The Shop Logs

I have over $700 outstanding right now.
I am naturally nervous about such a sum outstanding, but am excited that I may have timed this correctly this year!
I can pay back my family checking account for last nights’ fine dining, $170ish, and still have a good jump on the Holiday Shopping.

I have not had this much outstanding at one time since last year. What reallly is making a difference right now is making a conscious effort to only take shops in groups, “no orphans!” The mileage gig monthly is helping me to do that also and can to some extent dictate which direction I will shop that month. If I am weak and take an orphan I have to either dig to find more jobs or give myself permission to cancel. (Repeat this many times in the mirror: “Sorry, my schedule does not allow that trip 40 miles out of my way this month” until you MEAN it)

Reading my favorite non-MSing blog, YouCantMakeItUp, I thought my friend was a bit touched when she said that NYC smelled like Maple Syrup last night. Further confirmed by The Gothamist, but when even the NY Times has an article on it, well, it must be true!
Then I started wondering…..Halloween Prank? Can I sign my city up for such a prank? What would my pick me for a universal good smell?

Possibilities:
Tulip smell, but I don’t live in Holland, MI.
Even though I live in the ‘Red Flannel’ capital of the world - I don’t want to think of the smell lumberjacks gave the original RFs.
Puppy Breath? Not everyone’s a “dog person”

I have no idea, but sign me up for this ‘prank!’

I am still dieting, more off than on lately.
I will have to go way off this weekend as I return to my fav. fine dining shop.
The dessert room alone will kick my behind, or just enlarge it more accurately.
Hubby says NO Lobster Bisque this time…more for ME!

I can’t believe how tough it is to talk people into a free meal!
Hubby? Not interested (was however interested in my bringing back takeout)
Girlfriend? Must’ve been at work….she loves the “Monte Cristo Sam’ich Place”
Grandma, yeah, even Grandma was busy! ‘Making Fudge,’ kind way to spare my feelings!
Sis? negative
Mom - the ole standby….finally.

I just reread an email offer from earlier today:
quick serve, ‘gourmet’ coffe shop with a HECK of a name.
Let’s just say it could be offensive to anyone of Hispanic heritage.
Hey, I know I am just bread that didn’t get baked all the way, but whew - that name turned me off & I was going to get PAID to GO THERE.

Well, I guess we’ll call it a trial run.
I had a cell phone shop to do and I thought I could stop by and do a bank shop so I have one less to do Thursday when I will pull an all day route. Except, I shopped Bank M instead of Bank F. Oh yeah… I had the floater (hate when I get those) write down her name, etc. and was thinking, “c’mon, give me your name this will be a good report!” Then as I turned out of the driveway and drove past the bank I was supposed to shop I laughed outloud… I just did that shop for free! Well, I’ll be back Thursday!
I am embarrassed to tell you, but I used to have to make a payment every month at Bank F too…….hahahahaha!

SO I get to the cell phone shop and the manager (I recognize from before the cell phone merger) is outside smoking, throws the lit butt on the sidewalk…..nice….. Once my salesperson started their pitch the same schmoe (sp?) hands my guy a clipboard with the shop questionarre for the company I am working for at that second….I loved writing that in the report.

Almost as dumb as shopping for free!

So lately I have been mopey because other sites are stealing my content. Not legit MS sites, but traffic-coveting advertising junkies. They increase their rankings in search engines by scraping my original writings and posting it on their sites. This boosts their sites in the search engine returns and even though I write my own works (which search engines do value) I cannot compete with the volume and frequency with which they post and my rankings plummet. Be honest, do YOU ever look past the second page on a search for anything? Most people don’t.

So I thoguht about filing with Google, they have all the power right? Well, by being the victim of intellectual theft, Google rewards me with googles of paperwork to fill out….gruff…so I start looking around the Internet.

I found an Open Directory Project. This is where results are not posted by factors that can be manipulated, but are edited by real people, supposedly with expertise in their areas! Well, heck yes I would be glad to help, to be part of the solution & not the problem!

Check out their Mystery Shopping page I volunteered to help monitor.

Yes, I just lined up a good route, don’t ya love that feeling?
It combines the paid mileage shops & the remaining shipping shops in the area.
May I quote the A Team? “I love it when a plan comes together!”
I still need to map just the mileage shops so that I only charge the real mileage for those shops (excluding the shipping), but essentially my mileage will be covered.

