Royalty Universe. » Mystery Shopping

Taking the mystery out of the shop: mystery shopping can help a leasing staff to shake bad habits.: An article from: Units

Shopping Blogs — Sat, 25 Sep 2010 06:30:52 +0000

Product Description
This digital document is an article from Units, published by National Apartment Association on June 1, 2007. The length of the article is 2765 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Taking the mystery out of the shop: mystery shopping can help a leasing staff to shake bad habits.
Author: Mary Gwyn
Publication: Units (Magazine/Journal)
Date: June 1, 2007
Publisher: National Apartment Association
Volume: 31 Issue: 6 Page: 44(5)

Distributed by Gale, a part of Cengage Learning

Taking the mystery out of the shop: mystery shopping can help a leasing staff to shake bad habits.: An article from: Units

Shopping Blog : http://blog.royaltyuniverse.com/

Disclaimer: This entry / entries are for sole purpose of entertainment . It is not meant to give any sort of advice / advise . We makes no representations as to accuracy, completeness, correctness, suitability, or validity of any information on this site and will not be liable for any errors, omissions, or delays in this information or any losses, injuries, or damages arising from its display or use. All information is provided on an as-is basis. Please use at your own risk . Some of the links mentioned within this post or posts may lead to our own sites and or affiliate links . In such case we will get compensated for recommending those products. However, we will never recommend something that we don't personally believe in and we welcome your questions and feedback.

How to Get Paid to Shop: The Complete Guide to Mystery Shopping

Shopping Blogs — Sat, 25 Sep 2010 06:30:46 +0000

Product Description
Are you curious about how Mystery Shopping works? Do you want to know how you can get paid to shop? This book tells you all you need to know! Included is a free directory of national companies who are looking for mystery shopppers now!

How to Get Paid to Shop: The Complete Guide to Mystery Shopping

Great expectations: through mystery shopping, Gables Residential aims to build a better team.: An article from: Units

Shopping Blogs — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 06:33:48 +0000

Product Description
This digital document is an article from Units, published by National Apartment Association on June 1, 2009. The length of the article is 528 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Great expectations: through mystery shopping, Gables Residential aims to build a better team.
Author: Jeffrey Lee
Publication: Units (Magazine/Journal)
Date: June 1, 2009
Publisher: National Apartment Association
Volume: 33 Issue: 6 Page: 84(1)

Distributed by Gale, a part of Cengage Learning

Great expectations: through mystery shopping, Gables Residential aims to build a better team.: An article from: Units

First impressions make the difference: a mystery shopping experience reminds Dr Ian Brooks of how important first impressions are.: An article from: NZ Business

Shopping Blogs — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 06:32:13 +0000

Product Description
This digital document is an article from NZ Business, published by Adrenalin Publishing Ltd. on June 1, 2009. The length of the article is 1090 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: First impressions make the difference: a mystery shopping experience reminds Dr Ian Brooks of how important first impressions are.(Customer Excellence)(Viewpoint essay)
Author: Ian Brooks
Publication: NZ Business (Magazine/Journal)
Date: June 1, 2009
Publisher: Adrenalin Publishing Ltd.
Volume: 23 Issue: 5 Page: 56(1)

Article Type: Viewpoint essay

Distributed by Gale, a part of Cengage Learning

First impressions make the difference: a mystery shopping experience reminds Dr Ian Brooks of how important first impressions are.: An article from: NZ Business

Discover How You Can Get Paid To Shop:Mystery shopping Made Easy

Shopping Blogs — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 06:32:07 +0000

Product Description
Do you enjoy eating out? Are you a shopping freak? Are you passionate about seeing movies? What if you could do these activities for free? Or better yet, what if you could actually GET PAID to do them? Well, you can…Mystery Shopping is a flexible career option in which the person has the freedom to decide the schedule according to his/her convenience. It is suitable for students, retirees, homemakers, freelancers and part timers. Learn to know more about mystery shoppers really do. Discover more how to be a mystery shoppers and gain money while you pleasure with shopping.

Discover How You Can Get Paid To Shop:Mystery shopping Made Easy

Customers can hone mystery shopping.: An article from: Bank Marketing

Shopping Blogs — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 06:32:05 +0000

Product Description
This digital document is an article from Bank Marketing, published by Bank Marketing Assn. on August 1, 1993. The length of the article is 1411 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

From the supplier: Information obtained from focus groups can be used as basis of effective professional mystery-shopping programs if handled properly. Moderators of focus groups should determine the specific factors or behaviors that elicit negative or positive feelings from customers by employing some useful techniques. Using neuro-linguistic programming (NLP), a method used for deciphering perceptions by what is said, the tone of the voice and body language, moderators can question participants in a style that leads to specifically defined information. In order for focus groups to be optimally productive, they should be composed of six to eight members only and should not last more than 90 minutes. Moreover, they should include people of differing age, race, gender and income levels. Aside from being used as the foundation of future customer-oriented professional shopping programs, focus groups can also serve as basis of employee training programs.

