With Coyle, I'm usually trying to snag one or two jobs a month, ideally.

Let's just say that there are 10 jobs available and I'm hoping for 1-2. I have been applying for the 10 different jobs on 10 different dates, but ideally there are probably 4 different dates that I'd prefer to do jobs on. I'm wondering how others handle this - do you apply for multiple jobs on the same date? How big of a deal is it to ask them to move dates?

I feel like I've read on here that it's ideal not to ask many questions or to ask for date changes, etc. I have done both in the past and obviously I have no idea how it affects my ability to land jobs.

Also, out of curiosity, when a date range is given, when it comes to scheduling is there any preference give to certain days? Like, do people have better luck applying for a Thursday vs. a weekend? I'd love to understand some of the behind the scenes aspects of Coyle and other MSCs.

@olympia tennenbaum I can only speak of the prior Coyle policies that I knew for sure in the past, but when applying, I usually give an alternate date inside the application. In the past 5-7 years, I don't think the scheduling team has taken me up on alternate dates, though, so it's probably no longer helpful.

My understanding is that this is due to them now utilizing outside schedulers. If they assign the date you requested, it's a single click. Assigning it and changing the date takes more work, so it would most likely just go to another valuator who requested the different date.

That said, my policy is always to put an earlier date within the given date range. If the range is July 1-26, don't request something on July 26th, because if you flake or cancel and they have reschedule, it leaves them scrambling for a replacement. They also don't want all shoppers going the first week of the month, so I would just say to avoid the last week of the date range.

I also tend to only apply for 1 or 2 jobs on any given date. I then add a comment to give me either THIS or THAT job in each application, so they know I am free for an evaluation on that day, but only want one (assuming it's a dinner).

In the past, when I had a relationship with the staff scheduler, who also managed the editorial team, I would get whatever assignments I asked for, so I would be careful to only apply for what I wanted to take on. These days it's a crap shoot. I might apply for 4 and get nothing, so it's not entirely based on the top scoring evaluators getting everything. They also no longer let the choice assignments sit out and collect applicants. I see things post and get scheduled within hours, so if you don't check the available shops each morning, you may miss some opportunities. For the recent round of high end boutique hotels, all were scheduled within about 24 hours of posting.

I also assume there may be some favors still being handed out. In the past, you could offer to complete an assignment they were desperate to find an evaluator for in exchange for getting another desirable assignment (Just put the request in your application - "I will take this if you give me that" and apply for both).

I have found my return on investment for doing any favors in the MS world to be lacking, however, so I have given up on that practice and only take assignments that I actually want these days. You may curry favor with a particular scheduler, but those of us who have been around a while know that scheduler will eventually be replaced and you have to start the process all over again.

@SteveSoCal wrote:

@olympia tennenbaum I can only speak of the prior Coyle policies that I knew for sure in the past, but when applying, I usually give an alternate date inside the application. In the past 5-7 years, I don't think the scheduling team has taken me up on alternate dates, though, so it's probably no longer helpful.

My understanding is that this is due to them now utilizing outside schedulers. If they assign the date you requested, it's a single click. Assigning it and changing the date takes more work, so it would most likely just go to another valuator who requested the different date.

That said, my policy is always to put an earlier date within the given date range. If the range is July 1-26, don't request something on July 26th, because if you flake or cancel and they have reschedule, it leaves them scrambling for a replacement. They also don't want all shoppers going the first week of the month, so I would just say to avoid the last week of the date range.

I also tend to only apply for 1 or 2 jobs on any given date. I then add a comment to give me either THIS or THAT job in each application, so they know I am free for an evaluation on that day, but only want one (assuming it's a dinner).

In the past, when I had a relationship with the staff scheduler, who also managed the editorial team, I would get whatever assignments I asked for, so I would be careful to only apply for what I wanted to take on. These days it's a crap shoot. I might apply for 4 and get nothing, so it's not entirely based on the top scoring evaluators getting everything. They also no longer let the choice assignments sit out and collect applicants. I see things post and get scheduled within hours, so if you don't check the available shops each morning, you may miss some opportunities. For the recent round of high end boutique hotels, all were scheduled within about 24 hours of posting.

I also assume there may be some favors still being handed out. In the past, you could offer to complete an assignment they were desperate to find an evaluator for in exchange for getting another desirable assignment (Just put the request in your application - "I will take this if you give me that" and apply for both).

I have found my return on investment for doing any favors in the MS world to be lacking, however, so I have given up on that practice and only take assignments that I actually want these days. You may curry favor with a particular scheduler, but those of us who have been around a while know that scheduler will eventually be replaced and you have to start the process all over again.

