E-Mail 'Paparazzi? Stress level: 8.5' To A Friend

4 thoughts on “Paparazzi? Stress level: 8.5”

1. Shoot, I mean, all she needed to do is come in and say, “Hi, I’m Jane Doe. Can I talk to a manager or owner?” Yes, he’s out smoking and will be back in a minute. Owner walks in, “Hi, I’m Jane Doe. I help promote businesses using Gigwalk.” …my wife handles all that kind of info, she’ll be back in tomorrow or you can contact her via the email on our website. “Okay.” Then contact me. I would ask some questions to get more info and let her know that we’ll handle the photos in house ourselves. End of story. That’s how it should’ve gone. Instead she claims to be an employee of Bing, then an independent contractor of Bing who is also a stay-at-home mom, two stories of who she is, doesn’t introduce herself at all, and continues snapping pictures all over the store of things that people don’t normally take pictures of. When she’s questioned she calls the owner curse names and rude. Who’s being rude?! *sigh*

   So now I have (1) filed a harassment report with the Federal Way Police Department giving her license plate number and reference to her Yelp account & complaint, and (2) talked to the CEO of Gigwalk. Gigwalk is doing what they can to make sure this kind of situation doesn’t happen again and to request that she remove the bad review from Yelp. In over a million Gigwalks, this is the second complaint they’ve had of this nature. And I’m the lucky one to have to deal with it. They will be reposting my business job for someone else. I appreciate their concern for professionalism.

2. Gigwalk looks super cool. A super easy way to make a little extra money if you’re already out and about. If you’re working these Gigwalk jobs, may I suggest the following:

   * Ask to talk to a owner/manager upon arrival. Employees don’t necessarily have permission to give you rights to photograph inside the establishment.
   * Introduce yourself: Give your full name and credentials.
   * Show n Tell: Pull out your iPhone or Android and show the owner how you’ll be promoting their business at no charge to them.
   * Don’t take photos until you’ve received permission from the owner/manager.
   * If the owner/manager expresses concerns, don’t proceed.
   * Don’t cuss at or name call if the owner/manager has some objection to you taking photos of their premises.
   * If the owner/manager has an objection to your completion of the gig on their premises, don’t badmouth them on Yelp or any other review website.

3. well, she didn’t comply with Gigwalk’s standards … perhaps you can provide ‘feedback’ on her Gigwalk profile …

   “Collaborate with the customer to complete the required tasks and get paid.”

   “Reputation Counts: Uniquely You
   Build your profile to let businesses know what you can do.

   Feedback from Customers
   Get rated by customers & receive endorsements for your great work.

   1. Leslie, I had every intention of leaving feedback on the woman’s Gigwalk profile, if I could find it. Gigwalk is protecting her identity, which is understandable, and though they said they would remove the job she submitted on my business, it has now been six days and I have seen nothing indicating this has been done. The job hasn’t yet been reposted per my request.

      She did remove her slam against my business on Yelp, at the request of Gigwalk’s CEO.

      I’m still feeling mortified that she felt privileged to take photos inside a private business for personal gain without the owners permission… and then to verbally attack the owner while continuing to take photos. Total disrespect.

      There’s nothing quite like being verbally attacked in your own place if business. It makes you gun-shy and apprehensive.

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