Citation Details
Title: Customers can hone mystery shopping.
Author: Gail Hoffman
Publication: Bank Marketing (Magazine/Journal)
Date: August 1, 1993
Publisher: Bank Marketing Assn.
Volume: v25 Issue: n8 Page: p36(2)

Distributed by Thomson Gale

Customers can hone mystery shopping.: An article from: Bank Marketing

Get Paid to Shop! The Complete Guide to Mystery Shopping

Shopping Blogs — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 06:31:49 +0000

Get Paid to Shop! The Complete Guide to Mystery Shopping

Mystery Shopping Secrets – How To Avoid Scams, Be a Professional, Get Started The Correct Way & Much More! Mission-Surf

Shopping Blogs — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 06:31:13 +0000

Product Description
Dear Friend,

Here’s some of topics covered inside this ebook:

*How to become a Mystery Shopper

*How to avoid Mystery Shopping scams

*Who can be a Myster Shopper?

*Choosing and determining your assignments

*What the average pay for shoppers is

*Tips for being a professional Myster Shopper

And much more!

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Mystery Shopping Secrets – How To Avoid Scams, Be a Professional, Get Started The Correct Way & Much More! Mission-Surf

Career KNOWtes: Mystery Shopping and Personal Shopping

Shopping Blogs — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 06:30:55 +0000

Product Description
In this set, you get two books on how to turn your love of shopping into a profitable hobby or career…

Career KNOWtes: Mystery Shopping
How would you like to GET PAID FOR eating free meals, watching free movies, getting free clothing, and more while getting your opinions heard? It is possible as a mystery shopper! In Career Knowtes: MYSTERY SHOPPING, author Kailin Gow will show you how. With over 12 years of active mystery shopping and marketing research experience, author Kailin Gow will show you how to break into this fun and exciting field, as well as what it takes to succeed. Ideal for parents, students, retirees, and anyone who would like to earn extra money while having fun. Covers how to find work, what to expect, doing the work, if you need certification, and starting your own mystery shopping business. This edition contains forms, sample proposals, and LEADS in the United States, Canada, and United Kingdom for you to check out.

Career KNOWtes: Personal Shopping
Ever dreamed about how you can earn a living shopping in the nicest department stores, boutiques, furniture stores, and warehouses for other people? You can by being a personal shopper. In this career guide, find out how you can become a personal shopper, where the opportunities are, and how to do the job. While there are many ways to get into this fun and exciting career, this book includes information about the best ways to enter personal shopping, what employers look for, how to prepare a resume that stands out, how to contact employers, and even how to begin your own business.

Not a textbook or intended to replace a vocational course, but a simple career guide in the Career KNOWtes Series about “How to Have Fun and Make Money in” a career you love. Designed for those with little patience and anxious to get started! Both short guides are geared toward Teens and Young Adults.

Career KNOWtes: Mystery Shopping and Personal Shopping

MYSTERY SHOPPING: 2-Volume Set

Shopping Blogs — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 06:30:51 +0000

Product Description
Contains the complete books of “The Perfect Work-At-Home Job: Mystery Shopping” and “How-To Finally Make Money As A Mystery Shopper”. Earn top money as a professional mystery shopper without wasting time on techniques that don’t work!

MYSTERY SHOPPING: 2-Volume Set

Mystery Shopping Secrets

Shopping Blogs — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 06:30:41 +0000

Product Description
This book contains everything you always wanted to know about Mystery Shopping but were afraid to ask!
–
Buy it today and learn how to go out on the town and get paid to shop. Now that’s what I call fun. Enjoy!

Mystery Shopping Secrets

Mystery Shopping Secrets -It’s Easy To Make Money In Your Spare Time!

Shopping Blogs — Sun, 27 Jun 2010 06:36:09 +0000

Product Description
“There Are No Bad Shopping Days, Some Days Are Just Better Than Others”

Mystery Shopping Secrets -It’s Easy To Make Money In Your Spare Time!

SurveyPolicy.com Paid Surveys.

Shopping Blogs — Fri, 28 May 2010 06:35:59 +0000

Mystery Shopping And More!!! Join Now And Make Money! SurveyPolicy.com Paid Surveys. Shopping Blog : http://blog.royaltyuniverse.com/ Disclaimer: This entry / entries are for sole purpose of entertainment . It is not meant to give any sort of advice / advise . We makes no representations as to accuracy, completeness, correctness, suitability, or validity of any [...]

Great E-Guide To Mystery Shopping. Great Product For Hard Times!

Shopping Blogs — Fri, 28 May 2010 06:34:27 +0000

This Is A Fact-packed 36-page E-book That Gives Customers All They Need To Know To Make Money As Much As $2000/month Mystery Shopping. Great Commission! $9.99 Per Sale!
Great E-Guide To Mystery Shopping. Great Product For Hard Times!

Introduction to Mystery Shopping: The Perfect Home-based Business

Shopping Blogs — Fri, 28 May 2010 06:30:11 +0000

Product Description
‘Introduction to Mystery Shopping:The Perfect Home-based Business’ is a step by step guide to starting your own mystery shopping business. Mystery shopping is one of the fastest growing service evaluation industries in the country. Anyone can start and operate a mystery shopping business from their home with little or no financial investment. This book gives you all the tools and information you will need to be successful right away.