“… Individuals who spam the list will be banned from it. No exceptions - 1 strike your out policy.”
Do you see it?
No this is not a test for colorblindness…..just one of my pet peeve grammatical errors…..

Random edit from another mystery shopper:

‘Wow, the third word is a typo - so sad.’

Subject: Circle of Service - New website
Date: Tue, 11 Oct 2005 11:50:38 -0400
We are exited and pleased to announce the launch our new website on Friday
October 7th. You will notice small navigational changes and large
improvements in the overall look and feel of the website.

Might those large improvements include spellcheck on their email program?

Well, I finally got in on “Gift Exchange #3″…. I had to be sure the first two were legit! Ya know, because one could have just been a fluke.
Sure enough, I was one that was left without a gift. I honestly think my secret pal had the intention of sending me the box, she emailed a signature to me that was pretty cool. I think she just got behind & overwhelmed. Plus, I was fine with it by the end; I looked at it as a cosmic force intervening to keep the spending-and-keeping-’stuff’ bug off my back.
The organizer was, of course, peeved and solicited help from the moderator. I was kinda impressed that he would offer to help, but I understood he probably felt it was a reflection on his credibility (which I woudl not have said). Well, several people planned & sent me something in addition to what else they had sent out earlier - - how kind. I was feeling all warm & fuzzy.
Then the moderator emailed me to check that I did infact receive something. Pretty cool of him. Here’s the exchange:
(forwarded message)

So, it looks like (me) is the only one who needs some items sent to her. Although the jury’s still out on %#$^….we’ll wait to see if she sends out a package after her recovery.
I see (me) made a post with 47 icons and YES!!!!!
I assume that means she got the package and I can unlock %#$^’s account.

Yes I did use every single happy icon there was, and yes, it was truncated down to one happy icon.
To which I responded:

I did not get mail from my original pal, but I did get stuff from other posters. The Big V feels pretty friendly right now.

:) (me)

My happiness was further truncated by the reply:

Glad to hear it.

Calling it V is upsetting, but I’m happy to hear you got your gift.

I thought of it more complimentary than upsetting to the forum.
Go ahead, tell me which one of us is on crack.

I just had time between jobs today to ship a couple of packages(tonight was the last night of ESL class as migrants are already heading south). I had scenarios that asked me to have prepared packages and ask for paperwork help, well I taped up some boxes and proceeded to leave one on the counter.
Why just one? Good question, you’ll need to ask anyone else in the entire world but me.
Luckily I walked through the mega store the second shipping place was in and picked up a discarded box from a grocery aisle and found clearanced ($1!) packing tape, so then I was only a buck less for my error. Sure I had to clean out my car of scrap paper, but that coudl actually be a bonus - I figure I made out even.

Intellishop just sent me a duplicate payment from 9/28. Now I do like the cash rolling in, but not when it makes me lose sleep……
I emailed them back & we’ll see what they say. I am sure it will be along the lines of since I am such a superior shopper they felt a bonus was in order. Ya know, what every worker hears on Mondays.

Here is a link to a neat email tax newsletter I found.

Check out the Mystery Shopper reference.

Should we let them know that, yes, we are real?

Read my Mystery Shopping Book reviews in October’s newsletter (www.shoplogs.com) and follow the directions for these popular MSing books!

The Mystery Shopper’s Manual (6th edition)
by Cathy Stucker

Mystery Shopping Get Paid to Shop (4th Edition)
by James Poynter

Mystery Shopping Made Simple
by Dr. Ilisha Newhouse

As a side note, although I received an email from Ilisha Newhouse promising a copy of her book, it never materialized.
All three of these books were purchased from Amazon.

I just hung up the phone with a reporter for the magazine Smart Money.
I wonder how it will turn out - we’ll see in November!

The reporter found my information from my Universal Class Mystery Shopping Course (http://class.universalclass.com/MysteryShop).
He posted here and next thing I knew I was on the phone with him.

Rough summer & my extra parttime job this fall have really cut down my MSing income.
I have updated my earnings chart.

Remember these are payments received by month. As you can see, I have been more parttime than anything else lately!

I have under $250 outstanding right now.

