Helpful Hints on Becoming a Great Mystery Shopper
Helpful hints on how to become and effective, efficient mystery shopper
- Prepare yourself! Review both the guidelines and the blank report online thoroughly before visiting the facility. You must know what to look for. Some shops also require that you call our office to review the assignment with our staff. Please be sure to call during business hours, Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Central Time. If you call too late or wait until the last minute, you may not be able to review the assignment properly.
- Wait to upload your shop guidelines until the first day of your assignment window. For example, if you are assigned a shop to be completed between January 14 and January 25, please wait until January 14 to upload the guidelines. Some instructions change from month to month, and this way, you will ensure that you are reading the proper guidelines for the assignment you have received. If there is any contradiction or any doubt as to how the shop should be completed, please ask!
- Keep your contact information in your shop log current. Check that your telephone numbers and email address are correct so that, in the event that we need to contact you, we have the appropriate information to do so. If you know in advance that you will not be available at your usual contacts, please let us know as soon as possible. We can then either edit the shop more quickly or request an alternate way of reaching you if follow-up is needed. Remember that if we need additional information and are not able to get in touch with you, this can affect whether or not the shop is accepted.
- After submitting your report, plan to be available by both phone and email in case additional information is needed for the shop. In most cases, the report will be edited within two to four days of it being submitted, and if additional information is required, the editor will then contact you. If we cannot reach you by either phone or email, we may not be able to use the report, which also means that you will not be paid or reimbursed for the assignment. Responding to requests for additional information in a timely manner is appreciated as well.
- If you have any questions on any portion of an assignment (the dates, requirements, any of the instructions) PLEASE ASK! We are here to help you and to make sure that you have the tools to complete your assignment properly! Please do not hesitate to call our office or email us. There is no such thing as a silly question if it helps you understand the assignment more fully and allows you to complete it properly.
- Once you accept an assignment, you must complete it. Accepting an assignment and not completing the shop will result in your being removed from our database. If you find that you have accepted a shop and will not be able to complete it in the time frame specified, contact your scheduler IMMEDIATELY. Depending on the assignment, it may be possible for the dates to be extended. The sooner you contact your scheduler about any issues, the more likely it will be that you will maintain a positive record with the company. Communication is key, so do not be afraid to contact us if there is a problem in any way.
- When taking notes ( i.e. times and names):
- Pretend to make a telephone call and jot down notes while on the telephone.
- Take notes under the table, BUT PLEASE BE DISCREET. This usually only works if there is a long tablecloth that will cover what you are doing.
- Go to the restroom and write down notes
- Bring a crossword puzzle and write notes in the spaces. (Please do not do this for fine dining assignments. This is only for fast food or casual shops.)
- Put a tape recorder in your jacket or purse.
- Send a quick text message to your partner, or have your partner send you a message.
- If you have a Blackberry, PDA or other similar mobile device, jot down a note or two quickly and discreetly.
- As soon as you get to the parking lot, sit in the car and write down everything you can, or call and leave yourself a detailed message on your machine at home. If possible, print the report ahead of time and fill it out in your car, while the information is fresh in your mind. If you forgot something, like checking the restroom, you can sometimes run back in and do that. DO NOT bring the report inside with you! If anyone in the restaurant or store sees you with the form, the shop will be void.
- The most important thing to remember in almost all cases is NAMES. You must know the names of the people you encounter or have very good descriptions of them. Employees cannot be rewarded for good work if you do not mention who they were. When describing the employee, follow this format: race, gender, approximate age, height, hair color and style, and any distinguishing characteristics such as glasses, a beard, a mustache, etc. Do not mention weight or body build. You can get names from employees’ nametags or from your check, or you can ask another employee. If you feel comfortable, you can even ask the employee’s name in conversation, but please be subtle.
- If your assignment information indicates the number of guests required, please do not deviate from that number in any way. A shop for one guest is just that - for one person only. Many restaurant shops are for two adults only, and children may not accompany you. Please do not try to bring extra guests, meet people at the restaurant and ask for separate checks, or bring your children on a shop that specifically asks that adults only be present. If our client informs us that we have submitted false information about the number of guests, this will affect your future with our company.
- Watch everything around you. Are all guests getting good service, or just you? Are all guests paying for their drinks, or just you? How is the atmosphere? Are people having fun? Did you notice that six tables have dirty plates stacked up on them? Are servers and/or bartenders hiding in the corners or chatting with each other? Is the music appropriate? These are all important observations to make.
- Remember that your comments are the most important part of the evaluation. Make sure your narrative matches your answers to the questions in the evaluation and is clear, concise and objective. State facts, not opinions. Our job is to provide factual information for the clients, who will draw their own conclusions and make their own decisions based on that information. If you are not sure about an incident and cannot provide details, do not mention it. We must be able to back up what we report.
- A sample report is usually provided for each shop you do. Make sure your report resembles the sample in format, length and detail. Plagiarism of the sample will not be tolerated, and may jeopardize your future with Customer Impact. Your comments should never parrot the sample directly, word for word. All visits are unique, and our client expects unique reports for each visit as well.
- When filling out a report, if you take off points or mark “No” for a question, you must put a comment in the appropriate comment section. For example, if you mark “No” for the question, “Did the hostess address you by name?” then we need a specific statement in your comments that says, “The hostess did not address me by name.”
- Do not order the same food items as your partner. We send two shoppers so we can evaluate more food. If you shop one location several times, do not order the same items each time you go.
- If your assignment is to order two items each, please do so. Order the item even if you are full. You can look at it, take one bite and either push it away or take it home. DO NOT order food to go. Remember also that if you order more food or beverage items than are called for in the guidelines, do so with the understanding that you will not be reimbursed for the additional expenditures and that our client may choose not to accept the report. Please stick to the ordering guidelines you are given.
- Please remember that you are representing the mystery shopping company. Be polite and professional at all times, even if it is the worst experience you have ever had. Remember that your factual, objective report will clearly tell our client how poor the experience was, without any attention being drawn to this at the time of your visit. Please do not call the restaurant to complain after a poor visit either. Rest assured that the management will see the report you submit and use that to correct the problem.
- Above all, be discreet and maintain a low profile. Try to avoid drawing undue attention to yourself by mentioning special occasions (unless specifically requested by the client), taking pictures of yourself while performing the shop, ordering far more than the guidelines authorize, complaining multiple times to the management, asking tons of questions or creating problems with the service. If you receive a meal that is inedible, then it is fine for you to send it back, provided that you explain the issue in the narrative and describe how it was handled. Remember, once you are spotted or identified as a shopper, we can no longer use you. If a guest joins you, they must also be fully aware of the importance of not being recognized and of confidentiality. Your guest does not necessarily need to know all of the specifics of the assignment, but should understand the ordering requirements that need to be followed and that being inconspicuous is of the greatest importance.
- BEFORE SUBMITTING YOUR REPORT TO US, READ IT AGAIN AS IF YOU WERE THE OWNER. ASK YOURSELF:
- Did I highlight at least one thing that will be helpful?
- Does the report touch on both positive and negative items?
- Is all the information clearly stated, in an objective and factual manner?
- Does the commentary match the evaluation scores?
- Did I comment on all questions that I answered “No”?
- Did I proofread the comments and spell check them?
- Did I send the correct receipt, with my name and the tip amount (if applicable) written on it?