Is it just me, or do they ask for clarification a lot? I get 9s and 10s with pretty much every company I work for, yet with Sinclair I get e-mails back almost every time asking for some sort of clarification. It gets very annoying. Sometimes I'll be entering in a form and I'll go to the box below to put in comments and then once I click at the bottom of the page it will tell me that I wasn't supposed to put comments so I have to delete them. Then I get an e-mail back later saying I was supposed to put comments.

I really just don't like their data entry system at all. I keep saying each month that I don't want to shop for them anymore, but then I keep going back for more and having the same thing happen. I just hate going into my e-mail and then digging through my notes again to find whatever it is that they were looking for. It wouldn't be a big deal if I only did a few shops here and there, but I do tons of shops so I don't have time for it.

So, does this happen to anyone else?

poofoo80 Wrote:
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> Is it just me, or do they ask for clarification a
> lot?................Sometimes I'll be entering in a form and I'll go
> to the box below to put in comments and then once
> I click at the bottom of the page it will tell me
> that I wasn't supposed to put comments so I have
> to delete them. Then I get an e-mail back later
> saying I was supposed to put comments.

OMG, yes! I just found them a few months ago so I've only done 4 shops with them, but I have been sent emails to clarify info on 3 of those. And all the info that they are asking me to clarify I already had in my narrative to begin with.

I have only been asked for clarifications once or twice out of 100 or more shops.

I've never gotten one clarification request. I must have a sweetheart editor

I also kind of think their whole website is a horrendous mess and could be improved upon a lot.

I used to be asked for clarification quite often. Then I figured it out. Once I get to the comment section I go through each and every one of their questions on the form and regardless of Yes or No asnwer, I comment on that question. They seem to want a comment addressing every question they asked. If it asked, "Did the cashier use your name during the transaction?" and I answer "Yes", I still make sure I comment about it in the comments section. Since I started doing that, it seemed to work. No more clarification requests.

Shop-a, I get what you're saying and I usually do the same thing with them. Except my problem I've been encountering is that I am often asked for clarification on info that IS already in my report.

For instance, the last time I was emailed they asked for clarification of whether or not the associate asked and used my name. I was sure I had put that in my report, so I checked my documents (I save a copy of all my narratives) and sure enough I already put in the report that she did not ask for nor use my name.

I have never done that with them.

I have gotten an error message when I comment in a box that wasn't supposed to have a comment. For example, I'll put a comment and click a the bottom of the page and I get an error message that says, "Based on your answer to question 2A, text should not be entered." Then I'll get an e-mail later from an editor saying they want the same infomation that I had to delete from the box because the form wouldn't allow me to enter it.

I wish they'd just swith to Sassie or something .

As annoying as that aspect of their system can be, it is actually a much more sophisticated reporting system than Sassie. But I prefer Sassie, too. :-)

poofoo80 Wrote:
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> I have gotten an error message when I comment in a
> box that wasn't supposed to have a comment. For
> example, I'll put a comment and click a the bottom
> of the page and I get an error message that says,
> "Based on your answer to question 2A, text should
> not be entered." Then I'll get an e-mail later
> from an editor saying they want the same
> infomation that I had to delete from the box
> because the form wouldn't allow me to enter it.

Yes!!

By far they aren't the only company with flaky forms

I've done slightly more than 100 shops for them and have only gotten clarification requests twice. I think it has a lot to do with the editor. Their computer system is not the easiest to use. I love working with them, though, easy shops, quick report, places I like to shop, and pay like clockwork.

AustinMom Wrote:
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> I've done slightly more than 100 shops for them
> and have only gotten clarification requests twice.
> I think it has a lot to do with the editor.
> Their computer system is not the easiest to use.
> I love working with them, though, easy shops,
> quick report, places I like to shop, and pay like
> clockwork.

Yes, that is why I keep shopping for them. They have a grocery store in my area that I love, as well as a couple of others that I also enjoy. The non-grocery shops I do for them allows me an excuse to get fancy household type stuff without my husband complaining.

It just happened again with a shop over the weekend. They asked a yes and no question, I checked the no box. Then I even commented later on that no question fully explaining what the employee said.

Yesterday I get a request for missing info asking if the employee answered my question (that would be the no for the yes/no choice) and what he said (that would be my comment).

Twice in the report I gave them the info they emailed me looking for.

Bizarre. You must have different editors than I have.

I don't mean to be like a complainer or anything, but I have now been called three times by the scheduler for this shop, plus received two emails. I keep giving them the same information I have, it is the only way to answer the question, short of making something up.

If they want a truthful report, they will have to accept this as this is what took place. I can not tell them something that the associate didn't say.

