Flash Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> The issues with pay include receiving the
> reimbursement. Some of their hotels work on a
> charge-back basis where you check out and the
> charges go on your credit card and anywhere from a
> few days to a couple of weeks the hotel backs out
> the charges. Thus Freeman would not be
> reimbursing you for those charges. But if you
> were doing a 'de-brand' to make certain no logos
> and such were still visible from the old chain,
> there is no chance of the charges being reversed.
> Your shop instructions probably told you whether
> the charges would be reversed. If they are not
> reversed then you will receive fee and
> reimbursement in the same payment.
>
> To put together an organized 'blacklisted' list
> would be potentially libellous. So companies
> shoppers are having payment issues with are
> discussed comfortably throughout the forum but
> there will never be an 'official list'. If you
> read through the forum you will find there are
> longstanding issues with Franchise Compliance,
> Freeman, Goodwin, Restaurant Evaluators, Channel
> Watch and occasionally others. Watch also for the
> threads where someone is screaming they have a
> problem and others are saying "no problem here"
> because it is likely a glitch or perhaps the
> shopper did not get their invoice/receipt etc.
> submitted.
>
> PITA is 'pain in the ass'. There are some
> companies that are nothing more than that.
> Fascinatingly, the companies/schedulers who
> represent a PITA for me are sometimes ones that
> others find work well, so there is a whole lot of
> individual variation in what shoppers are willing
> to deal with.
Flash
Could you please clarify the first part of this post? I have read this over several times and do not understand which fees Freeman would not be reimbursing.

Nwlc stated "1. So when you say there is trouble with the pay--does that include the reimbursement? Do they reimburse first and then 6 months later pay? "

Freeman pays their reimbursements and their fees at the same time.

Nwlc may have done a hotel where the hotel reversed the charges, which would mean they would likely see their cash outlay long before Freeman paid. Not all hotels reverse the charges. A prime example of that is a debrand where a hotel has changed from chain A to chain B. As a debrand, reimbursement would be coming through Freeman. That was why the poster was referred back to their shop instructions to see if they were to be reimbursed by Freeman or were on a shop where the hotel would reverse the charges.

Their BBB rating is B- (A+ being the highest)

Not enough people reporting problems to BBB or the system is faulty.

Wow, I wish I would have read these posts first. Fifteen weeks, no payment from Freeman Group. Calls and e-mails are ignored. I finally filed a complaint with the BBB. I will never do a shop for them again. Too much grief trying to get paid!!

adnerby1 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Wow, I wish I would have read these posts first.
> Fifteen weeks, no payment from Freeman Group.
> Calls and e-mails are ignored. I finally filed a
> complaint with the BBB. I will never do a shop for
> them again. Too much grief trying to get paid!!


Hey, we have something in common! It has been 16 weeks for me! No money from Freeman...

OK i have done shops for this mystery co and will get pd eventally, always slow but that is ok if i couldnt afford it i wouild not do it. It was nice get-away for the weekend. jodi434

Hi,

So, I guess I shouldn't accept any Freeman shops when I need to travel out of town. I'm confused though, do they eventually pay? I don't mind waiting a few months to get paid.

Take care,

mwert Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Hi,
>
> So, I guess I shouldn't accept any Freeman shops
> when I need to travel out of town. I'm confused
> though, do they eventually pay? I don't mind
> waiting a few months to get paid.
>
> Take care,

They did finally pay, but I had to extract all their teeth from their mouth and hold boiling water over their heads for 25 minutes before they would pay me

mwert Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Hi,
>
> So, I guess I shouldn't accept any Freeman shops
> when I need to travel out of town. I'm confused
> though, do they eventually pay? I don't mind
> waiting a few months to get paid.
>
> Take care,

I think it is fair to say that although I believe they are stating 8-12 weeks for payment, you will still be waiting 4-6 months and will need to contact them. Make certain that you save all emails pertaining to the job because the 'standard' is to begin looking for payment with your scheduler and then escalating.

The shops I did in the past wanted me to fax in my invoice and receipts. Let me suggest that at the same time you scan them and send a copy as a follow up response email to the scheduler who assigned you the job, indicating that they have also been faxed and being pleasant. That original job email or correspondence was where the 8 weeks was mentioned and I wanted to make sure that the email thread stayed together as information was added. Freeman has had a history of claiming non-receipt of invoices. Then in 12 weeks send that email again, now updated with a question about payment. Likely you will get no response so it will be time to escalate.

It would appear they pay 'squeaky wheels' in order to get them to take additional shops, so put away the WD40 and squeak away.