Introduction to Mystery Shopping: The Perfect Home-based Business

How to Start a Mystery Shopping Business

Shopping Blogs — Fri, 28 May 2010 06:30:04 +0000

Product Description
Mystery shopping is a key service that is vitally needed. But, is this the right business for you to get into? Although there are many people that think that mystery shopping is somehow a scam, it is actually a very real and very profitable way to do the thing that you love the most: shop. Yet, because this is not necessarily a job but a business, you do need to put your best foot forward and you will need to do some work to get started. Those that wish to invest in expensive programs really do not realize the key benefits to mystery shopping. There is one trick of the trade that you should know about. That is that just about all that you need to do and learn can be found right on the web. You will learn just about everything that you need right here. In fact, this e-book is full of all of the necessary tricks and tips to get started earning a very good salary right from the start. But, before you rush off thinking that you know all that you need to, it is important to tell you that certain things will limit what you can earn as well as how you can earn it. Mystery shopping is a very real business and one that is fundamentally responsible for many of the decisions that a business will make in their customer service programs. Remember that this is not about a power trip, nor is it about you correcting things that you do not like about the company. Rather it is about determining if the individual or business is doing just what the company wants them to do. In other words, one of the most essential things for you to keep track of is that you need to keep your personal aspects out of your business. Finally, remember that mystery shopping is a business that you are creating. Therefore, take it quite seriously. Make sure to fulfill what your client wants from you and insure that you are always the most polite and hardworking consultant that they have. When you can gain their respect and their admiration, you can and you will make a business that is profitable out of mystery shopping.

How to Start a Mystery Shopping Business

The Secrets of Mystery Shopping Revealed

Shopping Blogs — Fri, 28 May 2010 06:29:54 +0000

Product Description
Get the facts straight from the Federal Trade Commission

The Secrets of Mystery Shopping Revealed

Get Paid to Shop: Opportunities in Mystery Shopping

Shopping Blogs — Fri, 28 May 2010 06:29:49 +0000

Product Description
The mystery shopping industry is booming—-and hiring. Businesses hire mystery shoppers to get a view of their service and operations that they can’t see for themselves. Shoppers visit stores, restaurants, theaters, banks, apartments, act like ordinary customers, and report on their experience. Get Paid to Shop: Opportunities in Mystery Shopping explains exactly how a savvy consumer with a sharp eye for detail and a little free time can enjoy income and independence as a mystery shopper.

In addition to the core knowledge base about locating, performing, and getting paid for work as an independent contractor, this book—-now in its third edition-—features comprehensive explanations and pointers about using the tools the Internet has brought to mystery shopping. It also features updated information about fee structures, types of assignments, common scams, and income tax considerations.

Get Paid to Shop: Opportunities in Mystery Shopping

Mystery Shopping: Get Paid to Shop

Shopping Blogs — Fri, 28 May 2010 06:29:40 +0000

Product Description
The most comprehensive book ever published on mystery shopping, the names and contact information for 40 of the best companies to work for are listed. Breaking in, getting assignments, and the ten-step process for making top money are highlights of this hard-back 196 page book. In its fourth edition, the book is kept up-to-date through quarterly contacts with both companies and shoppers.

Mystery Shopping: Get Paid to Shop

Mystery Shopping Is Hot Again! Earn 75%.

Shopping Blogs — Wed, 28 Apr 2010 06:32:28 +0000

Brand New Mystery Shopper Site Pays Fat Commissions. High Conversions. Minimal Refunds. Red Hot Sales Page. Quality Product. Exceptional Service. Must See!
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The Essential Guide to Mystery Shopping: Make Money, Shop, Have Fun, Get an Insider’s Guide to Success

Shopping Blogs — Wed, 28 Apr 2010 06:30:09 +0000

Product Description
Mystery shopping has been around for a very long time, yet it still mystifies most. This book is written to help take the mystery out of this job and get you started right away. This is a step-by-step guide to starting, performing and reporting your mystery shops. You will find a legitimate company list, companies that will not charge you to work for them. Websites, types of shops the companies perform and company expectations. You will find where to look for support as well as where to talk with other shoppers. This book is an essential guide for you to start mystery shopping and making money right away.

Whether you range in age from teenager to senior, you can be a mystery shopper. Everyone is looking for ways to increase their income, but with jobs so limited, it is very hard. This book will teach you where to go to eat, how to shop at your local grocery store, get gas and other necessities and be paid for it or at least get your money back.

“‘The Essential Guide To Mystery Shopping’ is the best book on mystery shopping to come along in years! I couldn’t put it down once I started reading! After seven years as a mystery shopper, I found myself nodding my head in agreement at the suggestions. It’s a must have for mystery shoppers.” Paula Kutka, Mystery Shopper, Houston, TX

The Essential Guide to Mystery Shopping: Make Money, Shop, Have Fun, Get an Insider’s Guide to Success

The Mystery Shopping Learning Center Blog

Shopping Blogs — Wed, 28 Apr 2010 06:29:38 +0000

Product Description
Created by the Mystery Shopping Learning Center, the blog centers around current mystery shopping industry information, helpful tips and advice for the new mystery shopper, and other industry specific information.
Kindle blogs are fully downloaded onto your Kindle so you can read them even when you’re not wirelessly connected. And unlike RSS readers which often only provide headlines, blogs on Kindle give you full text content and images, and are updated wirelessly throughout the day.

The Mystery Shopping Learning Center Blog

ShoppingJobs.net – Get Paid To Shop With One Time Offer!!

Shopping Blogs — Wed, 28 Apr 2010 06:29:33 +0000

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Shopping for a Living

Shopping Blogs — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 08:14:45 +0000

When others are buried under files in the stifling cubicles of their office, I am out shopping. No, not on weekends, I am out on all working days. You must be wondering about who I am. Well, I am a mystery shopper.

