for them in, and missed 4 more (which someone else took before I could get to them). I wonder if they put you on some sort of probationary thing at first, like a waiting list - as I've heard a few people say you don't hear from them for months at first, then they all start flooding in. They're good fees compared to other companies, and quite easy reports too! I also put a postcode of my local shopping centre in, which seemed to help

My favourite companies so far seem to be TNS and GR - fair fees, and interesting clients. I've done a couple for Retail Maxim too who I really like - they don't seem to have much in my area, but they're so helpful on the phone. Oh and I liked the one solitary visit I did for Aba-i too, but they have very little in my area - 1 job in the last 6 months! Wish they had more, as they pay well. I also think Gap are a pain, but I do like their nice easy 10-minute tickbox reports. Retail Eyes drive me mad with their 600000 comments - I only do jobs for them if I really want to visit the particular place. Like many other people, I had to do a pub for them to get off probationary and I remember taking 2 hours to do that report and slowly losing the will to live! It so wasn't worth it for a lukewarm pub meal and rubbish service :rotfl:

duchy

Bare drive me insane nice jobs but either you don't know til very close to the time-or they just sit on your applications list long after the expiry. I have 8 sitting there right now for this & next week. Not holding my breath for any of em

DebtHater

duchy wrote: »

Bare drive me insane nice jobs but either you don't know til very close to the time-or they just sit on your applications list long after the expiry. I have 8 sitting there right now for this & next week. Not holding my breath for any of em

Tern are the same for me.

I have 5 sitting there. And it was the same 5 sitting on the board last month that expired, no one wanting to do them. Then when someone applies for 5 all in Kent, they dont even reply

lily_the_pink

by the way the health club ones on RE are the good ones (I cant do as I already have membership :rolleyes:) - worth it if you dont have a current membership

Scaredy_Cat_3

Not much work going on in my area at the mo. Had a little electrical shop to do today, and *think* I was sussed! :eek:

Enquiry was progressing nicely, very helpful assistant, although he hadn't asked some of the required questions... but then we were rather suddenly joined by the manager, who proceeded to ask all the *right* questions and handed me his business card and everything!

I was planning to give them a good report anyway because the first assistant was really helpful but I sensed the manager was worried. I feel a bit bad for them sometimes, I mean head office do sometimes come up with some ridiculous things for their staff to say and do. I hope they still get their bonus. There were a couple of things not done quite right, does anyone know how strict they are... if indeed the bonus is dependent on our reports???

DebtHater

lily_the_pink wrote: »

by the way the health club ones on RE are the good ones (I cant do as I already have membership :rolleyes:) - worth it if you dont have a current membership

Nearest one to me is 30 miles away, and its at least 5 visits