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2008 Educational Conference for Shoppers--Our 5-Year Anniversary!
5th Annual Educational Conference for Shoppers
Friday, July 18 - Sunday, July 20, 2008
Pittsburgh, PA
Westin Hotel
Guest Room Rate: $119
Conference Registration: $175.00
To help pay your expenses we have decided to extend the discounted rate of 175.00
Register Now!
Program Registration Accommodations Transportation Gold Workshop
 If you've never been to an MSPA Annual Educational Conference for Shoppers, 2008 is the time to go! We'll celebrate the 5th Anniversary of the Educational Conference for Shoppers in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania! The program for the 2008 Conference is full of exciting and informative sessions, sure to make you a more productive shopper! You'll get tips on how to make your shop scheduling as efficient as possible to maximize your income! You'll hear from key schedulers, company owners, and other shoppers who will share their best ideas!
Located halfway between New York City and Chicago, Pittsburgh is within a two-hour flight or a day's drive of more than 70 percent of the U.S. population. Only two miles in diameter, Downtown Pittsburgh's size makes it easy to walk to retail stores, theatres, and restaurants. The city's diverse ethnic heritage inspires and influences the flavors found at a wide range of restaurants from casual to five-star. Cultural highlights include the always interesting Andy Warhol Museum, the Carnegie Museums of Art and Natural History, and live theatre, dance and music at five theaters in the city's Cultural District. Across the river from Downtown are Station Square and the South Side, where the night life never stops. The summer's hottest concerts are held at the Chevrolet Amphitheatre and the new SouthSide Works is worth a visit with its coffeehouses, excellent shopping, eateries and 10-screen cinema.
In 2008, Pittsburgh will be celebrating its 250th anniversary and many events are planned to coincide with the celebration. In addition, several historical and beautification projects will be completed in time for the Conference…adding additional reasons to visit this unique city with a breathtaking skyline, sparkling clean rivers and magnificent architecture.
While there are many shoppers who have yet to attend their first MSPA Educational Conference for Shoppers, there are some who have been to every one! And those who have attended all 5 will receive special recognition at the Saturday night banquet, which will be a great anniversary celebration! So, make your plans now to attend.
Program
The program features a mix of professional speakers, mystery shopping company executives and owners, and others with expertise that you will want to hear!
In addition to shopping-specific sessions, we'll hear the programs that are sure to both entertain you and give you the tools you need to be on top of your shops! Below you will find details of the full program.
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Friday, July 18 |
| 5pm - 8pm | Welcome Reception and Exhibits
Visit with mystery shopping company representatives and companies that supply products and services to the industry. Visit with old friends and meet new ones while enjoying delicious food and beverages. |
| Saturday, July 19 |
| 7am | Registration |
| 7am | Continental Breakfast |
| 8am - 8:55am | Opening General Session
Christopher Warzynski, President, MSPA North America, will welcome attendees to the 5th Annual Educational Conference for Shoppers. An update of "state of the mystery shopping industry" will be presented, the MSPA Board of Directors introduced and an overview of the Conference will be given. |
| 9am - 9:55am |  General Session
Business Etiquette and Netiquette
Colleen Rickenbacher, CMP, CSEP, CPC
Have you ever wondered if you just picked up your dining partner's napkin or drank his coffee? How are your communication skills with cell phones, Blackberrys and E-Mails? Do you work a room to your best advantage or do you go to just eat and drink? First impressions of dress, exchanging business cards, shaking hands and proper introductions - all can and will make the difference. Learn tips and these important differences to set you apart from your competition. Colleen will lead you through a fun and entertaining etiquette crash course with great interaction and experience immediate changes to all day-to-day activities.
| | 10am | Refreshment Break |
| 10:30am - 11:20am | General Session
The Virtual Office: Working from Home
Colleen Rickenbacher CMP, CSEP, CPC
Are you considering moving to a home office or are you already there? No matter your status, some rules and guidelines still apply. Do you have a location for your office and not the kitchen table? Do you have the funds to make this move? The discipline to work on your own? Will you miss the break room socializing? You need to consider all the options and changes that will happen with a virtual/home office set-up. Join Colleen, who has been conducting business from a home office for almost 20 years, to learn all the tips and do's and don'ts. |
| 11:30am - 12:30pm | Luncheon
A great opportunity to meet other shoppers and visit with mystery shopping company representatives while enjoying a delicious lunch. |
| 12:45pm - 1:35pm | Concurrent Session I
Casino and Cruise Ship Shopping
Patty Bray, Service Sleuth
Free cruise, free airfare and gamble with someone else's money! Learn how to get these DREAM JOBS! Find out how to become one of the select few chosen to go on a Cruise Casino shop! |
| 12:45pm - 1:35pm | Concurrent Session II
How to Serve the Actual Client
Peter Thorwarth, BMA Mystery Shopping
Mystery shopping companies value shoppers who make their firm look good to the actual client (the retail chain, for example). This session will help you know what to do (and what not to do) in order to please their clients. The result should be more shops for you. |
| 12:45pm - 1:35pm | Concurrent Session III
Video Mystery Shopping
Scott Doering, Ann Michaels & Associates, Inc.