Wow! When did Freeman get so bad about paying? A couple days ago, my best friend told me it'll be seven months IF she gets paid in November. She contacted them and payment was promised. I used to do hotel shops all the time and never had an issue. I was out of the loop for a few years and tried to get some shops scheduled this summer while we were on vacation. It's money I would've had to spend anyway. I'd hoped to take mini-vacations if I could find some shops on their site. Their reports are extremely easy for a hotel shop. They wanted no narrative unless the questions scored a no answers...unless that's changed also?

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/19/2011 01:53AM by AlwaysAngie.

I received payment for a shop done near the end of June. It was a month late, but it did come.

I did a shop for them in May and was paid last week. I sent an email two weeks ago and received an immediate (and polite) response that it would be paid the following week. I was skeptical, but received payment as promised.

They must be feeling generous; I was paid today for a job in June. I had to hound them the last two weeks to make this happen.

Their current reason for non payment- sassie! Sure!

I got my three outstanding shops in March and June on this October payout. I sent an email last month and was told it would be paid in that month. When it didn't happen I sent another email noting that, and asking if they were broke or just hoarding the cash...they didn't answer that! I haven't shopped them since they moved to sassie...are there any differences? Can you tell which hotel it is before you commit to it, and is the report the same?

I only know the hotels are listed under Wyndham, but in fact are not Wyndham.
They are low end, very low end, so, that is hiding sonething right there.

Irene_L.A. Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I only know the hotels are listed under Wyndham,
> but in fact are not Wyndham.
> They are low end, very low end, so, that is hiding
> sonething right there.


Not really, as Wyndham bought out those lower end hotels (Super 8, etc.) a few years back. I think Wyndham wanted them as their version of "Hilton Garden" or "Holiday Inn Express", etc.

I've been doing several debrand audits on said low end properties lately. I have always been paid by Freeman Group...not very timely...but always been paid. One can print off the invoice now, fill it out, scan it and the receipt and email both to an email address, which is easier. After 60 days, I email them to ask when I can expect payment and get it within days every time with a nice note. They used to infuriate me with their slow payments, lost invoice, etc., but nowaways I kinda like working for them. It's hassle free except that I have to remember to email them for my pay. ; )

Freeman have always paid me although you guys are right - it takes a damn long time. The other company that I get hotel shops from - B Business Solutions, are a bit quicker but you have to stay at motels compared to Freeman's hotels.

wow so all those W*** hotels on their sasie site is not actually W*** but just some cheap hotel like super 8, motel 6, etc? glad I read this, was about to choose a shop thinking it was a nice upscale hotel!

The one in my state is such a "no tell motel" it should be on "America's Most Wanted" .. couldn't pay me to stay in it! That being said, the de-branding jobs are a breeze, you just have to wait 1/2 a year + to get paid!

It will be a YEAR in Feb. That I did my shops and have YET to be paid. Does anyone have any contact information I can use? All email addresses I have are no longer responding.

Does anyone have any information to file a small claims case against these people?

I believe they have closed down.

Freeman has left the building. Consult with a tax advisor,so you can right this off.

THEY HAVE OWED ME OVER $400 SINCE FEBRUARY!!!!

Hello every body. I did Mystery shoping for [client] or this company(freemangroup). I did this in May 2012 & now its more than 7 months. I didnt recived my payment. They were supposed to pay me more than 100 $ . I did them email almost 50 times but no one reply me now... There website is also not working now...
Can any one have been also working for this company?/ Please if any one can help me to get the contact of this company??
Or any body else is also there ,who is not paid by this company....
Regards
Ahmed

Freeman group in the search box, search all dates and you'll see a lot of information.

Freeman group was always a slow payer, but now apparently they have gone bankrupt. I know some people have attempted to go to small claims court, But I'm unsure of any positive resolutions from anything like that. I have an unpaid hotel shop from last February myself and have decided that in the interest of my well-being and stress level I am just writing it off. I had been in contact with them during July and August they were actually communicating and stating that they are making efforts to pay. However, for me those efforts never came to fruition.

While you may still make efforts to try and collect that money, for budgeting purposes I would act under the assumption you will never get paid.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/16/2012 11:52PM by Shelly.

Thanks shelly....yes I serched & I got a lot of information about this company & m very surprised that there are many other people also who had the sam problem ...I also almost thought to just forget about that payment..but was just serching on inter & got this forum ...So I just posted here to get som help..& now after reading soo many posts...I decided to just forget that money;-) n just carry on ...

Sometimes I think this forum is like Catfish on MTV.