Thanks for such a high quality response. All great advice.

Steve: please clarify your knowledge of outside schedulers.

The scheduler from new zealand Shira is awful and holds a grudge. She not only marked my account as not wanting to receive shop offers from coyle without my permission she also did the same for another msc she lost the account for which is totally illegal.

@big_sky_thunder wrote:

Steve: please clarify your knowledge of outside schedulers.

Their email signature literally says, "Independent Scheduler" when it comes from the Coyle scheduling email address.

Many who have been around the forums for a long time know that 20+ years ago I was the scheduler for Coyle. It was a smaller company back then and I handed 100% of the scheduling. Many of the subsequent schedulers were my co-workers or people that I trained, so I had more access to the information regarding scheduling until a few years ago. The new team are people I have no relationship with outside of just being another evaluator.

While a few things have changed since then, a lot stays the same (including the fees offered!)

@SteveSoCal wrote:

While a few things have changed since then, a lot stays the same (including the fees offered!)

Oh, ouch!

I found them to be accommodating when I requested to move a date. But I try not to do it too often.

I have completed about 150 shops for Coyle over the last two years. While I obviously try to avoid it, I have asked to change dates with them on numerous occasions and I have never had any issues, as long as the dates are within the original allowed time period. So, when I see a bunch of shops and want 1-2 of them, I have used both strategies of applying for different dates and then switching to the one I actually want, after I get assigned. The exception to that is the hotel shops. For this past period, I could only do one shop on one 2 day period, so I applied for 4 of them all with the same date. I got one of them. As for day of the week, I apply for weekend restaurant shops all the time and never had a problem getting them. It's only hotels that seem to matter.

@laloweryshops wrote:

I have completed about 150 shops for Coyle over the last two years. While I obviously try to avoid it, I have asked to change dates with them on numerous occasions and I have never had any issues, as long as the dates are within the original allowed time period. So, when I see a bunch of shops and want 1-2 of them, I have used both strategies of applying for different dates and then switching to the one I actually want, after I get assigned. The exception to that is the hotel shops. For this past period, I could only do one shop on one 2 day period, so I applied for 4 of them all with the same date. I got one of them. As for day of the week, I apply for weekend restaurant shops all the time and never had a problem getting them. It's only hotels that seem to matter.

Wow, 150 in two years seems like a ton. Do you travel for shops a lot? Good for you!

Well, a LOT of the shops (probably more than half) are valet parking shops. I live in an area (northeast) that has something like 20 of them every month. And I do probably 4-8 dinners each month too. I have traveled a bit as well (driving a hundred miles, every so often), for the more expensive dinner shops ($200-$600). Between Boston, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and New York, there are just a lot of shops in a condensed area. I usually do a dinner shop 3-5 times/week (although I only do 1-2 Coyle dinners each week, since their reports are so much longer). I am in a personally-difficult financial situation right now, and so doing mystery shopping allows me to eat out at fancy places when I absolutely would not be able to afford to, otherwise.

@laloweryshops wrote:

Well, a LOT of the shops (probably more than half) are valet parking shops. I live in an area (northeast) that has something like 20 of them every month. And I do probably 4-8 dinners each month too. I have traveled a bit as well (driving a hundred miles, every so often), for the more expensive dinner shops ($200-$600). Between Boston, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and New York, there are just a lot of shops in a condensed area. I usually do a dinner shop 3-5 times/week (although I only do 1-2 Coyle dinners each week, since their reports are so much longer). I am in a personally-difficult financial situation right now, and so doing mystery shopping allows me to eat out at fancy places when I absolutely would not be able to afford to, otherwise.

Okay, got it. I haven't tried parking shops so I was imagining only dinners and hotels.

Sounds like you have tons of jobs in your area. It is definitely nice eating on someone else's dime! Glad you have so many opportunities!

I've only been working with Coyle a little over a year now. The first shop I did, I underbid by a lot. It was a dinner at a hotel I was already staying at to redeem a reward night, and it fell on the exact night. That application got accepted within hours. It was more for convenience.

The second shop I applied for was a 5-star hotel at their suggested rate with travel expenses. It got accepted within a day or two. I'm not sure how I got this one. I do know I spent a lot of time on the first shop's report and got a high score. I forget if they give you a number score on the hotel certification, but I may have gotten a high score. I'm not sure if that factors into anything.

So far, I've done three hotel shops with two overnight stays. There are some properties from a chain that all get posted at once. Those tend to sit on the board for around two weeks. I think they do take some time to divvy up those properties.