Video shopping is gaining popularity in the industry. From general tips and instruction to hands on opportunities, this session will teach you how to conduct video shops with confidence. A question and answer session will be included. This is an excellent training session for those interested in video mystery shopping. |
| 1:45pm - 2:35pm | Concurrent Session I
Loss Prevention and Special Audits
Mike Mershimer, The Mershimer Group
Learn more about specialty shopping and auditing projects, including revealed audits, loss prevention visits, and franchise consulting. Learn what qualifications and experience is required to conduct these projects. |
| 1:45pm - 2:35pm | Concurrent Session II
Shopping Restaurants
Brian Caldwell, Cami Roth, IntelliShop
Casual to fine dining…this session will cover the in's and out's of shopping restaurants. |
| 1:45pm - 2:35pm | Concurrent Session III
How to Score Superior Ratings on your Reports
Amy Fiser, Second-to-None ,Inc.; Lorie Sweet, Beyond Hello, Inc.
This session will outline the fine points that are looked at when reviewers/editors score an evaluation and examine what elements a superior evaluation has. We will discuss common mistakes that often keep an evaluation from obtaining the highest possible rating and review tips for avoiding errors. |
| 2:40pm | Refreshment Break |
| 3pm - 3:50pm | Concurrent Session I
Getting More Shops Using JobSlinger/SASSIE: Confidential!
John Hsu,Surfmerchants
This session will answer the questions: how can I find hot shops without clawing through hundreds of job boards and emails? Publicly establish myself as a serious shopper? Save gas by grouping shops together? Get answers and witness the first sneak preview of the JobSlinger Plus at this lively session. |
| 3pm - 3:50pm | Concurrent Session II
Shopper Idol: Learn from the Award Winning Shoppers of our Industry
Amanda Benson, Customer Service Experts, Inc.
What makes a top shopper tick? What are the keys to success in becoming a top rated and IDOLIZED shopper? Hear it from the pros! Meet a panel of award winning shoppers! "Shopper Idols" will share their secrets and answer questions on how to achieve star status! |
| 3pm - 3:50pm | Concurrent Session III
Medical Mystery Shopping: Diagnosing the Patient Experience
Kristin Baird, Baird Consulting, Inc.
Mystery shopping is taking the health care industry by storm. Although health care professionals are great at diagnosing medical conditions, they often need help in seeing through their patient's eyes. Learn how hospitals, clinics and long term care organizations are using mystery shoppers to improve customer service. Participants will learn what health care mystery shopping companies look for in choosing the best shoppers and what is expected of the mystery "patient". |
| 4pm - 4:50pm | Concurrent Session I
Using ClientSmart Features to Find Shops, Complete Shops and More!
Kimberly Peterson, ClientSmart
This session offers a great opportunity to learn about ClientSmart. We are adding new mystery shopping companies monthly so be ready to shop on ClientSmart. You will be provided with all the tools needed to be a successful shopper with our clients and given the opportunity to request features for upcoming release! |
| 4pm - 4:50pm | Concurrent Session II
Smart Shopping: Ways to Increase your Profits!
Susan Seiler, Market Force Information
This session will explore creative and common sense ways to save money on shops, thereby increasing profits. Lots of money-saving tips and suggestions will be shared. Attendees will have an opportunity to share their own tips about ways to economize. As a business owner, you understand that improving the bottom line, maximizing profits, is critical. Ways to improve your bottom line will be explored. |
| 4pm - 4:50pm | Concurrent Session III
Raise Your Game: A Guide to Improving Your Shopping Effectiveness
Allyson White, Coast to Coast Scheduling Services
This session will provide a wealth of tidbits mystery shoppers can use when shopping. This toolkit of tips will show shoppers how to overcome a bad shopping experience as well as how to replicate a good shopping experience. Learn how powerhouse shoppers have stepped out of their comfort zones and placed themselves at the top of the "shopping chain". Enjoy a few laughs from some mystery shopper BLOOPERS and learn how to avoid the same embarrassing moments. Come learn, enjoy and stay to see if you win the big PRIZE this workshop has to offer!! |
| 6:30pm |  Annual Awards Banquet
Entertainment
Theatre of the Mind
Robert Priest
The "Theater Of The Mind" show is a thought provoking entertainment event. The show is a skilled blend of mind reading and thoughtful comedy, an act alive with action, laughs, and mental challenges. Robert Priest uses the entertaining thoughts of his audience to make the audience members the stars of the show. Audiences are amazed as he seems to pull words and thoughts from their minds - information he could not possibly have any way of knowing before hand. It's smart, full of mystery, sophisticated, and fun. Prepare yourselves to experience the world of Extra Sensory Perception, live on stage.
