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

Wizzbang

Larac wrote: »

I have just done a Viewsbank MS shop on purchasing home insurance. Not seen much mention on this board about them so thought I would share my experience...
You end up doing 6 calls to previously selected insurance companies and go through getting quotes which match your quote from your own insurance provider. Each call takes about 15 minutes and then about 10 minutes of filling in tick box type survey questions. Pay rate per call works out around 60% per call more than GFK calls, although you are on the phone longer. Its worth registering with them when your household or motor insurance is up for renewal as they always seem to doing these type of calls.

I also did this, it was easy money and I used the quotes obtained to get over £100 discount on my renewal. So I was quids in! I get picked every time my home or car insurance is due for renewal, get paid for something you're going to do anyway!

Larac

Wizzbang wrote: »

I also did this, it was easy money and I used the quotes obtained to get over £100 discount on my renewal. So I was quids in! I get picked every time my home or car insurance is due for renewal, get paid for something you're going to do anyway!

That good to know - agree its easy money. There seem to be lots of telephone MS work around at the moment for some reason. Good infill and you don't need to leave the house...

MysteryMe

I've not done any car pricing visits and nothing I've read on this thread is making me want to apply! Them and several of the mobile phone gigs are purgatory.

mrbanjo

Started getting phonecalls about car visits, won't even entertain the idea of haggling with them

Big_Graeme

mrbanjo wrote: »

Started getting phonecalls about car visits, won't even entertain the idea of haggling with them

I've even had one offer to give me priority on some "good visits" coming up.

bethem

mysterious_girl wrote: »

I am now doing car circuits for a different company where two visits to the same dealership are involved. To be honest, I'm finding it difficult to even get through the first visit. Both dealerships wouldn't entertain negotiations unless a test drive was booked and taken. Even getting the list price plus extras was like pulling hens teeth.

My brief says not to take a test drive but sound interested in it and find out when I can have one. This is where the problem lies. I have to return to these dealerships next week and ask for a discount. Brilliant. They're going to bang on about the test drive again before they'll negotiate. I don't know what to do. I can tell you what I felt like doing to the salesmen but I would have been arrested.:mad:

Has anyone else come across this, and if so, how do you overcome it?

I've also just done this circuit, I got as many of the required prices as I could (not many!) and annotated the report accordingly to explain what happened. So far neither of the 2 I've already submitted at the weekend have come back, so fingers crossed this is acceptable, because what else could I do? The dealers flat out refused to give me a price!

To get around the test drive, when I returned the second time the initial reaction was the same as before - no negotiations or even proper discussions about price until after. I told them I had since driven my brother in laws brand new car of the same model (convenient ey) and didn't need one, they all seemed to buy this and crack on with negotiation!

Hope this helps

mysterious_girl

bethem wrote: »

I've also just done this circuit, I got as many of the required prices as I could (not many!) and annotated the report accordingly to explain what happened. So far neither of the 2 I've already submitted at the weekend have come back, so fingers crossed this is acceptable, because what else could I do? The dealers flat out refused to give me a price!

To get around the test drive, when I returned the second time the initial reaction was the same as before - no negotiations or even proper discussions about price until after. I told them I had since driven my brother in laws brand new car of the same model (convenient ey) and didn't need one, they all seemed to buy this and crack on with negotiation!

Hope this helps

I emailed the company last night explaining why I wasn't continuing with the visits. I haven't heard anything back yet. I didn't want to run the risk of not getting paid even when doing 2 visits. No more cars for me.

whitelabel

well I wanted to say that I was actually having a good week for a change, not too many visits but all nicely paid, the sun shining, an early start but done but done by 12 pm.

popped in to the shop to get some food, went out to my car only for it not to start... 1hr 20 mins wait for breakdown (i wasnt a priority caller due to location and not having kids or pets in the car apparently), a temp fix (smacked it with a hammer... really !) , a drive to my garage under the instructions of dont stop the engine till I get it to a garage or it may not start again) and £280 lighter and i have a new fuel pump and relay fitted but a working car again.. so no my week isnt going great either (well maybe it was till this afternoon !) - i blame the jinx of reading this thread and thinking all was well !)

just as well its not friday 13th or anything... oh wait ;(

Nebulous2

I've been mystery shopping for about 8 months now and I'm becoming slightly more selective about what I do and do not take on.

My job has been pretty full on lately, with a degree of unpaid overtime, and it feels as though mystery shopping has taken a back seat. I've just counted it all up though and the last fortnight I've hit target and it has been okay, despite feeling I haven't done enough.

bethem

mysterious_girl wrote: »

I emailed the company last night explaining why I wasn't continuing with the visits. I haven't heard anything back yet. I didn't want to run the risk of not getting paid even when doing 2 visits. No more cars for me.

I wont be doing any more either. Fee seems reasonable at first especially with £5 bonus per dealer, but after seeing just how long each visit takes plus entering results, its not worth the time or hassle!