Mystery shopping thread 26 *please read the op first**please no client names or fees

ISWMLE

Alaska_Keen-Vivo wrote: »

Well surprise-surprise, I had a horrible experience at the burger place, so I had to give a poor rating and guess what, Gapbuster decided to refuse payment for it, because I entered the location less than 15 mins before the deadline.
Well that is interesting, because earlier the same week I entered one location at 18:56 and the other at 18:58 and those assignments have not been rejected, I wonder why.
Obviously complaining to them directly have not achieved anything, so I would like some advice on how I can take this matter further? I have written to MSPA just now, who else can I contact and what would happen if I were to go to the client directly and tell them how negative reports get hidden from them?

I would appreciate any advice, thank you very much in advance.

I would bust their balls. This kind of caper needs stamping out.

I would write to them a formal 'Letter Before Action' (call it that in the title, and send a hard copy of the same dated and signed letter on your own letterhead).

At the top print 'Without Prejudice'. Then put the title and in the body of the letter tell them that if payment is not made, you fully intend to pursue the matter through the small claims court unless they can show firm evidence that they have a strong enough legal argument for a defence to lawfully justify the withholding of your payment. If they do have such proof, they must produce it to you within 7 days, clearly showing that your work was substandard and in accordance with the Terms of your Engagement and that 'on a balance of probabilities' (use that expression to make your request), that the courts would most likely view your claim as 'without sufficient merit to succeed' (use that expression too).

I expect that they will reconsider their position and cough up if they are pulling a fast one. Nothing like a bit of legal jargon to get the pulse rushing. It shows that you have done your research and mean business.

But remember, keep the letter factual, firm and polite and keep it concise and use the correct jargon I have used above. Keep a copy dated and signed. Do not, no matter how tempting it is to do so, threaten the recipient or use any kind emotive language in the letter, or exaggerate or waffle. Address it to the Legal Department, c/o The Manager [so named].

One cautionary note: don't expect to work for them again. But would you want to?

MysteryMe

I was always under the impression that evaluations had to be completed within the time frame. So in effect 18:45 being the latest entry time

Tolteca87

Same here. Sending a letter might make them take a closer look at your times in and out for the other two and you might be out for three gyp burgers and not one. Your choice.

Alaska_Keen-Vivo

ISWMLE wrote: »

I would bust their balls. This kind of caper needs stamping out.

I would write to them a formal 'Letter Before Action' (call it that in the title, and send a hard copy of the same dated and signed letter on your own letterhead).

At the top print 'Without Prejudice'. Then put the title and in the body of the letter tell them that if payment is not made, you fully intend to pursue the matter through the small claims court unless they can show firm evidence that they have a strong enough legal argument for a defence to lawfully justify the withholding of your payment. If they do have such proof, they must produce it to you within 7 days, clearly showing that your work was substandard and in accordance with the Terms of your Engagement and that 'on a balance of probabilities' (use that expression to make your request), that the courts would most likely view your claim as 'without sufficient merit to succeed' (use that expression too).

I expect that they will reconsider their position and cough up if they are pulling a fast one. Nothing like a bit of legal jargon to get the pulse rushing. It shows that you have done your research and mean business.

But remember, keep the letter factual, firm and polite and keep it concise and use the correct jargon I have used above. Keep a copy dated and signed. Do not, no matter how tempting it is to do so, threaten the recipient or use any kind emotive language in the letter, or exaggerate or waffle. Address it to the Legal Department, c/o The Manager [so named].

One cautionary note: don't expect to work for them again. But would you want to?

You're so right, they are the only company that refuses to accept any kind of negative feedback, absolutely ridiculous. I am going to see what MSPA say and then follow your advice if they don't help.

I guess not working for them would be good for my health too. Eating burgers six times a month can't be very good for it

Alaska_Keen-Vivo

Well the instructions only state that you have to spend 15 mins in the location to assess the cleanness, but nowhere do they say that those 15 mins need to be within the time frame.