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| Sunday, July 20 |
| 7am - 1pm | Registration |
| 7:30am | Continental Breakfast |
| 8:30am - 9:20am | Concurrent Session I
Working with Schedulers
Sabrina Boone; Lana Lenzini, KSS International
Catch a behind the scenes glimpse of a scheduler's daily routine. Learn key aspects of building and maintaining relationships with schedulers to increase the profitability of your mystery shopping business. Discover the secret to becoming everyone's "Go-To-Shopper". Gain knowledge of processes that are rarely discussed on the shopper level. Presenters will share with you what and what not to do to transform your mystery shopping hobby into a serious shopping career. |
| 8:30am - 9:20am | Concurrent Session II
Being the Best Shopper for Banks
Nancy Draude, Draude Marketing/PerformanceChek Mystery Shopping
This session will cover how banks think and what defines a really great shop. Learn behind the scenes issues that make shopping banks both exciting and challenging and how you can become known as a "shopper of choice" for companies that specialize in banks. Tips to help you "get beyond the teller" for a platform/CSR shop and how not to give yourself away as a shopper to a savvy bank teller, will be shared. This session will be active, fun and informative! |
| 9:30am - 10:20am | Concurrent Session I
Conversation with Companies
Lorrie Kern, KSS International, Moderator
Panelists: Carl Phillips, Customer 1st; Arcadio Roselli, Service Evaluation Concepts; Christopher Warzynski, Beyond Hello, Inc.
This session will give attendees an overview of the inner workings of mystery shopping companies, what they look for in a shopper and current trends in the industry. Time will also be allotted for questions and answers. |
| 9:30am - 10:20am | Concurrent Session II
Certification: Why we need it and you should have it
Tom Mills, Service Sleuth
Certification has changed greatly over the past year. We will discuss why the changes were made, what they mean to mystery shopping companies, what they mean to shoppers, and what is planned for the future. |
| 10:25am | Refreshment Break |
| 10:45am - 11:35am |  General Session
Scambusting! Stop the Crooks and Protect Yourself
Cathy Stucker, Special Interests
Think you know all about mystery shopping scams? "Get rich as a shopper", or "cash this check and wire the proceeds to Canada", schemes are not mystery shopping. They not only harm their victims, but the mystery shopping industry and all of us, too. But they are just a part the story. Discover new scams and security threats - such as phishing, pharming, and sniffing - that can catch even the most savvy shoppers unaware. Learn how these scams work and what you can do to protect yourself and other shoppers from the bad guys, as well as keeping your computer safe from prying eyes. |
| 11:40am - 12:30pm | General Session
"Conference Wrap-Up"
Christopher Warzynski, Beyond Hello, Inc. |
Registration
Click here to register now. Conference Registration Fees: $175
Accommodations
The Westin Pittsburgh
1000 Penn Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15222
412-281-3700
Click here to reserve your room online from the MSPA block.
The Westin Hotel is located in the heart of compact, safe and walkable downtown Pittsburgh where you will find a sizzling mix of culture, shopping, nightlife and restaurants. Pittsburgh ranks as one of the safest cities in the nation.
The Westin Hotel is offering a special rate for Educational Conference attendees of $119 per night (single/double/triple/quad) plus 14% tax. Cut-off date for reservations at the discounted rate is Monday, June 23. Reservations received after June 23, will be filled on a space available basis. Discounted rates will be honored 2 days prior/2 days after Conference dates.
To make reservations, contact the hotel directly at 412-281-3700 and be sure to identify that you will be attending the MSPA Annual Educational Conference for Shoppers to receive the special guaranteed rate.
Airport and Transportation
 Pittsburgh International Airport is rated among the top airports in the U.S. The airport is served by over two dozen air carriers.
American Airlines is offering discounted fares to Pittsburgh International Airport from July 13 - July 23, 2008. To book your reservation on American Airlines, American Eagle and AmericanConnection, call the Meeting Services Desk at 1-800-433-1790 ($10 additional fee will apply) or book directly on-line at www.aa.com (no additional fee). After selecting your flight(s), under the "Enter Passenger Details" tab, go to the "AA.com Discount Code" field and enter A8978AJ. Simply click on www.aa.com to book your flights.
Express Shuttle USA (412-472-3180) provides transportation to/from the airport and the Westin Hotel at a charge of $20 one way/$35 round trip.
Weekdays/Sunday: 7am - 11pm every hour on the half hour; Saturdays: 7am - 9pm
For those worried about parking: The hotel has assured us that though the parking garage will be under contruction, they will have plenty of spaces available for those who are driving in.
Gold WorkshopWe are also very excited to be including a Gold Workshop in Pittsburgh on Friday, July 18th from 9-4, just prior to the conference start. The Gold Workshop is a separate event and you need to register for this at this location: Gold Workshop Registration
Photos from Last Year's Shoppers Conference!
Grapevine Texas
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