Hi, I’m a newbie, just got started this month. Finished my first 8 shops over the weekend with three separate MSCs, BARE, Intellishop and STN. On my first BARE report, which required a lot of detail, I received a grade of 9/10. I did 4 shops with Intellishop and received a 10 and three 9s. I did two reports for STN and I’m still waiting for a grade. So far, STN has come back needing clarifications on both shops. My peeve is, the STN scheduler sends me emails asking for more info, but she doesn't address me by my name. The email starts off with an accusatory tone that read:, “Hi, you did not ... blah, blah, blah.” I mean, come on! I know you don’t know me, but your records indicate that I do have a name! Are we just another shopper? You know the feeling you get when you’re waiting at the doctor’s office. I also received emails from BARE and Intellishop needing clarification. But guess what? They at least addressed me by my name, and the schedulers were very personable, and made me feel good about myself and told me I did a great job. Am I being too sensitive? Is this just STNs style? Are they such a large MSC that we shoppers are just one of thousands and the “customer experience” doesn’t apply to them?

Calm down, you've just started...once you have worked for a company for awhile, and the scheduler knows you, you will be
addressed by name. I'm not sure if these are standard emails, but, i wouldn't get myself in a huff, your grades were great,
you're off to a good start.

I don't think STN grades. I've never received an assessment or rating on any of my shops.

I know they can sound harsh when requesting clarification, but, hey, these schedulers deal with scheduling hundreds of shops and process hundreds of shop reports every day. Give em a break.

They were the first company I ever did a shop for, and probably my favorite to deal with.

Wait until you get an email from them that says: "Help, shop due ASAP. Name your own bonus." Then you'll love em.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/22/2012 12:21AM by SteveLA.

Hi there, make! Welcome to the wonderful world that is Mystery Shopping. =)

Firstly, STN definitely doesn't grade. =) I can say that I've been working with them for a year (and some change) now and they have a pretty high turnover rate. I've only ever had one shop come back with questions (and that editor definitely did _not_ use my name -grin-), but even the schedulers you do get close to will roll over to other jobs, so once you've just gotten close to one, that one will go on to a completely different project and you're back to square one with a brand new one. (;

I have to say, STN is one of my faves, tho and I've always found them easy to work with. If an editor is "busting your chops", it's probably really only because there's some large expectation that's not being met. Honestly, as a first time shopper (having done all of these and so well!!), I'm surprised it didn't go much much worse for you! -grin-

The large shock for me, here, tho I think they've been trying to be better lately is the 9s and 10s from Intelli! Intelli can be a rough one, specially when it comes to grading. Kudos on those! =)

Sending the best,

Jen

Congrats! Not many (even seasoned) shoppers get "10" from intellishop.

An easy way to get a 10 with Intellishop is video shopping

Have they become tougher with the grades lately? In the last 18 months or so I have not had a written shop with them, but out of at least 30 shops prior to that more than half scored a 10. It's significant because I'm not the best when it comes to writing narrative. The high scoring shops were between 2008 and early 2010 and the lower scores are on the shops completed later.

This has been a subject of much contention (at least that I've seen in the time I've been reading) in other threads, Lisa.

Congrats on the plethora of 10s.

[Edited to correct sleepy-time typo]

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/22/2012 11:36AM by jentodd.

Actually it was surprising to me. And it doesn't make a helluva lot of sense that I would get more 10's on earlier shops and gradually drop back to 7's & 8's. If anything it should have been the reverse. I also read much more about people being contacted and asked downright crazy things that were never on the original report. All that and we get to wait 60 days to be paid

LisaSTL Wrote:
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> because I'm not the best when it comes to writing narrative.


You're kidding, right? You write quite well in your posts here.

The only Intelli-Shop shops available in my area lately have been FF. I've gotten 10's on those. The few other types of shops I've gotten 9 & 10, too... but while all required narrative, most weren't heavy on it. I hate the detail level required on the brake inspection and oil change shops as compared to the pay, though!

makeme,
Congrats on the great scores. As for the lone scheduler or editor who is not being personable, take a deep breath and realize that some people get very "one track minded" when they are working under extreme pressure. Getting all of her/his shops finalized late in the month (even tougher, late in the calendar quarter) can seriously stress out MSC folks. A big part of their earning are often bonuses, based on shop completion rates for the month or the quarter.

In general, I enjoy the folks at STN. But, even my favorite schedulers at my very most favorite MSCs at a bit twitcy this late in the calendar quarter.

Welcome to the forum, makemeshop. Sounds like you are off to a good start. You are doing great. Try not to be too sensitive. It's hard not to feel sensitive and hurt over any criticism of your work, but try to take it in stride. And realize that all editors who provide feedback are not as tactful as they might be.

StormCloud, here I'm just offering up my opinion and just like other things, we all have one It's not always the narrative by itself at issue. Writing one in chronological order doesn't stump me so much. It is the reports that have things broken down into sections and the "flow" of the report doesn't match up to what happened. Life would be so much easier if the shop target was just given a copy of the same script, lol!

I don't do Intellishop's oil change or brake inspection shops unless they are bonused. There are simply too many of those shops in my area and not enough shoppers to do them. Personally, those narratives are extremely easy to write. Long, but easy (perhaps because I've done so many of them).

Even with bonuses, there are certain locations for that client that I just won't do.

I have only done 24 shops for intellishop-the earliest was back in 2007. Of those, 16 are "10s" the, 2 "8s" and the reminder "9s." My "8s" were from the famous greeting card shop, which they no longer shop. The editors were unbelieveably picky. My higher scores are the more recent shops. I don't check their board for work as I don't like their reports. I have never had a problem with STN's editor. If they want a clarification, I get two emails and I go online and fix it.

Intellishop still has one very picky proofreader... the rest have laxed up to standard (or normal!). But every once in a while, I get that one proofreader who cannot be pleased no matter what you write.

Congrats on the good start, I hope you have a good future shopping.

LisaSTL Wrote:
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> It is the reports that have things broken down into sections and the "flow" of the report doesn't match up to what happened.


Oh, I know... I *hate* that! When the sections make sense, I like sections; but when they're all jumbled, it's a PITA.

BusyBeeBuzzBuzzBuzz Wrote:
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> I don't do Intellishop's oil change or brake inspection shops unless they are bonused. There are simply too many of those
> shops in my area and not enough shoppers to do them. Personally, those narratives are extremely easy to write. Long, but
> easy (perhaps because I've done so many of them).
>
> Even with bonuses, there are certain locations for that client that I just won't do.


Yeah, I haven't done one for awhile, but as I recall, the narratives weren't particularly difficult, just long and tedious.

IF... if, they paid better, it wouldn't be so off-putting. I mean, I've already spent over an hour sitting down there waiting for the job to be done, and then that hideously long & time-consuming report? I hate tedium... once I find out a job's report requires it, I'll only take it if the pay is enormous, based on how long it took me the time before.

When I was new I did a brake inspection shop for $12 or $15 or something like that. NEVER again! As mentioned, I had to sit there for well over an hour. I recently passed one up for $20, because of the memory of sitting down there for absolutely freakin' ever. Then the tedious report, on top of that.

I did do an oil change shop with them once, just because we really did need an oil change and it was reimbursement plus $10 or $12 or something. I would probably do one again, if one happened to be available when I actually needed an oil change, just to save some cash. But it's a lot of waiting & typing for a free oil change!

There are four sassie and two non-sassie msc that offer oil change in my state. Intellishop would be my 4th choice of the six when I need an oil change.