< HOMEPAGE
|
![](..\..\..\header2.jpg)
De-Mystifying Mystery Shopping
Mystery shopping is a long time and very easy to understand
concept. In this very competitive age customer service is
paramount to retailers. These retailers hire mystery shoppers,
also known as secret shoppers to evaluate staff performance,
check on customer service and evaluate front line cashier staff.
Retail managers use mystery shopping for efficient evaluation of
their business practices, their goods delivery and their
employees' company and product knowledge as well as customer
service practices and skills.
Those hired for mystery shopping visit retailers in the pose of
a customer and then write up the details of their experience
shopping there. Typically they are responded to a questionnaire.
Retailers are not the only ones using mystery shoppers, however.
Banks and other financial institutions hired mystery shoppers,
as well as convenience stores, restaurants, manufacturers,
entertainment firms and even service firms.
While in theory anyone can mystery shop, you do need to be
professional and responsible, with a good level of observation
and memory skills, and the ability to succinctly and clearly put
into written words the details about your experience.
You should never have to pay upfront for the opportunity to do
mystery shopping. If a mystery-shopping firm is asking you to do
so they are not making you a legitimate job offer. This is a
scam. They may call it a registration fee or say that you are
purchasing a list of firms that offer mystery shopping. But,
whatever they call it you shouldn't pay the fee.
Legitimate mystery shopping companies will train you, give you
tips for improving your mystery shopping skills and sometimes
let you keep what you shop - for free. There are several ways of
reimbursing you for your services. You will either get a fee for
each shopping experience that is agreed upon before you shop, or
you'll be reimbursed for your purchase, or you may get both. The
worse that will happen is that you get to dine for free, buy
clothes and other goods that you choose, at no charge, or avail
yourself of services that you don't have to pay for.
Most mystery shopping companies have a very short online
registration to apply for the mystery shopper position. They'll
ask for your e-mail address and phone number. You have to show a
lot of flexibility, though - at least at first. Many assignments
could be last minute, and this is no nine to five job. You may
need a digital camera for some shopping evaluations, and you
should have Internet access, email and fax availability.
Mystery shopping is not a regular job. You could wait months for
your first work, with no set schedule guarantee. You might get
an assignment that requires an hour or two of work, or one that
sends you off on a two week cruise. You just never know. You
should plan on registering with several mystery-shopping firms.
You might do well to look at online message boards and forums
for mystery shopping to find firms that are looking for new
mystery shoppers.
Companies that offer legitimate mystery shopping work include
Mystery Diners Inc., which specializes in sending mystery
shoppers to evaluate employees and services of the restaurant
and bar industries; Bare associates, a global firm that offers
online mystery shopping training; Certified Reports Inc. that
specializes in the entertainment industry such as theatres; and
a Closer Look that provides mystery shopping evaluations for the
hospitality (hotel and restaurant) industry.
Another mystery shopping firm is Intelli Shop which not only
offers on-site mystery shopping evaluations but call centers
that can evaluate your telephone sales and customer service team
and online evaluations of your site's services. The mystery
shopping company Employee Evaluator specializes in evaluation of
real estate agencies and services, but can also offer
mystery-shopping evaluations of just about any type of firm; and
Amusement Advantage. This firm specializes in the amusement
industry, offering mystery shopping evaluations of arcades,
amusement parks, theatres, golf courses, aquariums, zoos and
even convention and visitors bureaus and tourist information
centers. Alex Ruban is the owner of Paid Surveys since March, 2003. His site provides
information about hundreds of free legitimate paid online
surveys, polls, and focus group providers along with detailed
reviews, descriptions of each program, paid survey guidelines
and useful tips.
(c) 2005, Free Paid Surveys Online Directory. Reprint rights
granted so long as article and by-line are printed intact and
all links made live.
About the author:
None
Written by: Alex Ruban
< Back To shopping Next   Previous
|