The Mystery Shopping Thread - X

lisainglasgow

KaramelRose wrote: »

You'll probably find it's for National Insurance contributions which you have to pay if you're Self Employed (it's a few quid a week, can't remember the exact amount). If you don't think you'll earn over the threshold (think it's about £5500) then you can apply for a "Small Earning Exemption Certificate" - you can print one of the website.

Just send it off and they won't pester you anymore and you should be able to apply for a refund. I recently sent one of these forms off and haven't heard back yet... but I didn't pay the bill and haven't had any nasty reminders so presume it's all okay.

If it is for NI contributions - that's what you ought to do!

http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/forms/cf10.pdf

Thats the form to fill out and send off in the post!

Thankyou thankyou thankyou!

The only thing is - by the time they get the form I will be past the date - plus - they are saying I owe money in arrears but the last conversation I had with them was several years ago when they said I owed them nothing. So do I pay the arrears?

I was going to go to the PO today and pay the money just to get it over and done with. Now I don't know if I should - I don't want to get in trouble!

KaramelRose

lisainglasgow wrote: »

Thankyou thankyou thankyou!

The only thing is - by the time they get the form I will be past the date - plus - they are saying I owe money in arrears but the last conversation I had with them was several years ago when they said I owed them nothing. So do I pay the arrears?

I was going to go to the PO today and pay the money just to get it over and done with. Now I don't know if I should - I don't want to get in trouble!

I'm sure I've seen someone say on here that no matter when you give them the exemption certificate - it wipes the slate clean. It doesn't matter if they receive it after the due date you won't owe anything.

lisainglasgow

KaramelRose wrote: »

I'm sure I've seen someone say on here that no matter when you give them the exemption certificate - it wipes the slate clean. It doesn't matter if they receive it after the due date you won't owe anything.

Thanks - I'm going to send the form off today!

Thanks again, it is very much appreciated. :T:A

xfive71

Hello, can anyone help me please? I have a supermarket audit for they-who-shall-not-be-named. It would be my first assignment with them and my first ever full-scale audit. Any tips would be appreciated

KaramelRose

xfive71 wrote: »

Hello, can anyone help me please? I have a supermarket audit for they-who-shall-not-be-named. It would be my first assignment with them and my first ever full-scale audit. Any tips would be appreciated

If it's covert - try the new covert form they've sent out and just concentrate on small sections at a time.

If it's not a covert one and you have to introduce yourself - put your audit sheets on a clipboard (makes it SO much easier to do!) and be prepared for customers to ask you where things are! Just explain you don't actually work for the supermarket but point in the direction they need if you know it.

You have to remember to find the items in the order they appear on your audit form and remember to text the company on arrival!

With the new inputting system, it might be easier if you just mark the Yes's on your sheet so you can easily see where you've got to tick the boxes when submitting your results.

Make sure you understand the 10% pack size rule and if you want, make a note of what 10% either side of your pack size will be beforehand for each item if you really want (although I've never done this).

Also, log in to the results site and have a play around with your "Fake" store so you can get the hang on it!

Good luck and have fun!

xfive71

Thanks for that. I was thinking of scrawling the list down so it won't look too obvious. Knowing my luck, I probably couldn't read my writing afterwards. The tips are excellent.

mysterious_girl

I dont know if any of you will recall my post a few weeks ago but I did a store visit for Grassroots and they got a pretty bad report from me as the girl at the till swore and then messed up my transaction.

Well you wont believe this!

I went in the store again today - unrelated to Msing and low and behold its the same girl on the till. When she messed up my receipt this time, guess what she did? Used the same 4 letter word! I didn't know where to look.

Obviously they've not had a staff meeting yet or else she would have been told that she can't swear in front of the customers. Her attitude was not friendly, rather lazy and I felt like I was taking up her time. Maybe she's the boss' daughter?

I couldn't believe it!:eek:

Lil_Me_2

Oh dear! Fortunately I haven't had anything too bad, although a staff member once told me how she wished the customers would stop walking through the door! What a way to make you feel like an inconvenience.

squidgeum

look_after_the_pennies wrote: »

One thing I know I don't like about them is their constant phoning asking me to do an "urgent" assignment. The thing is, the majority of their assignments have to be done during the week and I work then. I keep telling them this but I don't think it registers. Wish they could stick a note on their system!

Same here....I got 3 calls in 1 day from 3 different people, but about the same job :eek:. And they all quoted different travel extras. :rolleyes:

scubaangel

Lil_Me wrote: »

Oh dear! Fortunately I haven't had anything too bad, although a staff member once told me how she wished the customers would stop walking through the door! What a way to make you feel like an inconvenience.

Have to admit I've said that in jest to most of my regular customers, luckily they all know me and the shop well enough to realise thats my way of saying I'm gagging for a brew so mostly go to make me and the other staff one. Would never say it to anyone who wasnt a regular (by regular I mean in twice a week and people I socialise with outside of work.).