Like A Mystery Shopper

by Matt Liasse, Field Staff Coordinator

Mystery shopping is a way to provide companies with vital information on customer experience. It’s also a way for someone to get paid while running an everyday errand. Below are five tips to remember while trekking on a mystery shopping endeavor.

Like you’re in school, think ahead.

When I was in school, there were plenty nights I crammed the night before an exam. Sometimes I would try to rush a paper done the morning it was due. When leaving tasks for the last minute, important details can be missed. The same goes for mystery shopping.

Plan for each shop that you do. Read over the guidelines in advance and make sure you know exactly what is expected. If there are any questions, create a dialog with your scheduler with enough time for possible back and forth. Go into a shop knowledgeable of expectations.

Like you’re on a mission, pay attention to detail.

There is no need to pretend to be a secret agent; just act natural. If you are going into a restaurant, don’t be stressed over all the things you need to remember. Just act like it’s a normal outing but be observant. Make sure you note what details (names, times) to report on.

Like a friend, remember names.

Most shops will require a photo of the location or a business card. Always keep this in mind when completing a shop. Unfortunately, this minor detail can make or break your shop.

Always get the name of the employees you speak to, even if they do not have a nametag on. Ask for their name if you must; that does not give you away as a mystery shopper. You can say something like, “Oh, you’ve been really helpful. What was your name again?” The clients use your reports to reward or coach the employees that you mention, so it’s important that they know exactly who it is you are referring to.

Like a millennial, keep your phone in your hand.

These days, everyone has their phone in their hand. In all public spaces, you can easily spot someone texting, reading, scrolling, posting, tweeting, pinning, linking, snapping – it’s endless.

I wouldn’t recommend being on social media during a mystery shop, but you would benefit from keeping your phone out. You can text yourself notes or utilize a notepad app – this will help you not to forget important details. Because having a phone out is so common in 2019, it doesn’t give you away as a shopper if you do too.

Like a reporter, just record the facts.

No matter your experience, it’s easy to embellish when writing narratives. In order to be objective, act like a journalist covering a major event. Write everything that happened from start to finish. The reader should be able to clearly visualize your experience. Instead of writing, “the employee was not nice and I felt like I was bothering them,” say something like, “When I arrived at the location, it took 45 seconds for an employee to greet me.” The client is aware what is acceptable and what is not. You just have to state the facts.

The most important thing is that shoppers have fun. With IntelliShop, you can find yourself evaluating restaurants, sporting events, concerts, etc. … the possibilities are endless.