What are some of the most desired attributes in a mystery shopper?
Someone who accepts full responsibility for completing a project on time, including timely responses for corrections or clarifications; someone who upholds that all details surrounding any mystery shopping project must remain confidential, and that communication of project details remain strictly between Pinnacle Financial Strategies and the Independent Contractor; someone who reads/reviews all shopping instructions in advance and questions their scheduler on any unclear points prior to conducting the shop; someone who "keeps the mystery in the shopping" by not divulging their identity; someone who reads, understands and practices the spirit and intent of their Independent Contractor's Agreement.

As a shopper, will I be an employee of Pinnacle Financial Strategies?
No. All shoppers are self-employed Independent Contractors.

What is an Independent Contractor?
The specific and legal attributes of an Independent Contractor are fully disclosed in the Independent Contractor's Agreement that is included in the shopper registration process. In order to register as a shopper, you must click "I agree" to the contents of the Agreement. It's important that you read that Agreement in its entirety.

Will I be required to sign a confidentiality agreement?
Yes. As a shopper you will be required to sign a confidentiality agreement when registering online.

Are you affiliated with Shadow Shopper?
No, Pinnacle Financial Strategies is not affiliated with Shadow Shopper; however, we are often asked that question since we sometimes recruit shoppers who are registered with that organization.

How often do I need to update my contact information?
Your contact information should be updated immediately if you have a change in your home address, phone number or e-mail address. E-mail is our primary mode of correspondence! We utilize e-mail for questions regarding your shops and/or last minute assignments. A shopper who does not maintain updated contact information will not be eligible for future assignments.

When will I receive payment and how will I be paid?
We pay once per month on the 10th of the month via PayPal. Shops completed and reviewed by the 20th of the month, will be paid via PayPal on the 10th of the following month. Shoppers will be notified via e-mail that a payment has been made to their PayPal account.

I do not have a PayPal account; can I be paid by check?
No, Pinnacle Financial Strategies only pays shoppers via PayPal. We do not issue checks.

How often can I expect assignments?
This depends on where you live, your shopper rating, quality of shop reporting, etc. It is possible that ongoing Teller assignments are available in your area; please contact your scheduler.

I just submitted my shop for review, now what?
Your shop will be processed through a Quality Assurance process. If anything requires clarification, someone from PROS will contact you. After submitting your report, please check your e-mail and your shopper log daily to ensure that you can provide us with a timely response to any questions or requests for documentation that may arise. You will be asked to maintain your shopping notes, receipts, business cards, etc., for up to sixty days. It will be your responsibility as an Independent Contractor to provide such information if needed during that time period.

Can you help me understand my shopper log?
Your shopper log consists of nine columns.

1. The 1st column, Status/Job ID, reflects the status of each shop and the Shop ID. Always include your Shop ID with any faxed or e-mailed correspondence or supportive documentation.
2. The 2nd column, Actions, contains your survey, shop guidelines and a HELP area in case you need to contact your scheduler.
3. The 3rd column, Shop Due Date, shows the date your shop is due to PROS. You should check the due date each time you accept an assignment and advise your scheduler if you feel that you cannot comply with the time frame.
4. The 4th column, Survey Submit Date, shows the date you submitted a shop.
5. The 5th column, Don't Shop Before, reflects the date that you can begin the assignment.
6. The 6th column, Company Survey Location, shows the name and address of the location where your assignment is to be conducted.
7. The 7th column, Shop Fees, shows the payment that you will receive for the shop and if payment has been made to your PayPal account for that assignment.
8. The 8th column, Shop Rating, shows the grade that you received on your specific assignment. The highest possible grade is 10 points. All shoppers receive a grade of 5 when they first sign up with PROS.
9. The 9th column shows any correspondence sent to you through the Sassie system.