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

Buzby

Emmyic - I've been doing these for 4 years - the brief is explicit so if selected you'll know what you need to do.

DevilsAdvocate1

mrbanjo wrote: »

Quick question, are Lodge some kind of outsourcing company? Apparently linked to React but seem to be offering TNS jobs

I thought Lodge closed down 2-3 months ago? The staff in the Darlington office were made redundant as far as I'm aware.

Implication

Had my first assignment today, have one BIG question: how on earth are you supposed to take discrete, appropriate photos of shop fronts??? There are always people walking in the way, clients want specific information in the photo, they want it a specific orientation (so it's not very easy to pretend to just be texting) etc. etc. and I just don't see how it's possible to get a good photo without hanging around for ages and/or looking suspicious!

jacquibaby

Quick q! When being asked to join the shortest queue and not express or whatever, but you find that people are doing that one queue for all tills thing, what do you do?!!

jacquibaby

Implication wrote: »

Had my first assignment today, have one BIG question: how on earth are you supposed to take discrete, appropriate photos of shop fronts??? There are always people walking in the way, clients want specific information in the photo, they want it a specific orientation (so it's not very easy to pretend to just be texting) etc. etc. and I just don't see how it's possible to get a good photo without hanging around for ages and/or looking suspicious!

I use my mobile for photos so I tend to stand across the road and "talk" into it whilst actually getting the camera ready, then quickly flip it over to take the photo!! That's the best I can think of....
And just wait until there isn't a huge van or crowd around the place. Not much else you can do really!

alluring29

Implication wrote: »

Had my first assignment today, have one BIG question: how on earth are you supposed to take discrete, appropriate photos of shop fronts??? There are always people walking in the way, clients want specific information in the photo, they want it a specific orientation (so it's not very easy to pretend to just be texting) etc. etc. and I just don't see how it's possible to get a good photo without hanging around for ages and/or looking suspicious!

I stand across the road and just flip my iPhone around and take a load of photographs very fast, one after another - there is always one that is suitable. The only time this doesn't work is, if it's in a shopping centre or for a posh shop I had to do last week that had a doorman ( he was too good at his job) - just took one a bit further away - been accepted.

alluring29

jacquibaby wrote: »

Quick q! When being asked to join the shortest queue and not express or whatever, but you find that people are doing that one queue for all tills thing, what do you do?!!

I stay in the same queue, you did what the instructions stated i.e. join the shortest queue.

alluring29

Not very happy, already submitted a receipt for an assignment I did 3 weeks ago and now they want a photograph of the product bought and the receipt again....making me feel like they don't trust me!

mimi1234

mrbanjo wrote: »

Quick question, are Lodge some kind of outsourcing company? Apparently linked to React but seem to be offering TNS jobs

Lodge closed down a few months ago. It was the sister company of React who took on most of their work. React allocated the workd, the bad thing is they don't let you do circuits whereas with Lodge, you could do a whole hospital / collection of cinemas in one run.

I had no idea they were still running and allocated TNS jobs though.

Implication wrote: »

Had my first assignment today, have one BIG question: how on earth are you supposed to take discrete, appropriate photos of shop fronts???

You will look suspicious and sometimes when people notice, they will point and laugh too. But whatevs, it doesn't bother me.

However, I refuse to take photos of shop fronts / stand fronts in a shopping mall, moreso when security guards are lurking.

Dupin

Implication wrote: »

Had my first assignment today, have one BIG question: how on earth are you supposed to take discrete, appropriate photos of shop fronts??? There are always people walking in the way, clients want specific information in the photo, they want it a specific orientation (so it's not very easy to pretend to just be texting) etc. etc. and I just don't see how it's possible to get a good photo without hanging around for ages and/or looking suspicious!

I never try to be discrete when taking a photo. I just get the camera ready on my smartphone, hold it up and snap. People are on their phones enough nowadays anyway, no one takes any notice of you.


My advice would be to stand far enough away from the shop that you start to get the neighbouring shops in the shot. If you have a good quality camera then it will be clear enough, and anyone walking in front will not block anything.


If you feel uncomfortable, don't forget that you don't have to walk out the shop, turn round and take the photo. Maybe walk around for 5 mins, then come back and take the photo as you walk by.


One time I had to take a photo of a stand in the middle of a shopping centre, I actually went up to the floor above and took a 'birds eye' view, and this was fine.


Anyway that's my views!