In terms of fine dining, the restaurant clients they have in my area are ok, but not great. The ones that get posted more frequently are fast casual. For these, I think they do enforce rotation rules. Also, touching on what SteveSoCal mentioned, if someone drops a shop last minute - I did get an offer to do a last-minute shop for four times the base pay. From my experience, that seems to be the most they will go.

Lately, I have been over-bidding by a fair amount. I try to explain my justification if it does require more work and effort. It's worked out and got approved a good number of times. Also, if I can do more than one of the less popular shops that are located within the same vicinity on the same day, I've gotten approved for increased pay on that.

There was one shop they had a hard time filling. I could only do it on the day after their last date. The scheduler adjusted it for me, so that is possible, as well.

@Okie wrote:

I've only been working with Coyle a little over a year now. The first shop I did, I underbid by a lot. It was a dinner at a hotel I was already staying at to redeem a reward night, and it fell on the exact night. That application got accepted within hours. It was more for convenience.

The second shop I applied for was a 5-star hotel at their suggested rate with travel expenses. It got accepted within a day or two. I'm not sure how I got this one. I do know I spent a lot of time on the first shop's report and got a high score. I forget if they give you a number score on the hotel certification, but I may have gotten a high score. I'm not sure if that factors into anything.

So far, I've done three hotel shops with two overnight stays. There are some properties from a chain that all get posted at once. Those tend to sit on the board for around two weeks. I think they do take some time to divvy up those properties.

In terms of fine dining, the restaurant clients they have in my area are ok, but not great. The ones that get posted more frequently are fast casual. For these, I think they do enforce rotation rules. Also, touching on what SteveSoCal mentioned, if someone drops a shop last minute - I did get an offer to do a last-minute shop for four times the base pay. From my experience, that seems to be the most they will go.

Lately, I have been over-bidding by a fair amount. I try to explain my justification if it does require more work and effort. It's worked out and got approved a good number of times. Also, if I can do more than one of the less popular shops that are located within the same vicinity on the same day, I've gotten approved for increased pay on that.

There was one shop they had a hard time filling. I could only do it on the day after their last date. The scheduler adjusted it for me, so that is possible, as well.

Hi there! I was wondering if you would be willing to provide specifics about your over-bidding? What do you consider a "fair amount"? I have never over-bid for any restaurants, and I wasn't sure how much Coyle would accept. I do, however, overbid for parking. They usually post parking shops at around $20, and I will bid $30-$35, and I get them every time. I never bid more than $50 for a hotel shop anymore though because I have never gotten assigned when I overbid, and I have been assigned every time when I only bid $50. I don't know if it is coincidence or if it actually does matter. But as for restaurants, I have never overbid and usually just get $10 or something minimal, as I consider the major benefit is the meal. But I'd love to hear if others have better experiences with bidding. Thank you!

laloweryshops, What you detailed has been similar to my experiences, as well. Some valet shops have been capped at double the base rate for me. During the spring, most of the valet shops weren't getting filled. For restaurant shops, there isn't much wiggle room. Some specific shops I have gotten maybe a little over three times the base pay after explaining the extra effort required.

I did have one bad experience recently. I bid $30 for a $15 base retail shop they had a hard time filling. The application got accepted. The pay rate said $20. I should have asked about it before doing the shop. But I had this happen on another shop, and it got adjusted after completing the shop. When I asked about the rate after I completed the shop, the scheduler said $20 was the max. If that was the case, I wouldn't have done it. In that case, to me, it was deceiving and misleading. I most likely won't do any retail shops for that client going forward. I thought I was helping them out, but it backfired on me.

Also, on the Coyle board, I had noticed that if similar group of shops like valet shops weren't getting filled, they would all disappear off the board for a while, but then appear again. I thought this was the case during the summer, but they all actually got filled. I guess the shops are more popular during the summer.

Recently, I got a couple of good dining shops. But I'm going to take a break from Coyle shops and mystery shopping in general. Shops are getting worse and worse. And some of these shops are getting more strict, even on the less appealing shops. And the discussions on the boards are becoming less productive.

I think that they do red the comment boxes when we apply. I usually say, "I can do this for the posted fee. Thanks." If not, I say, "I can do this for $XX because (insert reason why I need a bunch of $$$)" Thanks."

When I get accepted, it is always for the fee that I requested. There is no negotiation. Never had an issue so far (knock in wood). They also never contact me or it goes to spam??? I just check the board a day or two later and accept it or see it is not there.