Agreed. I now download the isecretshop spreadsheet and keep it for tracking and it really helps!

I recently realized that the phone shops that are recorded are available for us to listen to after the call is done. I had no idea! Is it available for all recorded shops? I hate to admit, but I have a tough time remembering most of my recorded phone conversations once I hang up. You can see this is a problem when I'm completing the report. A lot of times the MSP would send a shop back to me to fix my report because my total talk time would be wrong, or start time or end time is wrong, or number of rings wrong, or I forgot the exact verbiage from a greeting or closure of a call. I never understood how people remembered all of this when you're doing a phone shop because you can't take much notes when on these calls. Now that I can listen to my calls after hanging up, I'm able to complete my report with so much more details and confidence!

Hi there, I'm Tara and I'm from the New Jersey shore area, specifically central New Jersey.

I didn't know that they ask for your kids information. Where do they ask for this? Thanks!

Hi Arpana, I was worried about this too! I was a mortgage processor and underwriter for almost 15 years and we used lexis nexus and other verification services on every borrower the minute we started processing their loan application. Most people came back with flags because of small stuff like you said the name variations, incorrect address history, wrong spelling on credit reports, similar people in same area, etc. That's why I'm hesitant as well. When I got married I kept my maiden name but when I had my daughter ten years ago, I legally changed my last name so we had the same names. However, dmv wouldn't allow my last name to be changed on my license unless I had a court document because I waited more than a year after I got married. It's apparently a nj law. How ridiculous is that! So social security has my legal last name as my married name but dmv has my last name as my maiden name. When I go for job interviews I just have to show my birth certificate a d my marriage license along with my driver's license. I just refuse to pay 250. 00 to a court judge to legally change my last name! Lol

Ohhh ok! That's interesting!

Maybe no dashes or other symbols such as instead of (111)122-3333 use 1234567890

Just guessing here! Otherwise I'd submit a ticket :)

Hi Candace! There was a few months back in May and June I guess (can't remember now) that a ton of web/phone shops were available. Not right now though... It comes in waves I guess :)

Candace_15211973559854 @ Jun 2, 2018 10:22:08 AM

Tara_NJ @ May 27, 2018 5:25:57 PM

I am getting really frustrated with the time it is taking to try and apply for shops that are listed as available only to pop up as taken. It's really starting to take a toll on my patience. Why can't available shops just show dates available? Why do we have to play the guessing game when trying to apply for available shops? 98% of the 220+ available web and phone shops listed as available right now actually aren't available. It takes me literally at least an hour to go through the web and phone shops just to find out most if not all are already scheduled and not available. Why do we have to go clicking through every date listed as available on each shop just to get a pop up stating "Another shopper is already assigned to perform this shop, please choose a date x days apart"?

I've actually stopped trying to apply for shops at the end of the month as soon as I see the pop ups starting because it so time consuming and fruitless.

I know people in this forum have suggested emailing the scheduler/msp and just request one of the available shops. I've done that especially this past week and never got a reply. I know they're crazy busy at this time of month but seriously this is really a problem.

Thanks for listening to me vent! I know I'm a bit cranky right now but I'm trying to apply for shops which should be the easy part and it's turning into the hardest.

How do you find that many web shops? Thank you.

Lmao! I really wish I knew sooner... But honestly I was using the iSS app 100% of the time so I never saw the recording attachment : it doesn't show up on the app (at least for me), only on the website.

I hope so too! Fingers crossed here as well!

Ivan @ Aug 21, 2018 2:28:25 PM

Thanks for sharing Tara!

Fingers crossed that dozens more MSPs decide to use iSecretShop as their shopping platform, giving everyone here more choices!