What is Mystery Shopping?

Do you love to shop?

If so, you may be tempted by unsolicited emails or radio and newspaper ads that

claim you can earn a living as a secret or mystery shopper by dining at elegant

restaurants, shopping at pricey stores, or checking into luxurious hotels.

  Before you send your hard earned cash to these hucksters, check out the following

information, that way you can make an informed, intelligent decision about becoming

a professional mystery shopper.

Mystery Shopping is a tool used by businesses to make sure that their employees

are performing at the levels required to make sure that good customer service and

company policies are being followed. Mystery Shopping is a legitimate industry and mystery shoppers are independent contracted professionals who work for the money they make. You can earn a good part time and even a full time income as a shopper if you want. Yes, you can really get paid to shop.

 In today's extremely competitive business environment, those companies which fail to provide excellent service will surely not survive. Studies have shown that a satisfied customer will tell three other people about his experience. A dis-satisfied customer will tell ten to twelve people. Not only do companies face loss of business from poor service, the actions of their employees may even cause them to be sued by customers or fined by the government. With so much at stake, you, as a mystery shopper, can provide a
valuable and essential service by identifying potential problems which the business owner can correct before they result in a major liability.

The big question that every business needs to have answered is:

How does a front-line employee treat a customer when no one is looking?

In any business environment, the reality is that employees will put on their best

performance when they know they are under the watchful eyes of management.

Unfortunately this is not a perfect world and ownership or management is not always

present. The question then becomes, how does any owner/manager know what is

happening when they are not present? How do they know if the trained policies and

procedures are really being practiced?

The answer to these questions is quite simple, they don't. A business cannot assume

that all employees are complying with the Non-Negotiable Standards set forth for that business. This premise is the fundamental building block of mystery shopping...

Mystery Shopping provides insight which is achieved without the bias that can

accompany internal self-assessment and provides a clearer, more accurate picture of the customers’ experience.

Mystery Shopping is only effective when the information gathered is objective and

valid... The mystery shopper reports a factual performance audit that empowers front-line management. There is either compliance or non-compliance with policies,

procedures and operations. Many companies hire marketing research companies to evaluate the quality of service in their stores, on the telephone and use of their website and these companies use mystery shoppers to get the information anonymously. They assign a mystery shopper to make a particular purchase in a store or restaurant, telephone for customer service or visit their website for customer support, for example, and then report on the experience. Typically, the shopper is reimbursed for required purchases, can keep the product or service, and receives a shopper fee.

 Many professionals in the field consider mystery shopping a part-time activity, at best. Opportunities for mystery shopping are generally posted online by mystery shopping or merchandising companies. Nevertheless, fraudulent mystery shopping promoters are using newspaper ads, TV and emails to create the impression that they’re a gateway to lucrative mystery shopper jobs with reputable companies.

These solicitations usually promote a website where consumers can “register” to

become mystery shoppers — after they pay a fee for information about a certification

program, a directory of mystery shopping companies, or a guarantee of a mystery

shopping job. The truth is that it is unnecessary to pay money to anyone to get into the mystery shopping business. The shopping certification offered in advertising or unsolicited email is almost always worthless.

A list of companies that hire mystery shoppers is available for free; and legitimate

mystery shopper jobs are on the Internet for free. Consumers who try to get a refund

from promoters of mystery shopping jobs usually are out of luck. Either the business

doesn’t return the phone calls, or if it does, it’s to try another pitch. Guard your money and run away as fast as you can from these bogus offers.

As a mystery shopper, you will be contracted to evaluate an establishment and report your findings to the mystery shopping company or client who hired you.

Your job will be to monitor the sales environment for compliance of corporate

standards. These are standards that may include policy, procedure, execution,

behavior, customer service, merchandise display, product promotion, and pricing.

Non-negotiable standards are extremely important to the success of the client

company and therefore cannot be compromised.

