The Shop Logs

Dang it…with two days left I am still below last years earnings, by $65.
I don’t have that much outstanding either; July looks like I will rake in about $75 less also.
When I analyze what I am doing, I have made a conscious effort to leave the lower fees alone (excellent thread at Volition about that). I have tried to maximize my trips. I have increased my mileage from .36 to .40 - I probably need to go back to last year’s June and see what it would have looked like with the different mileage allowance before I can really compare….

My husband’s family is crazy, it is just a fact.
Due to this fact, this was a stressful weekend. During prep work for the crazy family on Friday I received a call from a scheduler. I missed it because of the inevitable drama that comes with in laws. When I returned it 30 minutes later she was out of the office for the weekend & I left the message I could do the shop, but worried I had missed the opportunity.
Bummer, I got the return call this AM that I did indeed miss it, but she gave me hope that another one comes around in August!

In response to numerous emails sent Friday:

“I have been out on medical leave for 2 weeks and I am trying
desperately to get through about 750 emails.

I am not sure on this project because it started when I was out and I
will need to get with my supervisor about it.”

Now, I realize I am a cynic, but what would have happened if I had sent this to a Mystery Shop Co.?
Anyone ever heard of an ‘out of office’ auto reply?

Hot day here today. Apparantly too hot for doggies in the truck, even with windows down and the liter of water I dragged along.
I believe Buddy Lee was well hydrated though, as he urinated on the back seat on the way home (yes, I stopped to walk them). Thus throwing me into a pee-induced panic. The thoughts of the shop report were set aside as I had to make a stop at the nearest relative’s house to steam clean the back seat ASAP!!!
I refuse to tell anyone which side of the back seat it was on.

I guess I am getting better at the audit job I have taken….my SASSIE score jumped 20%….I’ll keep doing them when offerred I guess. I do, however, miss the anonymous element of a quick in and easy out mystery shop.

I have been watching a shop and waiting for the bonus. I had completed this shop once before, on the way to a great paying shop I have not seen again (bummer). I know this is an easy shop, but the distance! 40 miles ONE WAY; figuring mileage at $.40/mile I need to make more than $32 to break even before I fill out the report, etc. I put in a call to the scheduler, doesn’t sound like there is interest, and she asks how much I need to have. I tell her $45 and she says she’ll get back to me.
It is obvious these MS companies are feeling the bind too. How can they sustain $45 shops? Shoppers are travelling less with the gas crunch - in MI the unemployment crunch too - and schedulers must be going crazy!
I almost hope she doesn’t have to call me back…..almost.

I type, Isave (before 30 minutes expire) and I see this:
“All of your current answers have been saved,
however there are 136 errors that need to be fixed.”
I *sigh*, because this the the definition of mystery shopper burn out….

Whew! This was a close one, entirely my fault too.
I wanted to try some longer work, so I looked at some audits. more work, more money, good for summer.
Well, I applied to an email that came in as I was at the computer, the scheduler, April frm Intellishop, emailed me back with the link to the training and the fact that I needed to score a certain percentage to complete the job. Well, maybe I rushed, but in my expert opinion the questions were all about vocabulary and not much to do with math. I did not earn the required score. I emailed April right after the test and told her although I did not pass at the required percentage I still was confident I could complete the job. She took a chance on me, woohoo!
I completed the one and am scheduled for three more. I talked to the ediotr that reviewed my work and she had two questions , but then said I should complete more.
Wow, had I just given up when I did not pass the initial test I would have really missed out.

Corporate Research International really impressed me last week.
My SIL & I took a couple of bar shops the night before Thanksgiving. They were next door to each other, but mostly wanted to see if we could pull off two drinking shops. We did, kind of….
I lost the receipt for mine (in the car turns out) and was bummed, but at least she had everything from her shop. I chalked it up to experience. I received a good grade on the shop and concluded that if they didn’t say anything I wouldn’t say anything.
Well, I recently found the receipt under my driver’s seat and half heartedly sent it to the company. I was too embarrassed to ask for payment, but I was hopeful - guess what they paid after 6 mo.!

“…Plus the cost for 2 people to xxx and a xxxx rental, whatever your receipt says we will pay.”
From a recent posting on their board.
Now what’s not to like about a company that puts that in writing?!?

“Common looking people are the best, that’s why God made so many of us.”
Other industries may see more attractive people rise through the ranks.
Shouldn’t I expect as an average looking person to rise through the MSing ranks then?
Mystery Shoppers need to blend….6′ shapely blonds need not apply?

?What do you think?

21st student joined my e-class @ UniversalClass.com today….feels pretty good. (you can visit: http://class.universalclass.com/MysteryShop )
The person before this student is in direct competition with me, we shop the same areas. In some of her coursework I recognized some spots I have maytery shopped! This was an excellent opportunity to see if I had what it took to be impartial, luckily I did. I did figure I would eventually meet a student from my general area, but it startled me to have it happen so soon!

Golfed tonight - no way newsletter will be up until the weekend, sorry.

What was with that last long winded post?
Yeah…
On an upbeat note, the MSPA is accepting nominations for three2005 shopper of the year awards: rookie, “go-to” and just plain shopper of the year.
Kudos to the MSPA for doing this. People have been told about being nominated, but so far none have allowed (or dared) their names to be posted on Volition. If any names are posted I would like to take a vow of being positive and not jumping on what can become a Volition Hatefest bandwagon. I am really so curious if anyone I know will be nominated!