By Daniel Price, Customer Impact Scheduler

Mystery shoppers have different reasons for why they choose to become shoppers. Some like it for the added benefit of a free meal here and there. Others enjoy the extra spending money. For many, mystery shopping is one of various portions of their annual income. Whether you do a few mystery shops a month, or you do multiple shops a day, becoming comfortable in the world of mystery shopping can help you better understand business and customer service from both sides of the curtain.

It is important to get as much value as you can in everything you do in life. Mystery shopping is no different! While at times, it may seem like just another restaurant shop that you’ve done ten times before, you are actually unlocking and contributing very valuable data for the client, which helps them to improve the customer service and the products, whether you know it or not.

A normal customer will not usually remember a customer service experience unless it’s either REALLY good or REALLY bad.  Everyone remembers a time when a manager was very nice and gracious in fixing a mistake, and everyone definitely remembers a time when an employee was particularly rude. However, having to rate things like efficiency, smiles, greetings, and more simple tasks of service, gives you, as a shopper, a completely different perspective.  It will hopefully also give you a new level of respect for the business and their service standards.  Fully understanding and appreciating this information will absolutely make you a better mystery shopper, and in the end, maybe even a better customer!

For people who work in the retail and customer service industry, being able to see what businesses are looking for in their mystery shop reports can actually help shape how you present yourself and your company. You are able to see what works and what doesn’t in many different industries, and you understand that your mystery shop report is important for that company. Access into that side of the industry gives you an advantage that many others take for granted. For mystery shoppers who manage their own employees, fully appreciating the information mystery shopping offers can help you increase efficiency and production of your staff.

Students and young adults can also be shaped by being a mystery shopper. As you are likely to have less experience in the business world, due to your age, being a mystery shopper is a prime opportunity to access this kind of information and implement it into any future business endeavors. It could also lead you to change your approach to any jobs at which you are currently employed.

The value of mystery shopping is not only helpful in your professional life. Recognizing and valuing quality service will also lead you to choose better places to eat, shop, and do business within your personal life. Things you may have overlooked for years might start to become more important to you and change your shopping pattern. In the long run, the success of restaurant and retail companies is driven by their ability to be efficient, professional, and presentable, with a quality product.  When mystery shopping, you are helping them achieve that.

Mystery shoppers get the unique opportunity to see the customer-service world from the customer’s perspective, and also from the perspective of what the clients expect, from the moment you walk in until the moment you leave. This information is always great for a business to have, and it is also valuable for you to use in your own life. If you are thinking of becoming a mystery shopper or have been a veteran for years, make sure you are getting as much out of the opportunity as possible. It may just be worth more than your lunch some day!  Visit Customer Impact for more information.

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