Cutting down the cloak and dagger stuff, let us get down to facts. Actually there is not much mystery to mystery shopping . A multi billion booming industry now, mystery shopping traces its origins to the early 40s.

Commonly used by retail owners and restaurants, mystery shopping services are increasingly being availed by a variety of industries. And as with other marketing concepts, mystery shopping too has carved itself a significant niche on internet as well. Also known as mystery shopping , the procedure involves a bogus client visiting the establishment concerned. Usually a hard to please client, he does the Sherlock Holmes act all the time during his visit to the business. Well trained for such mystery shopping assignments, he is well equipped with questionnaires and other stratagems aimed at a specific scenario. He may carry modern gadgets supplied by the company to gather specific information, and these gadgets include audio-video material as well.

A Day In The Office
Like in other jobs, a mystery shopping professional starts the day with a review of tasks for the day. He may have a single assignment or multiple assignments distributed all over the day. Dressed to shop, he takes stock of his tools. These would be the questionnaires and other knickknacks provided by the company.

Revising the script for his role play he proceeds to his destination. Once there, he transforms himself to all appearance as a nondescript client. Already informed of what to look for, he gathers information while he makes a purchase or receive services, whatever he is told to do. A successful assignment is one where he is able to procure all the information that he was asked to collect. The purchases that he may make are already paid for. In addition to this, he pockets his own fees.

The Evidence
The data collected by this anonymous shopper ranges from minute details about the products and services to a detailed description of the quality of services experienced during the transaction. This data may be analysed or sent as it is to the parent company who had asked for the service.

Frequently measured aspects of quality are seating arrangements, client care, cleanliness, presentation, problem resolution etc. A mystery shopper may be trained to ask specific questions in order to measure specific deliverables. Commonly, mystery shoppers are required to register details like the name of the employee who received the shopper, how deftly he closed the sale, how promptly and how warmly the shopper was received and how soon upon entering the premises was he invited to revisit, how willingly the employee registered a complaint, etc.

Frauds
Many frauds attached with mystery shopping have been reported too. Frauds involving cashing a check are common. Those considering mystery shopping as a job need to tread with caution. It is useful to know is that a genuine mystery shopping company does not ask for a registration fee. Neither do they send checks to cash before the completion of an assignment. Many genuine jobs of a mystery shopper, however, are administered completely via the internet and registration is mostly free. Authenticity of any such company is for the job seeker to confirm.

Booming Self-Storage Business with Mystery Shopping

Shopping Blogs — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 08:14:45 +0000

Mystery shopping is a task undertaken by qualified researchers, who have an experience in assessing staff efficiency. It is prompt yet powerful way of appraising your business and employees from the view point of an impartial
client. Under such practices of mystery shopping , a trained professional poses as a client and gets a chance to directly deal with employees as a client. He buys products, asks questions, issues, complaints, and then submits their response and information about the overall experience.

Secret shopping is constantly used by marketing research companies as a tool to determine the quality of service and to collect definite information regarding products or services. Self-storing companies use secret shoppers for reviewing how their employees treat the clients and the concerns they have.

Reviewing Employee Efficiency
Mystery shopping helps the owners to know about the approach of storeroom staff and manager toward the clients. The secret shopper notices details like how the staff greets the clients, how well they attend the clients, and whether they are able to answer their queries. The professionals conducting mystery shopping try to determine the efficiency level of the storehouse staff based on their observation. They rate the staff on points such as, whether they

• inform the client about current promotional offers
• help them to choose the right products
• pay attention to their individual needs
• invite them to look at the sample units
• Try to build long-term relationship by taking contact details etc.

Employee Training
On the basis of this evaluation, the storehouse companies can train their staff in the areas where they are lacking. These areas may include building staff confidence to tackle client problems and paying attention to concerns raised by the clients. In this way, when the staff becomes motivated to use their service assessment as an incentive, one can notice a great improvement in the business as a result of mystery shopping .

Effectiveness Of Resource Development
A lot of valuable time and money is spent by a storehouse in the field of client service and merchandise demonstration procedures. Mystery shopping is the only way to determine the effectiveness of these resources with respect to the client demands. It helps the storehouse to know their value or drawbacks from the client point of view. They also get to know, whether those practices are practically being implemented during daily operations.

Mystery Shopper Jobs
One needs to be accountable and proficient to undertake the job of a secret shopper. Mystery shopping can be a part-time profession, where you not only get paid, but also get reimbursement for expenses incurred while carrying out shopping. Mystery shopping companies also provide training and useful tips for improvement to the shoppers. They also provide shopping prospects to them. A secret shopper does not need to pay to mystery shopping companies in order to get registered. One can register on own by filling up an online form and immediately start receiving secret shopping assignments.

Thus, through this marketing tool, the storeroom facility owners can get a true picture of routine working of their establishments. Mystery shopping gives valuable details of client experience and provide an indispensable opportunity for the retailer to encourage employees, maximize resources, and upgrade functioning of the business.

Quality Assurance and Mystery Shopping

Shopping Blogs — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 08:14:45 +0000

Consumer is king. Businesses flourish because of consumers. Therefore, consumer service is of utmost importance for any business to become and remain successful. Though it is easy for the manufacturing industry to assure their consumers of the quality for their goods, the same is not true for the service industry. This is because there are tools and equipment to aid in checking the quality of the products but for assuring the quality of service, there is no equipment. So, how can a service industry ensure that it is delivering the best to its consumers This is made possible with mystery shopping .

