Hi new here and have a quick question about STN. I'm getting invalid username/password. Do they deactivate without notice? I've not done anything to warrant deactivation but wasn't sure if they do that like another company I know does or if they were just having website issues? Do they have website problems often? I've only been working for them the last couple of months and have yet to be paid. I think pay day is soon? I have a medicare shop for them in the morning and wasn't sure what was going on. Starting with a new company is so nerve wracking!

I don't recall hearing about people being mysteriously deactivated and since you have a shop scheduled it's not likely. BTW, just logged on without issue.

If your "couple of months" includes August you would have received direct deposit payment on 9/15. Since the 15th is Saturday, probably Monday for September payments.

ahmaynard Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Hi new here and have a quick question about STN.
> I'm getting invalid username/password. Do they
> deactivate without notice? I've not done anything
> to warrant deactivation but wasn't sure if they do
> that like another company I know does or if they
> were just having website issues? Do they have
> website problems often? I've only been working for
> them the last couple of months and have yet to be
> paid. I think pay day is soon? I have a medicare
> shop for them in the morning and wasn't sure what
> was going on. Starting with a new company is so
> nerve wracking!


STN is a very professional company> I have years of experience w/them. They will not deactivate you. I do the medicare shops. See some of the other posts above on this site. If you cannot log in contact scheduler. Fear not.

Thanks guys. I was able to log in when I got up in the morning with no problems. It must have been a website clitch on their end or maybe they were doing late night maintenance. All is fine so far. I just got a little nervous since another infamous company deactivated me without warning a couple of years ago. I've been doing the medicare shops for them too and more to come. So far I like them but the time it takes to get shops finalized is a little nerve wracking.

LisaSTL Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
>
> If your "couple of months" includes August you
> would have received direct deposit payment on
> 9/15. Since the 15th is Saturday, probably Monday
> for September payments.


Payment for September shops was direct deposited into my account this morning. Nice that it was a day early due to the 15th being Saturday.

STN deserves a big thumbs up for that

ahmaynard Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Thanks guys. I was able to log in when I got up in
> the morning with no problems. It must have been a
> website clitch on their end or maybe they were
> doing late night maintenance. All is fine so far.
> I just got a little nervous since another infamous
> company deactivated me without warning a couple of
> years ago. I've been doing the medicare shops for
> them too and more to come. So far I like them but
> the time it takes to get shops finalized is a
> little nerve wracking.


If they need clarification, they will get back to you within 48hrs. Otherwise everything is cool. 6 years and no major problems. Quit worrying. Worry about climate change or global financial mess up or how to get rid of Snooki. STN is gold!

Cyn b

cynb Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> ahmaynard Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Thanks guys. I was able to log in when I got up
> in
> > the morning with no problems. It must have been
> a
> > website clitch on their end or maybe they were
> > doing late night maintenance. All is fine so
> far.
> > I just got a little nervous since another
> infamous
> > company deactivated me without warning a couple
> of
> > years ago. I've been doing the medicare shops
> for
> > them too and more to come. So far I like them
> but
> > the time it takes to get shops finalized is a
> > little nerve wracking.
>
>
> If they need clarification, they will get back to
> you within 48hrs. Otherwise everything is cool. 6
> years and no major problems. Quit worrying. Worry
> about climate change or global financial mess up
> or how to get rid of Snooki. STN is gold!
>
> Cyn b

haha ok yeah getting rid of Snooki is definitely a priority! I have been doing MS for 8 years and I still get nervous about new companies I start working for.

what is Snookie?

If you don't know, consider yourself lucky!

seriously, can someone please tell me?

One of the idiots on the Jersey Shore reality show. She gets about as much media coverage as the Kardashians and is just about as relevant and/or media worthy.

ok thanks!

Does anyone know what their rotation rules are? I see shops near me that I've done but have done at that same store name but not in the same city and I'm getting a message saying that I've reached the maximum number of assignments for that client. So frustrating not knowing what the number allowed is. Same with the medicare shops they have. Sometimes a shop is on there forever I can't get it even if I've never shopped at that particular store or that particular agent before.

If it is a new-to-me location or agent or situation and I get an 'out of rotation' message I will contact the company for clarification.

I see 3 basic reasons for rotation:
Protect shopper identity
Provide the client with as many viewpoints as possible
Provide opportunities for as many shoppers as possible

A shop that lingers is obviously one that other shoppers don't want, so that leaves two reasons. If I've not shopped the location (or agent) previously then protecting shopper identity is not likely to be an issue. While different viewpoints are important, if I've not shopped the location (or agent) before, it will be a new viewpoint on that particular location (or agent), so what the heck?

