Hotel Shops

January 28, 2018 12:03AM

Notes: you can use your phone or other device. Keep your devices with you at all times.

Take a deep breath. You pace yourself. What is the next thing to do? Sometimes, the guidelines dictate this; at other times, you select the next activity. What do you need to do about it? Do that. Take a deep breath. Report on it.

My garden in England is full of eating-out places, for heat waves, warm September evenings, or lunch on a chilly Christmas morning. (Mary Quant)

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/28/2018 12:58PM by Shop-et-al.

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More About Hotel Mystery Shopping

January 28, 2018 12:45AM

Absolutely report each part/interaction as you go. I use my video camera. Good luck!

January 28, 2018 06:00AM

I would not do it. A simple mistake on your part or a over zealous editor can make it a very expensive shop if it is not accepted.

January 28, 2018 10:24AM

In my experience, It takes a lot to get a hotel report invalidated. It’s certainly not an overzealous editor or simple mistake. These aren’t $7 shops at Bob’s Stores.
Major screw ups or straight up cheating/lying on a report will get it invalidated.

______________________________________________________________________
Seriously, nobody cares that you're offended.

January 28, 2018 02:31PM

@Hoju wrote:

In my experience, It takes a lot to get a hotel report invalidated. It’s certainly not an overzealous editor or simple mistake. These aren’t $7 shops at Bob’s Stores.
Major screw ups or straight up cheating/lying on a report will get it invalidated.

Exactly. A genuine, honest effort will ensure your shop isn’t invalidated.

Very infrequently shopping the Greater Denver Area, Colorado Springs and in-between in Colorado these days.

January 29, 2018 02:17AM

@BarefootBliss wrote:

My first time at a luxury hotel coming up.
I have been looking at the questionnaires and number of outlets.
This will be substantial work, but I want to at least do one to see how they are.
Valet, Bell, Check In, Room, Issue, Housekeeping, Dinner, Breakfast and more - all of them separate reports.
I am observant with a decent memory, but not sure I have ever met a human who can retain all the details they are looking for. I think I'll have to try to do the reports as soon as I can and not hold them if I can avoid it.
Any tips for note taking inconspicuously? do you ever quickly type notes into your cellphone?

IMO the check in process is most difficult because you have valet, check in at the desk, and bell assistant with no breaks in between. And if you have a guest with you, hurrying to take the "before" photos of the room asap before you settle in. So for all of the check in stuff, I leave my voice recorder on from the time I pull up to valet until I get to the room. Also periodically text myself names & descriptions since these won't be captured in audio. Texting yourself looks a little less sketchy than the notepad feature. If there is no bell service (or bellman comes later), I'll mutter names or details to myself while I'm on the way up to the room so that it's recorded.

January 29, 2018 02:21AM

I text a lot during the check-in process because almost everybody does. What I do to throw off any potential scent is to laugh at a text. A well placed chuckle while texting as you wait for the desk agent to do her thing really makes it look like you're just having a normal conversation.

______________________________________________________________________
Seriously, nobody cares that you're offended.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/29/2018 02:24AM by Hoju.

January 29, 2018 03:51AM

Hoju makes an excellent point. We are playing roles here. So play the role of someone who is doing something other than taking picture, notes or recording for the shop.

Based in MD, near DC
Shopping from the Carolinas to New York
Have video cam; will travel

Poor customer service? Don't get mad; get video.

February 01, 2018 05:11PM

Hotel shops suck!

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/01/2018 05:18PM by abclaudia.

February 01, 2018 05:50PM

Maybe you're just bad at this.

______________________________________________________________________
Seriously, nobody cares that you're offended.

February 02, 2018 11:03PM

@Hoju wrote:

In my experience, It takes a lot to get a hotel report invalidated.

^^^this^^^
I have had the occasional hiccup where a situation not covered in the guidelines occurred and I had to make a judgment call. The call has usually been right, but not always.

"Let me offer you my definition of social justice: I keep what I earn and you keep what you earn. Do you disagree? Well then tell me how much of what I earn belongs to you - and why?” ~Walter Williams

February 16, 2018 02:18PM

Here's an ill-informed question. For those occasions when a hotel reverses the charges from the shop...they don't also reverse any reward program points, do they?

February 16, 2018 03:05PM

@BarefootBliss wrote:

Here's an ill-informed question. For those occasions when a hotel reverses the charges from the shop...they don't also reverse any reward program points, do they?

All hotel rewards points I’ve kept, even after charges were reversed.

Very infrequently shopping the Greater Denver Area, Colorado Springs and in-between in Colorado these days.

February 16, 2018 03:50PM

I shop hotels the same way I do any other jobs...one step at a time, just like living life. Bellman, take notes, text,
check in, get name, timings, and so on, don't think ahead too much, know you can do it...confidence is your best resource.

Live consciously....

February 16, 2018 06:11PM

Barefoot,
You keep the rewards points for the visit. However, I have not gotten rewards points in addition for using my credit card that is affiliated with the hotel when the charges are reversed.

Based in MD, near DC
Shopping from the Carolinas to New York
Have video cam; will travel

Poor customer service? Don't get mad; get video.

February 16, 2018 06:26PM

Answering the question about bringing kids...loud NO, it takes time away from your timings, unpredictable behavior, and not enjoyable for you, beside not allowing you to take kids. There is lot of narrative and details to remember, your mind needs to be free. I did hotels while visiting my daughter in Chicago, but she was an adult, even then, I did the job, not asking her to help, it was her holiday. I don't do any (not saying i won't), but reimbursement isn't something I want to wait for.

Live consciously....

February 16, 2018 06:30PM

I actually prefer reimbursement to having the charges removed. I build up a TON of reward points by having those on my rewards charge card. I pay that (and all cards) off in full, every month. And, with bank interest rates abysmally low, the "float" for 60 days is nothing that I regard.

Based in MD, near DC
Shopping from the Carolinas to New York
Have video cam; will travel

Poor customer service? Don't get mad; get video.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/16/2018 06:30PM by walesmaven.

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