Service industries like hotels, spas, self storing, retailers and travel agencies depend on the mystery shoppers for quality assurance. For those who are not aware about mystery shopping , let us explain what it is. In mystery shopping , an individual with an objective to check the quality of service of a company visits its outlet pretending to be a regular shopper. The employees of the company are not aware that any such quality check is going on in their outlet. For example, the hidden shopper in mystery shopping while doing the quality check of the supermarket might use the washroom to check its cleanliness he might ask the attendants to help him get some items he will check how long the consumers have to wait for checking out of the cash counters he will check if the products advertised by the company are well stocked and so on. Through these observations in mystery shopping assignments, the hidden shopper would be able to determine if the staff is helpful and courteous, whether people able to easily locate the products and what are the difficulties that people face at the store. Client companies come to know their strengths and weaknesses through mystery shopping assignment. This enables them to do SWOT analysis.

A company can best judge its quality only through the eyes of the consumer. This is the principle used in mystery shopping . When the company asks an independent person to rate its quality, it does a reality check of the situation.

Sometimes small issues like lack of training for the employees might be the reason for a business to experience a slowdown in its sales. Therefore, it is best to pinpoint the problem as soon as possible so that it could be solved well in time.

There are several companies that handle mystery shopping assignments for the companies. These organizations have a team of trained shoppers that do quality check for the clients. After the completion of the field visit, a detailed report is prepared and sent to the client. Mystery shopping has to be conducted at regular intervals to reap its benefits. A single visit of the shopper is insufficient to rate the services of the company. Moreover, it is better to get the opinion of different shoppers at the different time intervals. Since the companies act on the observations of the person conducting the mystery shopping assignment, it is necessary that such an individual should be able to report facts without any bias.

A Mystery Shopping Blog the Unravels the Mystery

Shopping Blogs — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 08:14:45 +0000

Mystery shopping blog is the best place to gather information about anonymous shopping. The agency that provides this service evaluates dealings and communication with clients who are in reality agents employed as shoppers. Many shops use this method for self evaluation and to rectify the weak areas in their marketing and product management. They get valuable feedback from these exercises and when they act on changes based on these there is a marked increase in their business transactions and trading. These services are employed even by people who are not directly involved with their clients like the manufacturing sector.

Secret Shopping Agency
When you read a mystery shopping blog you will find that the agencies involved in secrecy shopping projects are service providers and have many companies, organization and businesses as their clients. The work involves mystery shoppers posing as genuine shoppers who visit the business concerns and organization and shop just like anyone else without revealing their original identities. They make observations of the entire place and submit their report of the organization based on their experience there.

Sometimes their clients have specific problems that they expect anonymous shopping agency to check out and identify underlying causes for. The shoppers do their job and are many times able to solve the communication problems faced by the clients. Based on report submitted by the agency, clients can draw up new plans and programs to rectify the problem. These are posted regularly on a mystery shopping blog . The present day secrecy shopping agencies extend a variety of services to their clients and clients like self storing, retail shopping etc.

Blog For Secret Shoppers
There are mystery shopping blog devoted to anonymous shopping and shoppers. It is slowly growing in popularity as a part time job option. Mystery shopping blog is very informative as it includes details about agencies that provide the services, how shoppers are selected, idea of clients who opt for these services, businesses already employing mystery shoppers, experiences of these shoppers etc. You name it and mystery shopping blog would have it.

A mystery shopping blog describes all aspects of anonymous shopping as a job. Those who are interested need just to read a couple of them and get basic knowledge of the subject. You can join a networking group or a forum for tips in doing well at the job. You come across many undercover shoppers in the cyber world, giving advice, sharing tips about the job and even instructions on writing the final report on a mystery shopping blog .

All mystery shoppers should begin writing mystery shopping blog since every shopper would have some new experience or new tip to share. It would help mystery shoppers in general and even aspiring mystery shoppers can also benefit from them. The blogs would carry authentic information about scams involved and pretty much the truth about the actual working condition and methods employed in anonymous shopping, current situation in the job market and much more.

Mystery shopping blog are versatile as they have opinions of both admirers and critics of the job. This sharing of new about a common job would give rise to new ideas that can be utilized for improving quality of work. Like the saying of two heads being better than one.

Why Mystery Shopping is Important

Shopping Blogs — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 08:14:44 +0000

Everyone is talking about mystery shopping blog these days. This is one of the hottest part time jobs. Look at the cool bucks you can make Above all, look at the freebies that you get – a divine spa experience, a cocktail dinner at one of the finest restaurants in town, and more The best thing is that you need no particular education for this job. If you got a keen eye, tactful communication skills, and can write a report, you can be a hidden shopper.

Mystery shopping blog is one place where you get all the information you want about this fascinating job. If you are a newbie in this field, worry not. Join a forum or read a mystery shopping blog to get familiar with what this is all about. You will find posts written by a large number of experienced undercover shoppers. They are loaded with smart tips to get all the answers you are looking for regarding your assignment. They would also tell you how to write an impressive report.

Mystery shopping blog covers all the aspects of this job. You can get opinions of critics as well as admirers. You can know the truth of this service, plus all about scams. This is a place where you can know about the companies who deal with such services and how to choose them. Besides, it helps you know the current scenario of this field and what kinds of businesses take the services of covert shoppers.

