MYSTERY SHOPPING THREAD 19 - please don't mention client names or fees on here!!

Becles

misssarahleigh wrote: »

Morning all, missed me?

Yes! Pleased things are looking more positive for you. Hope you enjoy your holiday xx

Nothing really exciting happened, and we are all on tenterhooks waiting to see what Gap will say about a lost thermometer

xxvickixx

Becles wrote: »

Yes! Pleased things are looking more positive for you. Hope you enjoy your holiday xx

Nothing really exciting happened, and we are all on tenterhooks waiting to see what Gap will say about a lost thermometer

Lol, thankfully someone has offered me a spare so I don't have to tell them! :T

jen_br

proshopper wrote: »

But in general retail, why will companies pay for video MS when they can glean all they need from written reports in conjuction with CCTV that has audio pick-up?

Video MS-ers are apparently getting huge fees (according to you, jen). Companies who can get the same stuff from their own equipment will not be willing to pay over the odds, surely?

Well huge in comparison to RO, IMO companies will pay for VMS because of the interaction and you can't see a lot of detail on CCTV face to face interaction because of the camera angles.

I thought the same as you but a lot of national firms use VMS. I don't think its a competition there is a time and a place for VMS and RO MS.

From experience and talking to some of the MS companies a lot of them have been in trouble with their clients as MSers are "fudging" reports thanks to things like Google maps - sad but true.

I hope both VMS and RO MSers can survive as technology moves forward.

MSRyan

Hey,
Abit off topic here but, Ive done a few jobs for ESA and they say 'Ok to pay' in the pay history section, Do I need to invoice them or do they pay automatically, if so when?

Cheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeers

DevilsAdvocate1

jen_br wrote: »

From experience and talking to some of the MS companies a lot of them have been in trouble with their clients as MSers are "fudging" reports thanks to things like Google maps - sad but true.
.

Its this that put me off for a long time (along with the cost of the camera). I've not done many VMS yet, but there is so much more to remember. Today, I had to give a name, address, email and phone number that were not mine. I was given them because they are monitored - so it had to be right. This along with remembering the questions I had to ask. I was so pleased that I gave the postcode correctly and then forgot the house number - Argggg. There is no hiding from this.

Also, if you have to ask 3 silly questions, you have to ask them. There is no hiding from this.

I shudder to think what sort of questions ESA or Retaileyes would have you ask. :eek::eek::eek::eek::eek:

MSRyan

devilsadvocate1 wrote: »

i shudder to think what sort of questions esa or retaileyes would have you ask. :eek::eek::eek::eek::eek:

are my eggs cracked?

StacFace

Personally I wouldn't like to do video, and not just because you can't mess up or skip the dodgy-sounding questions because I don't do this sort of thing on report-only. If the staff realise I am the MSer because I've been given a dodgy question to ask then it's the client's fault that the results are not accurate, I don't feel it's up to me to alter the job criteria. Although if I can see a way to ask it that achieves the same results and doesn't sound as obvious (e.g. for the egg shops someone mentioned asking for a product they no longer sell, then saying "What am I going to have for tea now?", although I would then say "Can you suggest anything?" or similar if they didn't respond as it's not really asking them for a suggestion otherwise).

The reasons I wouldn't do video are that firstly there is no guaranteed income increase after purchasing the equipment, which is the same reason I won't take any certifications. Secondly if the equipment fails I don't get paid, whereas on a standard job I can still go ahead if my phone dies, I just have to jot things down as soon as I get out on paper, or possibly in changing rooms or toilets if these are involved. For timings I'd just have to use my watch and remember times until I could get out of staff's view to jot them down quickly. I couldn't take the risk of travelling and not being guaranteed to get the petrol reimbursed. Therefore I'd only do local video shops or ones as part of a report only roundtrip, making it even longer before I see profit, so just not worth it.

mysteryshoppingninja

MSRyan wrote: »

are my eggs cracked?

ESA: "Please can you tell me what I can make for tea that involves 144 eggs?"

If RE poached (:rotfl:) the client it would be: "Please describe the hen that laid each egg in the box I have purchased including height, feather colour, feather style, distinguishing features and whether the hen wore glasses or not? Oh and please be sure to state that the hen did not wear glasses if none were worn as I am not to assume this"

MSRyan

mysteryshoppingninja wrote: »

ESA: "Please can you tell me what I can make for tea that involves 144 eggs?"

If RE poached (:rotfl:) the client it would be: "Please describe the hen that laid each egg in the box I have purchased including height, feather colour, feather style, distinguishing features and whether the hen wore glasses or not? Oh and please be sure to state that the hen did not wear glasses if none were worn as I am not to assume this"

I like the meaningful use of the word poached there
:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

everypennyhelps

MSRyan wrote: »

Hey,
Abit off topic here but, Ive done a few jobs for ESA and they say 'Ok to pay' in the pay history section, Do I need to invoice them or do they pay automatically, if so when?

Cheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeers

Its automatic, they will be making invoices on the first of each month now (recently changed from the 20th!) so you can see what you will be getting, anything thats OK to pay will be automatically sent on the 10th of the month. This month most will have 2 invoices though because of the new tax year! HTH