That's VERY unusual for Sinclair. I wouldn't think they are reacting to a negative report. I have given them good reports and a couple of negatives and never heard anything regardless. I also gave them one absolutely horrible report - the shop was a customer service nightmare, the company did everything wrong - - and I never heard a peep. I can't figure this, all these questions you are getting.

Without giving too much info (not sure if that's allowed or not here), it's a GFS shop and it's about a question where you have to ask an associate a question. He did not know the answer to the question and I don't know how else to state that.

That kind of situation I usually indicate what he continued with because rarely do they say 'I dunno' and spin on their heel and walk away. My last trip in he didn't know and read me the package, then suggested I consider a different presentation and that he had a damaged package he could let me have for $X.

My answer to them in my report and the initial email was "He said he was not sure. He looked at the canister for the information, handed the canister to me, and then said, he thinks it is XX amount."

They have questioned a total of 5 times now wondering exactly what he did and said. That was exactly what he did and said.

Aargh. Any way of being sure enough that you can comfortably change that to . . . handed the canister to me and said, "I think it is XX amount." A direct quote is hard to argue with and a follow up sentence of what he did next or said next should seal the deal. I certainly have never experienced that kind of pickiness with them.

I love my DVR in part because it allows me to make direct quotes that the associate can deny all they want, but I have it on tape. I considered even doing a direct quote on a drive through from last evening where what came out of the speaker was, "Do you wanmeqentapodlAWETHA with that?" The bulk of the speaker conversation was approximately that quality.

>
> I love my DVR in part because it allows me to make
> direct quotes that the associate can deny all they
> want, but I have it on tape. I considered even
> doing a direct quote on a drive through from last
> evening where what came out of the speaker was,
> "Do you wanmeqentapodlAWETHA with that?" The bulk
> of the speaker conversation was approximately that
> quality.


So true. My voice recorder actually saved me from getting deactivated from an MSC when a certain store decided they didn't agree with my report. The report wasn't even that bad either! The cashier forgot to do a couple of teensy things... I couldn't even believe they fought it! The MSC scheduler wrote me back and said that the store had video evidence that I had brought in my children and they distracted me throughout the shop. The cashier then blamed my rowdy children for being disruptive so she had to rush through the transaction. So, I fought back and said I have the whole thing on voice recorder, along with all of my dictated notes, and I then told them exactly what I was wearing and to check their security video again because I did not have children with me! The store fought back and said they were sure it was me. (How could they even know what I look like???) The MSC basically started questioning my integrity because it was in my profile that I had children. This went on for a couple of days. I told the MSC that I never took my kids on these shops and this store made her think I was a liar. After I told the scheduler what I was wearing and how my hair was done, the shop was then accepted. Go figure.

A voice recorder is an indespensable tool.

BTW, it wasn't Sinclair that I had this issue with, but Flash's post that just made me think of that.

The recording I mentioned was not a Sinclair Shop either but just an example of where the recording comes in handy (or provides amusement). But I do record my shops for Sinclair as well. When I get to a question I'm only 'pretty sure' they didn't do, I will listen again to the tape.

I had the same problem with a retail shop I did for them 3 months in a row...I can see now and then, but.....I think they have a newer editer, because I gave them the info. they asked for twice, very annoying.

I have given them very bad and very good reports of the same stores on different shop visits; I have never had them refuse a shop, except once-it was my fault. I mised up the address of two stores on the same street and went to the wrong one. TOTALLY my fault. Even then, had I been able to reshop it the next day (I could not) they would have given me the chance to redo it, I think they are fair to their shoppers in how they deal with reports, but YMMV.

dee shops Wrote:
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> I have given them very bad and very good reports
> of the same stores on different shop visits; I
> have never had them refuse a shop, except once-it
> was my fault. I mised up the address of two stores
> on the same street and went to the wrong one.
> TOTALLY my fault. Even then, had I been able to
> reshop it the next day (I could not) they would
> have given me the chance to redo it, I think they
> are fair to their shoppers in how they deal with
> reports, but YMMV.

Could it maybe be just different editors?

I've had some shops for them that never get asked for any clarification, and then others that I get repeated emails for asking me for the same info I already had 2-3 times in the report.

Yup, or different clients, or both. :-)

Poofoo, I am wondering if we are both doing the same shop, as I have no problem on any other shop I've done for them...the retail clothier (new for them). They asked me three times,on all three shops (different locations), what the Sales Associate said as I entered the store, my reply all three times was, "Good Morning", is that confusing......lol.

They have never refused my shop, just asked me for the same info., I had already put into the report....what did the Sales Associate say when you entered the store. How many ways can you say, "Good morning"?