A mystery shopping blog clears all your doubts as well as misconceptions about this job. For example, many think this job is all about roaming in malls, buying good things, observing a few things, and coming home. Wrong, when you read a mystery shopping blog , you would be surprised that this is no different than any other job. And if you do not render results in time, you may get a pink slip.

It is a good idea to jot your experiences down and ideas regarding this job in a mystery shopping blog . Each hidden shopper has something new to tell. They might even invent certain tricks to help perform well in their job. It is good to share this with other shoppers, especially amateurs, who might not be well-versed with such ways of working. They need to know the yes and no of this job. And the best place to know this is a mystery shopping blog. It can be of immense help to people who want to be called a brilliant hidden shopper by their employer.

So, if you are a seasoned shopper, it is good to start a mystery shopping blog and let the world know about your experiences. And if you are an aspiring hidden shopper, you can get some valuable tips as well as names of companies at a mystery shopping blog and get a chance to show your hidden skills. Of course, you would make money, not mentioning the wonderful places you would be at.

Tactics of Mystery Shopping

Shopping Blogs — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 08:14:44 +0000

Mystery shopping is a job that requires you to disguise as customers and visit stores, restaurant, banks, and all sorts of business places to examine the quality of product or service, hygiene, and other issues for the business owner. You deal with the staff as a normal customer – buying things, asking questions, returning products, and others – but with a little tact and more inquisitiveness so as to know the inside story.

Mystery shopping is not about fun alone. You need to keep a keen eye on everything going on in the store. Back home, you need to prepare a report based on your observations and judgment. This report is sent to the business owner to help him or her recognizes the improvement areas and act accordingly. And if you are not serious about what you are doing, it can cost you your job.

You can easily earn USD100 dollars through mystery shopping every month. And do not forget the little luxuries that you can enjoy, which otherwise remain a farfetched dream for you. You can dine at a fine restaurant, buy exquisite dresses and items, visit a health clinic, and pamper yourself at the spa, drive a BMW, and much more.

All this can happen, if you associate with a genuine shopper service. Mind you, there are lots of scams prevalent on the internet. They ask you to pay a certain sum for a mystery shopping job. How ridiculous, Never fall for such tricks. Always check out with Better Business Bureau and know the company before applying.

Now, there are certain tips that make for a smart mystery shopping professional.

Take assignments that you find comfortable. For example, if you do not eat meat, you must not take an assignment for a KFC business.
Record your income through mystery shopping for tax purposes.
When on an assignment, take notes discreetly. Your identity should not be disclosed in any case, or your assignment would fail its purpose and get terminated.
You must act fast after getting a mystery shopping assignment. Most companies expect the reports to be submitted within a day or two.
Get ready to fill a form asking all sorts of questions about your store experience.
You must have a watch with you to know how much time it took for your food to be served, or at the cash counter, or to get your things packed. Clients may ask for such information.
Create a new email address, as you will get a flood of updates.
Never give your bank account number or any such personal information during registration. These are fake sites. Also, if some company sends you a check to be deposited at some unknown destination, it is a fake too. Beware of such mystery shopping scams.

Mystery shopping is all about taking responsibility with a dash of fun. It is about working with tact and, at the same time, giving your trust to the person who has hired your mystery shopping services to make his or her enterprise better than before.

Keeping an Eye out for People Mystery Shopping

Guest — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 13:54:40 +0000

When I worked at the student commons food court during college, my coworkers and I were always aware that we could encounter customers who were mystery shopping. Because of this, most of us were inspired to be the best customer service attendants possible. For myself, having good customer service was not that difficult because I have a hard time being mean… to anyone. For others though, polite and friendly customer service was a challenge.

Let me back up a minute first; for those of you who are not aware, mystery shopping is the employment of people to go to different stores and rate their overall experience as a customer. They would take note of the service, the product, and the appearance of the facility. On our campus, mystery shoppers were employed to go to all the different food service places and give feedback. If the people who were mystery shopping had a particularly pleasant or negative experience the person who was behind that would hear about it.

Because of mystery shopping, we were encouraged not only to be polite, but also to be in proper uniform and to keep our facility clean. Most of the time I worked at a coffee shop, so I was always wiping the counters down, refilling the milk and sugar, and taking out full trash. This way, if someone who was mystery shopping came by, at least they could not complain about the shop being dirty.

The one thing I struggled with that a mystery shopper could have reported was following the dress code. We were expected to keep our shirts tucked in, have a nametag present, and to be wearing black shoes and a hat. I had a pretty hard time with each of these things. I always forgot my hat and nametag, I hated how I looked with my shirt tucked in, and I did not even own a pair of black shoes. After working there for two years, I was amazed that someone who was mystery shopping never reported me for not following the dress code.

I was never reported about for anything particularly negative or positive, but a few of my coworkers did get in trouble from someone mystery shopping. One of my friends took an order from a mystery shopper who asked for hot chocolate and a cookie. When he repeated the order back to the customer he said, “So, you want hot chocolate and a cookie?” Apparently, the shopper took offense to this and thought that he was being a little negative and was implying that she was a pig or something for wanting both hot chocolate and a cookie. When my friend received the report he got a talking to, and then hearing about it was good for a laugh.

Another one of my coworkers was reported on by a mystery shopper because she sang too loudly while she was making drinks. She was always a little annoying to us because she was constantly singing at the top of her lungs, but nobody ever said anything about it to her until someone mystery shopping did!

