Mystery Shopping Thread 25 *PLEASE READ THE OP FIRST**PLEASE NO CLIENT NAMES OR FEES

Big_Graeme

mrbanjo wrote: »

The brief means nothing. They were more than happy for me to complete 5 last Sunday. BG you come over as over arogant sometimes.

And calling a company that is putting work your way muppets isn't?

skivenov

hayley11 wrote: »

I just wondered, when doing a visit, say it's a dining visit, would you ever make notes on your phone or in a note pad whilst eating, discreetly of course or is this a big no-no?

Pen and paper, no, but I'll quite often "send a text"

Big_Graeme

hayley11 wrote: »

I just wondered, when doing a visit, say it's a dining visit, would you ever make notes on your phone or in a note pad whilst eating, discreetly of course or is this a big no-no?

As others have said, a smartphone comes in handy, I use Evernote https://www.evernote.com to sync between the phone and my PC/Laptop. The number of food bloggers around you'll not stand out too much.

JohnnyG

enevel wrote: »

TNS phones: the brief says they finish on Saturday; the date coding suggests it's Sunday; and the email I've received this afternoon says Monday. I'd ask them which of the three it was, but I'll not get a response until Tuesday. Muppets.

Well I've got 3 visits booked for Tuesday, with the allocator's approval, so I hope it's not Saturday

mrbanjo

Big_Graeme wrote: »

And calling a company that is putting work your way muppets isn't?

I didn't. But TNS have made a real hash of this round of shops.

JohnnyG

hayley11 wrote: »

I just wondered, when doing a visit, say it's a dining visit, would you ever make notes on your phone or in a note pad whilst eating, discreetly of course or is this a big no-no?

Smart phones are the way ahead. Sending a 'text', whilst you're eating, appears to be the norm with just about everyone these days. So, taking notes, via a text, would not look out of the ordinary at all.

skintsocks

I use my phone to make a few notes, and for one company, I take a picture of the food as they seem to insist on knowing exactly what was on the plates and how it looked (so this serves as my aide memoire). Just make sure there isn't a camera directly above your table, and don't have the screen visible when staff attend you. If you can't remember things for long, the toilet is your friend, as you can go in there and make a few notes. Don't do what a shopper near my home did a few weeks back and use voice recording though; you either sound insane, or there could be a member of staff in the next cubicle. Doh.

superliss

skintsocks wrote: »

I use my phone to make a few notes, and for one company, I take a picture of the food as they seem to insist on knowing exactly what was on the plates and how it looked (so this serves as my aide memoire). Just make sure there isn't a camera directly above your table, and don't have the screen visible when staff attend you. If you can't remember things for long, the toilet is your friend, as you can go in there and make a few notes. Don't do what a shopper near my home did a few weeks back and use voice recording though; you either sound insane, or there could be a member of staff in the next cubicle. Doh.

Another one is to turn the brightness of your phone down as staff walk around especially when out for a meal it's easy to read your screen!

If needing timings, particularly splits, try 'any course lite' (iphone only I think) you can use your volume buttons to lap and stop. Works great for Gap burgers and chicken.

Maybe others on here may give better advice but a smartphone is a worthy investment for MSing accessing emails, making notes, checking and accessing jobs etc. A realistic expense for taxes IMHO

Tolteca87

Having Facebook, Twitter or the Kindle App on the phone is also handy. You can leave the phone face-up and the staff just think you're reading your book, FBing or Tweeting rather than noting how tall they are or their glasses status.

Piemaster

superliss wrote: »

Maybe others on here may give better advice but a smartphone is a worthy investment for MSing accessing emails, making notes, checking and accessing jobs etc. A realistic expense for taxes IMHO

No way HMRC would allow that, ever.