The Dog Ate my Homework!
I asked the staff in my Mystery Shopping business, the top reasons why people do not complete assignments as scheduled.
These probably apply to other vocations as well. Granted these may be real, but the regularity with which they are heard suggests otherwise.
1. I was sick
2. My children were sick
3. My grandfather has passed away (we hear that much more than Grandmother)
4. My computer is not working (I suppose it’s sick too)
5. The internet is down (or dead like grandpa)
6. There wasn’t any paperwork (knowing full well it’s a click away)
7. Something else came up
8. I was just about to call you (my least favourite)
9. My printer is not working (though you probably don’t need it)
10. I had to take the dog to the vet (probably from eating the homework).
We’ve head it all before. Staff become de-sensitised and may even seem unsympathetic when something really does happen.
My real favourite is the truth. . “Sorry it totally slipped my mind”.
Last year I got really sick just when I had an assignment due. I felt really bad, not just because I was sick, but because I had made a promise to complete a job at a specific time on a specific day.
It was all I could do to crawl to my computer and contact your office. The wonderfull staff allowed me time to heal by rescheduling my assignment a few days later by which time I felt better and completed the job as arranged . Thanks for that.
Elayne Greaves
March 11, 2008
When I mess up an assignment I contact the company and tell them. It is useless to have an excuse, because that excuse makes no difference to what has happened. What needs to be done is for the assignment to be completed, and therefore, the problem solved.
So, I tell the truth. It might be, I got the wrong receipt, I made a mistake with the day, or my computer would not work [ sometimes this does happen and it can happen at your end too].
If the company wants me to complete the job, they will organise it. This must be easier than starting all over again.
I have always found the people working in the office to be supportive.
Ross
March 16, 2008
Good ones, and sadly they are overused. So what do you do when such things really do happen? It’s like the Boy who cried wolf.
Marina
March 17, 2008
This article comes across as flippant and superficial. If the cited reasons for missing an assignment ARE the most frequently encountered, then a reasonable alternative to the assumption that the people are lying is that the given reasons are genuine. What’s missing from this short and cynical passage is the actual statistics on missed assignments, that is, what proportion of assignments are actually missed. People DO get sick, people DO pass away, people DO have computer problems, people DO have Internet outages, and people DO have occasional domestic emergencies. I would guess that people who seek Mystery Shopping work are generally likely to have considerably less education and resources than those who run their own company. I believe the general tone of this article is quite unfair.
Pat
March 17, 2008
Hmmm. It would be interesting to know what percentage of those who accept a job don’t do it. And even more interesting to know how many of these failures are from people who normally do a good job for the company.
Seems like if someone who has a good track record contacts you and gives a reason, it should be believed. But if it’s a new person or someone who has messed up on other jobs, then there might be less likelihood of believability.
Karen
http://become-a-secret-shopper.com
Karen
March 24, 2008
We’ve head it all before. Staff become de-sensitised and may even seem unsympathetic when something really does happen….. SO ya head it all aye, thought l’d tell ya
Terry
April 10, 2008
I run another mystery shopping company and this article reflects on our own experience.
All mystery shopping companies keep track of who does what and how many times they let you down. Most companies have a policy to stick to their people and this includes our panel of assessors.
We are therefore quite happy to listen, empathise and provide support when needed. We also are prepared to forget and move on when our assessors do forget about their assignments - up to a point. When a person does let you down regularly, we simply do not have the time to keep giving them another chance.
But before a company terminates a record on their system, one assessor would need to cause a lot of damage over a significant period of time.
Nat
May 6, 2008