I know with some companies they list the rotation rules. Some are 30, 60, 90, 120, 360 days. Some are only a matter of a few weeks. I just can't seem to get a feel for this companies rotation rules. I wish it was stated somewhere.

My guess is that offer a diverse enough selection of shops that no general statement would be appropriate. Contact them about the shops you are interested in.

I know some have a rotation of 6 months. One is one month I believe and there is one client I shop for them that is 45 days.

I was once told that you will get that "

reached the maximum number of assignments for that client"

message if you have completed several shops for the same client, even if they were not at the store you are now applying for.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/28/2011 02:47AM by lisams901.

The accepting assignment part of their site can be tricky as heck. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. It's frustrating when you're trying to accept an assignment, and can't. Then, you have to email the scheduler, which affects your chances of getting the shop, as you must wait along with other shoppers to see who gets the nod.

Email the scheduler, regardless. Ask what the rotation and limit requirements are. I have been told that the "system" is difficult. It's a delay that is irksome as I plan my route and schedule. I wish their IT crew would get it figured out.

I'm with you Mert, it's a pain. I've emailed the schedulers a couple of times and got no answer

I got my first rejected shop from them today It was for one of those Medicare Sales Events at a local big box store with a guy standing at a little booth. When I arrive I notice a couple taking to him and wait until they leave then walk past him to see if he will engage me, he doesn't. I go back and proceed to give him my scenario. Well more people come to the table, people who likely really do NEED the information and the guy has answered my questions and now has other people talking to him. So I bid him farewell then turn in my report. Well apparently I didn't stay the required 15 minutes even though I completed the scenario with the agent. So I look up the instructions and no where can I find that I am REQUIRED to stay and interact with the agent for 15 minutes. This is an informal event and the instruction say "the visit is expected to take approximately 20 minutes." approximate is not 20 is not 15 minutes and it doesn't say it's REQUIRED to stay any particular length of time. I emailed the scheduler but I doubt it will help. The only thing good about it is that I'm not out any reimbursements.

does anyone know how long submitted reports stay in process? mine has been there for a few days already. tia.

ahmaynard Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I got my first rejected shop from them today It
> was for one of those Medicare Sales Events at a
> local big box store with a guy standing at a
> little booth. When I arrive I notice a couple
> taking to him and wait until they leave then walk
> past him to see if he will engage me, he doesn't.
> I go back and proceed to give him my scenario.
> Well more people come to the table, people who
> likely really do NEED the information and the guy
> has answered my questions and now has other people
> talking to him. So I bid him farewell then turn in
> my report. Well apparently I didn't stay the
> required 15 minutes even though I completed the
> scenario with the agent. So I look up the
> instructions and no where can I find that I am
> REQUIRED to stay and interact with the agent for
> 15 minutes. This is an informal event and the
> instruction say "the visit is expected to take
> approximately 20 minutes." approximate is not 20
> is not 15 minutes and it doesn't say it's REQUIRED
> to stay any particular length of time. I emailed
> the scheduler but I doubt it will help. The only
> thing good about it is that I'm not out any
> reimbursements.


That is unfair. I don't recall any requirement either. Let me know if you get a response. The editors/schedulers rarely reverse their positions, though. cyn

I stopped working for them for several years because of a 'Requirement' that was not in any of their paperwork and for weeks nobody would respond to my protests. Eventually it got squared away and I got paid, but luckily I had copies of all instructions (and scheduler instructions were different than shop instructions) with neither mentioning the 'Requirement'. Good luck getting yours squared away. I only trust them for very occasional work any more.

Not being able to review guidelines, after the fact, is annoying. One of the helpful things about Sassies is that guidelines can still be read years after the shop, if needed. With others, whose guidelines/certifications disappear when the assignment is completed, I save a pdf of them with the shop report.

G3B: I do lots of work with STN. Depending on the client or editor (?), the report may stay in process for several days. The coffee shop comes to mind. Other of their shops are accepted within 1-2 days. Generally, my grocery shops are finalized in a day or two. If one of mine lingers In Process for much longer than that, I know to expect to hear from their clarification crew.

ahmaynard: Instructions for the informal events state "You MUST spend a minimum of 20 minutes on-site making observations and interacting with the agent." Not always so easy to get the agent to stretch the interaction, but the instructions also require observations, which could help fill the time requirement.