Gas Station Shops

One of the companies I signed up with has mini mart /gas station assignments where you first mystery shop , purchase gas ,checkout store , restrooms, then reveal yourself and do an open audit. If you reveal yourself my thinking is that you cannot do that shop again. Is this standard for some companies?

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Depending on the company the rotation is going to be 45 to 60 days or longer. With so many employees on different shifts the likelihood of seeing the same one and having them remember you is small. An exception might be a small station without much business, but it is what it is. I always thought the actual audit component is probably more important than a mystery shop lasting just a few minutes.

Equal rights for others does not mean fewer rights for you. It's not pie.
"I prefer someone who burns the flag and then wraps themselves up in the Constitution over someone who burns the Constitution and then wraps themselves up in the flag." -Molly Ivins
Never try to teach a pig to sing. It's a waste of your time and it really annoys the pig.

I'm sitting in Starbucks 100 yards from the gas station I'm about to do my first audit on. Just finished reviewing the instructions again. Honestly I'm more nervous than I was when I did my very first shop, lol. Wish me luck!

There are reasons that a body stays in motion
At the moment only demons come to mind

So-o-o-o how did it go??

(heart)

I intend to live forever. So far, so good.

Lisa, that is a surprise for me to think 45 days or so would be enough for them to forget who you are. I have two areas I shop. Where I live are several small towns and it would seem they would remember me if I did an audit. I did an open audit in one store and I know for sure the manager would remember me two months later.The other area is a big city and I can see where it might be easier there. Plus the big city has more stations so it could be easier to spread the time a little.

When it comes to banks, apartments or car dealerships I like to keep,those rotations long. For gas stations in my city they see too many people to remember me. I also keep my dealings with staff short and sweet.

LisaSTL Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> When it comes to banks, apartments or car
> dealerships I like to keep,those rotations long.
> For gas stations in my city they see too many
> people to remember me. I also keep my dealings
> with staff short and sweet.

Thanks for the feedback. I think in the small town here I will stretch it out a little. In the big city where I visit family there are many stations to choose from so I could spread it around as well.
I also have been disguising myself a little when doing a drive thru after a walk thru. A ball cap and dark sunglasses works well for that one.
Have you ever had anyone give you a difficult time once you reveal yourself and announce the reason of your visit?

Joe, I do those mystery shops/audits and I don't worry about whether they recognize me. Carry on and do your job. You'll be fine. Those convenience store cashiers are sharp and fast and they're going to catch on to you in a hurry. The client is satisfied with the rotation so it's not a problem for them.

Mary Davis Nowell. Based close to Fort Worth. Shopping Interstate 20 east and west, Interstate 35 north and south.

stilllearning Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> So-o-o-o how did it go??
>
> (heart)

Holy cow that was easy. I was onsite for 30 minutes, shouldn't have been there that long but I kept having to wait on pumps to be free so I could take the photos. I guess that's what I get for going at 2:00 on a Friday afternoon in a ridiculously busy shopping area. Getting the photos ready to upload after I got home was the hardest part.

PS - I'm STILL not done with the Chipotle shop though :/

There are reasons that a body stays in motion
At the moment only demons come to mind

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/25/2013 07:04PM by bgriffin.

I felt your trepidation as you sat in Starbucks, but as I've learned, the anticipation is always worse than the actual deed! (I have to keep reminding myself that though when I'm dreading doing something!)

(heart)

I intend to live forever. So far, so good.

I like the idea I read here somewhere about using google maps to see the station first. You can tell quite a few things like how many pumps and other things. I know sometimes map photos can be old but could still be helpful. One being offered near me has been taken but I did a simple drive to the location while I was out to see what it exactly looked like for future reference.

Joe,

There are extremely few shops that are one and done.

Your MSP will tell you the rotation period for each client. However you are right that some people and/or locations are better able to remember and thus the risk of being remembered is increased. Therefore, shoppers will sometimes self-impose a longer rotation than the MSP does. The bottom line is that you have to decide, based upon what you know.

Good luck!

Happily shopping Rhode Island and nearby Massachusetts and Connecticut

Well I finally got time to take the test and now the local assignment is gone. Oh well there's always next time. I do see a large list of them in the city where I visit family and many are showing big bonuses so that is good news.
Thanks for the information.

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