Although it was always a little nerve wracking, knowing that someone mystery shopping could stop by at any time, I think that knowing mystery shoppers exist made us better at our customer service and overall appearance. Without these mystery shoppers, some of my coworkers would have had no incentive to do a good job.

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The power of quality mystery shopping

Shopping Blogs — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 12:43:18 +0000

Few business can truly operate without quality mystery shopping . Indeed, in order to make sure that all of your employees are living up to your professional expectations, you are going to have to find an accurate, reasonable means of holding them accountable for their performances. Of course, you may be burdened by your own responsibilities, unable to monitor your own employees with the level of scrutiny that you are going to need. This, of course, is precisely where mystery shopping can step in and save the day.

With quality mystery shopping , you are not going to have to worry about wasting any of your own time. Indeed, quality mystery shopping is going to take care of all of your chores. For a moment, then, allow yourself to think about how you, your company, and your employees stand to benefit from these services.

When you contract your mystery shopping , you are, of course, going to be able to provide them with a very particular rubric and set of criteria. By creating your own, unique set of expectations, you guarantee that the scores that you are going to receive from your evaluators are going to be relevant. If, for example, you do not care about the particular contents of the greeting that your employees perform when they answer the phone, you can omit this category from your rubric entirely. If, on the other hand, you care a great deal about how your employees answer the phone, you can construct a rubric in such a way that the greeting carries a great deal of weight.

Mystery shopping is often going to provide you with a perfect means of retraining your employees. Indeed, many of these companies are going to offer instant feedback services, whereby your employees receive their evaluations immediately after they are conducted. This kind of setup, of course, guarantees that your employees are going to have a fresh recollection of how they performed. As such, they are going to be able to understand their score better. Likewise, they are going to be able to set about making all of the necessary changes with all due haste.

Of course, quality mystery shopping is always going to have its own internal expectations. These companies, on the whole, are going to make sure that each and every employee understands how to score your rubric. They are going to make sure that they have met with you several times, discussed your priorities, and set conducting all of the training programs that they are going to need internally. You should never have to worry about quality mystery shopping misunderstanding your priorities, as teams are going to make concerted efforts to prevent this from happening.

At the end of the day, you are going to realize that you only stand to benefit from quality mystery shopping . If you have not already done so, allow yourself to search around for the mystery shopping in your area. Once you hire a great company, you and your employees are going to be able to live up to all of your professional standards.

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How to Spot a Mysterious Shopper

Shopping Blogs — Sat, 14 Mar 2009 12:00:27 +0000

Mystery shopping may seem like a concept that only exists in fiction, but this is actually a real thing. Mystery shoppers are often hired by companies, marketing firms, and private firms for a number of reasons. In general, these professionals are hired to test the quality of service inside of a particular store, movie theater, gas station, car dealership, health club, or any other type of shopping center. While this tradition is quite old (the concept was born during the 1940s), it is still a popular way for various companies to gain valuable information about their employees.

Mystery shopping proves to be quite effective when it is done correctly. Shoppers that are hired for this type of position are given a strict set of directions to follow. Upon receiving these directions, the shoppers are then sent to a particular place in order to make a purchase. While inside of a store (or other venue) mystery shoppers will ask employees specific questions; go through specific procedures; and test the skills of each employee that they encounter. Once this data has been collected, these shoppers will then hand in the information to the original employer where it is evaluated and dissected. How do you spot a mystery shopper?

There are a few telltale signs that someone may be a mystery shopper. Mystery shopping cannot happen without some type of recorded data. So, shoppers that enter a store with a pen and pencil (or tape recorder) may be hired shoppers. These sleuths also tend to stick out from the rest of the shoppers inside of a store. Shoppers that don’t seem to fit the demographic of a store, or don’t know anything about store merchandise, may be hired shoppers. While these are all great ways to detect a shopping spy, some regular shoppers may also fit these descriptions.

If you happen to work in some type of store, it is best not to worry about spotting a mystery shopper . Why? Mystery shopping has become something of an art over the years, and you may mistake a regular shopper for a mystery shopper. Of course, the opposite is also true – you may mistake a shopping sleuth for a regular shopper. The best course of action is to be polite and courteous to every single customer that walks into your store. This way, you can be sure that you will receive top marks if a hired shopper ever does cross your path.

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The World of Mystery Shopping

Shopping Blogs — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 13:20:24 +0000

Mystery shopping is a tool of market research companies. It is a tool of marketing research which is introduced in the market to gather specific details related to products and services. Mystery shopping is done by mystery shoppers who usually pose as any other customer. These mystery shoppers like other customers purchase products, take related details from the shopkeepers, tell them about their grievances and then prepare a detailed report of their feedback. The tools of mystery shopping include general question answer session, to presenting a questionnaire and it can go to the extent of taking audio and video tapes if required.

It has become a common trend in the world of internet. Online mystery shopping companies generally hire some net savvy people who can register themselves online to become mystery shoppers. These mystery shoppers receive decent payments from time to time. Some examples of such companies are Data Quest ltd, Full Scope Mystery Shopping and ACRA Inc. Secret Shopping and Market Research. The targets of these companies are movie theaters, restaurants, banks, chain of fast food joints, retail shops, apartments, dealers of car, gas stations and health facility centers. The business of mystery shopping has touched soaring heights in UK, as very often the mystery shoppers even visit places like the local authorities, housing associations, churches and non profit organizations.