There were many instances when I entered the restaurant at 18:59 and still got paid, so they are only doing this now because the report was negative.

And I did mention the other two visits in my complaint, but they have not been removed.

Larac

Alaska_Keen-Vivo wrote: »

You're so right, they are the only company that refuses to accept any kind of negative feedback, absolutely ridiculous. I am going to see what MSPA say and then follow your advice if they don't help.

I guess not working for them would be good for my health too. Eating burgers six times a month can't be very good for it

Market Farce also have their 'pet clients' where if you put in a negative report you will be on the end of a 'stewards enquiry' TBH thats why some people steer clear of these jobs as not worth the hassle and in the case of GAP a long time to get paid.

Good luck in whatever you decide to do.

Blackdagga

The joy of Video Mystery shopping, where a picture says a thousand words and the crap service is there for all to see!

I used to do those Burger and Chicken jobs a few years ago for Gap as they were handy for a free lunch. I too remember putting in a couple of negative reports and then all hell breaking loose with lame excuses about inaccurate timings (how often has their receipts got the correct time on!).

I don't do them anymore, but I had to laugh when I went into one of the burger joints the other day and asked for a receipt, and then had them round me like flies cleaning my table and asking if everything was okay with my food!:rotfl:

ISWMLE

Alaska_Keen-Vivo wrote: »

You're so right, they are the only company that refuses to accept any kind of negative feedback, absolutely ridiculous. I am going to see what MSPA say and then follow your advice if they don't help.

I guess not working for them would be good for my health too. Eating burgers six times a month can't be very good for it

There are a few mystery shopping companies that tend to challenge mystery shoppers rigorously on negative feedback frequentl. Market Farce, for one.

I am convinced that they do so not to test the integrity of your answer (i.e., to see if your facts are wrong or your judgement erroneous or unreaonable to seek clarification or alteration to something more truthful) but simply to veer mystery shoppers away from any kind of negative feedback per se in future. There is nothing more tempting than to tick YES to everything if there is no comment required or if comments are mandatory fo all answers, there is no horrid emessages or phone calls demanding further explanation and accusations that your senses are distorted or you were having a bad day and took it out on the target in your report. In the end mystery shoppers are brow beaten into taking a 'anything for a quiet life' attitude, provided the fees are paid.

This brow beating strategy (for report shops only) is done to make their mystery shopping programmes look 'value adding' and worth the client#s expenditure, particularly when it's time to tender for a contract extension or renewal with the same client. I think we can assume that the mystery shopping company doesn't really give a rat's !!!! if the customer service actually improves for their client; they are simply interested in maintaining an on-going relationship and revenue stream. Come to think of it, most mystery shoppers want that too, don't we? After all, if client staff all behaved perfectly, compliantly and according to their Terms of Engagement we would not have a job, right?

WRONG.

Mystery shopping is as much about keeping client staff on their toes as it is about improving standards to the next level. So even a perfect staff member can benefit from having a good report to show that they continue to be good. Some clients use mystery shopping for renumeration rewards (bonuses), not just training.

Also, the difference is that we can work for several different companies if we get booted out of one MSC for telling the truth, but a MSC doesn't want to lose a big revenue cultivating client do they. Keeping a client should be easier and cheaper than tendering and competing for new ones. So they have a lot more to lose than we do from being truthful and honest if it shows their programmes to be futile, provided no one ever finds out what their scam is and their public reputation is not damaged in the process.

The easiest scapegoats are mystery shoppers.

MysteryMan00

ISWMLE - You seem to have a real vendetta going on for many MSCs. None more than AA. What gives?

naarestrup

Alaska_Keen-Vivo wrote: »

Well the instructions only state that you have to spend 15 mins in the location to assess the cleanness, but nowhere do they say that those 15 mins need to be within the time frame.

There were many instances when I entered the restaurant at 18:59 and still got paid, so they are only doing this now because the report was negative.

And I did mention the other two visits in my complaint, but they have not been removed.

I had one visit where the timestamp said 18:59:58 and that was accepted.