I received an invitation from the FF Hours MS company to shop two of the FF places I shopped in my hometown, just four days earlier.
Well, of course I applied. I thought it was odd…posted a question on MSR…someone replied that they reshop to verify the initial information.
Do you think I will get the same answers when I go back?
One of the places had hours posted, but the other I just had to ask the HS boy working the counter. He could have been wrong in what he told me. How crazy would it be if I report different information than I initially entered? That will make someone’s head spin.

I really wanted to get into a regular oil change job with my new(er) vehicle.
I know I have done oil changes for two different companies and have had more ease getting assignments from one than another. I have an oil change shop that is in my hometown and have shopped five other surrounding areas. I am still not able to make my 3,000 mile changes. It seems to be the changes are all way before I need the change or (as is the case today - 4,000 over the change mileage) way after it should have been done.
I can’t remember what type of mileage I was dealing with before mystery shopping - so maybe it’s just being an MSer…..

This is from my union paper, Advocate, by Kent County Education Association:

“For those of you who may not have heard, the Internal Revenue Service announced an increase to the optional standard mileage rates for the final four months of 2005. The rate will increase to 48.5 cents a mile for all business miles driven between Spet. 1 and Dec. 31, 2005. This is an increase of 8 cents from the 40.5 cent rate in effect for the first eight months of 2005. For the average driver, the eight cent increase translates to an adjustment of about $1.60 per gallon in the amount IRS recognizes in computing the deductible costs of operating an automobile for business use. It was interesting to note that in announcing the special adjustment, IRS Commissioner Mark Everson said, ‘This is about fairness for taxpayers. People are entitled to deduct the real cost of operating a vehicle.’ We’ve responded to the recent gas price increases by making this special adjustment so taxpayers get the tax benefit they deserve. “

This email from Service Intelligence was posted on MSR:

“As we are all extremely aware, the suffering experienced in the Southeastern United States has been beyond our imaginations. Our hearts go out to those whose lives have been impacted.

As a community comprised of Customer Experience Champions; whether it is on a personal level, client front line oriented, or for society in general, we realize the potential for involvement to increase humanitarian efforts. Service Intelligence is dedicated to going “Above and Beyond”.

How can we help our community in the aftermath? There are many ways, and many of us have already taken valuable action. Whether it is to volunteer our time, donate to various vital organizations, or send needed supplies. I applaud everyone’s contribution to date, as it will make a difference to those in need.

I have spoken with many of our clients who have also been affected. In many cases, the sites are permanently damaged and the staff has been required to relocate. I have been impressed how our corporate citizen partners, amidst all havoc, have demonstrated concern and have taken action to assist those in their community.

Now focusing on our shopper community. We have a wonderful, loyal network of professional shoppers and evaluators who really care about the quality and importance of what they do every month. It is as a community where we find our strength. Although this month it appears we have been weakened, through commitment and dedication we will regain stability. We find that the best use of our resources is to help our fellow community members directly affected as a result of Hurricane Katrina and Rita.

What can we do as the SI community to strengthen ourselves? We have discussed and will be initiating Operation Hand Off (“OHO”). Operation Hand Off (OHO) will directly benefit our valued shoppers in the afflicted areas. Operation Hand Off (OHO) will consist of two fundraising programs, Internal and Shopper oriented donations.

Internally, our staff has been participating in many fundraising efforts. Service Intelligence corporate will match dollar-for-dollar the cash contribution made by our internal staff of champions.

As for our shopper-oriented donation, we are working to create a special “Hurricane Relief Shop” that you can sign up for to add to our fundraising efforts. Service Intelligence will be donating all proceeds raised, directly to the shoppers in the affected areas.

Gordon Edwards, our new Vice President Operations, will be heading up the donation effort at Service Intelligence and you will be hearing from him in the near future. He will be collaborating with Navi Vaid, Operations Manager, and others in our Program Delivery Support team.

I look forward to seeing what all three of us (SI, staff, and SI shoppers) can do for our affected shoppers. Please let me thank you in advance for your generosity. I know that together we can really make a difference in the lives of the SI shopper community.

Thank you SI Champions!

Best regards,

Byron B. McCann
President & CEO

Service Intelligence, Inc.
Champion the Customer Experience™”