Your mystery shopper report must be void of perception, speculation or opinion, or

the very same people it is designed to help will challenge the integrity and credibility

of your report, and it may be thrown out and, worse, you may not get paid and no one wants to work for free... This does not mean that perceptions or opinions are not valid. Sometimes you are asked to give your opinion on how you felt, or what you thought, and these observations are relevant to service behaviours and issues that simply fall outside the scope of the standard or non- negotiable questions asked.

These standards establish the behaviours by which performance is measured. There

can be no “opinion” or “perception” as to whether the employee complied with

business policies and expectations. When behaviours can be observed, they can be

measured, which means they can be monitored.

The mystery shopping factual report is a tool used to measure, monitor, and maintain

corporate standards of expectation, compliance, and performance.

Why Use Mystery Shoppers?

Although Mystery shopping is both enjoyable and interesting, it is also a very serious

business. Being a mystery shopper is your opportunity to impact change for all types

of customer service. Mystery shoppers are used in almost all industries, including department stores, retail specialty stores, convenience stores, grocery stores, fast food restaurants, automotive facilities, high end jewelry stores, high end beauty stores, restaurants and financial institutions.

Companies make important decisions based on the data supplied via your mystery

shopping reports and the results are used as vital components in reviewing and

assessing employees and management, and can affect the future of an individual

and an organization as a whole. Clients use the information received to reward

employees who are meeting or exceeding expectations and to coach and encourage

employees who are having difficulty complying with expectations.

It is not a spy mechanism designed to catch people doing things wrong.

Mystery shopper reports are also used to point out positive things. Shopper findings

are used to help identify store locations and employees who are due rewards for

outstanding customer service or store cleanliness. Mystery shoppers are sometimes

even allowed to reward employees on the spot for meeting certain criteria. It is a great feeling for you as a shopper to hand an employee a certificate for a paid

day off, or other reward determined by their management for doing a great job!

Because the general shopping population is comprised of all kinds of different

people, virtually anyone can be a secret shopper.

Shopping can be especially appealing for those individuals who desire to improve customer service and product quality, as their factual reports are taken seriously. Of course, the idea of getting paid to shop while getting free meals, services and

merchandise is also very appealing.

The business world is very competitive and companies are constantly searching for

ways to improve their customer service and the quality of their products. Companies

that care want to know what their customers think; they want to be informed of things

that need improving. Armed with the right information, businesses can make necessary improvements. Shopper findings are sometimes used in future employee training, to improve business operations, to improve product quality and to compare one location’s performance to another.

How Can You Avoid Mystery Shopping Scams?

The truth is that it is unnecessary to pay money to anyone to get into the mystery

shopper business. The shopping certification offered in advertising or unsolicited

email is almost always worthless. A list of companies that hire mystery shoppers is available for free; and legitimate mystery shopper jobs are on the Internet for free. Legitimate mystery shopping for a legitimate company doesn’t cost anything. Here’s how to do it:

How do I know what companies are legitimate?

Search the Internet for mystery shopping companies that are accepting applications.

Legitimate companies don’t charge an application fee. Most accept applications

online. Do some homework about mystery shopping. Check the internet, libraries or

bookstores for tips on how to find companies hiring mystery shoppers, and see our

tips on how to do the job effectively.

Visit the Mystery Shopping Providers Association (MSPA) website at

www.mysteryshop.org  for information on how to register to be a mystery shopper with a MSPA-member company, a database of available jobs, and additional information on the industry in general.

In the meantime, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) in the U.S. says, consumers should be sceptical of mystery shopping promoters who:

§  Advertise for mystery shoppers in a newspaper’s ‘help wanted’ section or by

      email. While it may appear as if these companies are hiring mystery shoppers,

      it’s much more likely that they’re pitching unnecessary — and possibly bogus

      — mystery shopping “services.”

§  Sell “certification.” Companies that use mystery shoppers generally do not

          require certification.

§  Guarantee a job as a mystery shopper.

§  Charge a fee for access to mystery shopping opportunities.

§  Sell directories of companies that provide mystery shoppers.

As a consumer in the United States, you can file a complaint with your local consumer protection agency, the Better Business Bureau, your state Attorney General, or the FTC (www.ftc.gov) If you think you have encountered a mystery shopping scam.