shopperpro

So there I was this morning trying to figure out a route for the dozen shops I have scheduled for next week when it hit me. When I was listing the basic tools for shoppers I left out one of the most important - mapping software. If you can’t find it you can’t shop it - it’s as simple as that.

It doesn’t matter what you use as long as it gets you there. Obviously the best choice here is some form of in car navigation device. Since I do so few shops, usually anyway, it wasn’t really worth the expense for me to purchase one. I tend to go more on the Google Maps or Mapquest route. I do tend to favor Google Maps, well at least ever since Mapquest tried to send me the wrong way up a one-way street. Please keep in mind that whatever option you choose they are not infallible. I had a set of directions last week that took me on a half mile U-turn. Use your common sense. It should go without saying that you need to enter in the correct address.

Speaking of the correct address - you have your shop, and your shop information. The location name, address, and phone number should be listed somewhere near the top of your shop forms. When I am assigned to shop a new location the first thing I do is make a quick Google search to find that company’s website. By utilizing the ’store/location finder’ feature I can make sure the address I have received is the correct one. This happens more than you think. This way if there is a discrepancy I have plenty of time to contact my scheduler to verify the location instead of trying to do it all at the last minute.

Verifying your address is particularly important if the location you are assigned is in a mall. While malls tend to have only one Sears or Macy’s, what about Verizon dealers? Is it a Verizon store or a Circuit City that is a registered Verizon dealer? Make SURE you are shopping the correct location. While this is always important, I’ve found that any cell phone shop, particularly in a mall, can be a little troublesome. I was once assigned a cell phone shop in a mall. I called the location to get directions to it, and the directions I received led me to a strip of kiosks in the center of the mall that were all selling cell phones. So which one was the right one to shop? I ended up verifying the address, and more importantly the space number, with mall information.

Okay, now my address and location have been verified so what’s my next step? I head over to my little direction finder and enter in my addresses so it can plan a nice little route for me. Next week I have several shops that need to be completed. Since six of them are in close proximity I’ve already popped all of the addresses into Google and figured out that it will take me a total of 58 minutes just to travel a circle from home to shops to back home. So now I know it’s at least theoretically possible to get all of them done in the same day, while keeping me out of rush hour and leaving time to do the reports.

This is what shoppers mean by ‘bundling’ shops. A bundle of shops usually means a block or bunch of shops that are all different companies/locations, but contained within a relatively small geographic area. Bundling your shops makes good sense - the more shops you do the more money you earn and if they’re in a bundle travel time is less.

The end of the month is usually when you see shops that have bonuses offered. These are shops that are more than likely in a rural area. I see a shop that looks particularly attractive I’ll do a search to see what else is available in the area. Just one shop + bonus might not be worth it to drive out an hour and back, but if I can pick up two or three more shops in the same area, it might be a very profitable trip.