Mystery Shopping? Really?

Last Updated on Thursday, 15 October 2009 06:45 Written by Administrator Friday, 04 September 2009 12:14

I am sure that if you have been doing research on ways to earn money online, you may have come across something called, "Mystery Shopping". The title of "Mystery Shopping" is intriguing enough for me to want to know more, however, it is also bombarded by red flags. While the name is a little bit eccentric, the actual concept of mystery shopping is pretty straight forward. In a nutshell, anonymous individuals' services are procured by a business in an attempt by the company to assess the customer service, quality, appearance, etc., of their employees, without the employees knowing that they are being assessed.

While I am not an expert on Mystery Shopping, I have compiled a list of the "Things to Do", and the "Things to Avoid", when it comes to Mystery Shopping, based on my observation of the "sport".

Things To Do

• Always conduct your own due diligence. In other words, educate yourself on exactly what you are getting in to before getting in becoming involved in anything, including Mystery Shopping.

• Make sure that you ask up front, "What's in it for me?". Inquire about what you will be getting in return, when you will be expected to shop, and if you are expected to incur any out-of-pocket expenses.

• Reputation is key. Make sure that you sign up with a Mystery Shopping Company who has a high reputation in the industry, and is known for adequately training their shoppers.

• If you are unable to shop due to unforseen circumstances, make sure that you notify your Mystery Shopping Company immediately so that they can find a replacement. This could be the difference between getting future assignments, and getting cut.

• Make absolutely sure that you know the instructions which you are given by your Mystery Shopping Company inside and out, and follow them precisely the way the company intends.

• When filling out the report, be sure that you are answering the questions posed with precision. Make sure that you are responsive to the scope of the question, and that your responses are error free.

• Only state your opinion if you are asked to state your opinion. Otherwise, just keep with answering the question which has been posed.

• Always visit the store at a point where the employees are at their busiest. This is when customer service tends to drop, if it were to drop at all.

• A Master Mystery Shopper will not bring anything but objectivity into the store with them. You must check your personal feelings, mood, and biases at the door.

• So that you do not forget important details, be sure to make a record of important facts, especially if they were specifically asked for by your Mystery Shopping Company.

Things To Avoid

• Avoid Mystery Shopping Companies who require that you incur out-of-pocket expenses, and do not provide training.

• Stay away from companies who make outlandish claims.

• If you know up front that you will not be able to complete a shopping assignment for whatever reason, avoid accepting it in the first place.

• Never discuss compensation after you undertake to complete a shopping assignement. This should always be discussed up front.

• Do not ever make up false excuses for incomplete tasks. This is a fairly small industry, and your name will become negatively associated with untrustworthiness.

• Never make exaggerated claims in your report to make it more interesting. Stick to the facts.

• Avoid ever carrying Mystery Shopping Forms into the store with you. This will be a dead giveaway, no longer making it a "mystery".

• Make sure that you protect your identity as a Mystery Shopper. Do not get caught spying.

While this website focuses on ways to earn money online and make money from home, you are bound to come across Mystery Shopping if you are researching these two terms. Furthermore, Mystery Shopping my become appealing to you at some point. The purpose of this article was to give you some insight on what Mystery Shopping involves, and how to do about it if you decide that Mystery Shopping is for you.

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