A Brief Note on How the Process Is Carried Out

The defined assignments of the mystery shopping companies are carried out by the mystery shoppers. Some of the points which should be covered by a mystery shopper during the entire process are:

A note mentioning the time and date of the phone call made prior to the visit.
A record stating the names of the shops which are on the either side of the store which is targeted.
Number of employees present when the mystery shopper enters the store.
Time taken by the staff to greet the mystery shopper.
Details of the staff members.
Attitude of the staff towards the mystery shopper and the other employees.
The questions put up by the staff at the time of dealing.
The variety of products shown.
If any attempt is made by the staff to close the process of sale.
At the time of leaving, whether the shopper is invited for a second visit.
Environment and atmosphere of the store.
Swiftness in dealings.
The over all experience in the store which includes the looks of the store, services provided and the presentation skills.

The process does not stop here. It is mandatory for the mystery shopper to make the entire procedure complicated. A typical dealing should be done by him to test the potential of the store for the most stringent situations. To test the patience of the staff is one of the vital purposes of mystery shopping. This should ring bells of caution to the shopkeepers if they are negligent at times with the customers and for the mystery shoppers it should prove to be a checklist.

Mystery shopping serves the purpose of both i.e. the company and the mystery shopper. Through mystery shopping, the company can gather relevant information regarding its products and services in the form of feedback, and such type of shopping becomes a best medium to earn money.

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Unraveling Mystery Shopping

Shopping Blogs — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 14:21:01 +0000

The term ‘mystery shopping’ was coined by Wilmark in 1940s which he explained as a method for evaluating customer service. Mystery shopping is known by various names such as secret shopping, mystery customers, spotters, anonymous audits, employee evaluation and paid to shop. It can be described as a tool used by market research companies to evaluate customer satisfaction, employee integrity and even product quality. Mystery shoppers are paid to shop at everyday places where they already shop. Mystery shopping helps not only the company but it also an easy way for anyone to earn good part- time income.

Mystery shoppers visit the targeted shops or outlets as common customers. They perform the usual tasks, such as purchasing a product, asking questions, lodging complaints or creating a certain situation. The mystery shoppers record all these information and experience, and provide a detailed report to the company. Mystery shopping allows the company to know how their employees are representing their company to the customers in the absence of obvious vigilance. Devices like comment cards, suggestion boxes and follow-up letters are constructed for similar functions but for a better insight, it is advisable to hire an individual to sample their services in the guise of a common customer and consequently rate their services. The mystery shopper’s feedback allows the company to identify the drawbacks in their retail outlets and also to improve upon their products.

Various instruments are used for the assessment of mystery shopping, such as questionnaires and audio and visual recordings. Majority of the mystery shopping companies are fully run through Internet. Potential mystery shoppers can register online for participation, find projects online and get payment.

The most common businesses that use mystery shopping includes retail stores, restaurants, fast food outlets, movie theatres, gas stations, banks, health clubs, casinos, amusement parks, auto dealers, websites, hospitals and transportation systems.

There is no specific qualification required to be a mystery shopper. Any legal adult can apply to be a mystery shopper. The gender or job of the applier does not matter neither does being employed, retired, full- time homemaker or student have any effect on the eligibility of the candidate. The applicant should be a good observant, have good writing skills and should have the ability to follow the given instructions.

While on a project, a mystery shopper is required to pay attention to cleanliness or hygienic conditions, quality, service performance, ambience (if applicable) and various other such quality concerns that are significant to the business and to maintain good customer relations. The shopper must be extremely careful about keeping his/ her status of mystery shopper confidential.

The aspiring mystery shoppers should be aware of certain points before involving themselves in any project. One should avoid companies that require the applicant to pay in order to enlist him/ her as a mystery shopper. The contract should be read properly and the applicant should have clear understanding of the reimbursement policy of the company.

Mystery shopping is often misunderstood to be same as market research. Mystery shopping is much more specific and is based upon given set of guidelines on what to do during an evaluation with even specified shops or outlets. Marketing research participants are not given any such guidelines or instructions in advance. One can consider mystery shopping as a part of market research.

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Secret shopping is a great strategy to learn about the competition.

Shopping Blogs — Wed, 09 Jan 2008 07:25:44 +0000

Secret shopping is a great strategy to learn about the competition. One of my job responsibilities as a district manager for a wireless retail chain was to check out our competition by secret shopping them. Not only did this strategy generate sales approaches to counter our competition’s punches, it allowed us to adopt new innovative ideas and discredit others used by the competition.

Secret shopping also was used to train new employees. Like self storage, the wireless phone industry is highly competitive and the sales process is very intimidating to new hires. It takes time for new hires to find their niche and to feel comfortable on the sales floor or on a sales call. Secret shopping the competition allows them to understand the sales process from the customer’s viewpoint. Secret shopping a few competitors was encouraged to compare different sales approaches. Not all sales people and companies have the same standards and style, so it was important for the new hire to define what works and what doesn’t work.

After secret shopping, the new employee would report back to me and give a report about the experience. Together we would review his opinions of likes and dislikes compared to our expectations. Most likely I had already secret shopped the company before; therefore, I had a good idea of the secret shopping experience that the new hire practiced. As the saying goes, two minds are better than one, but more than two is even better. From the manager’s point of view, there is a lot that I learned from the experience too. Witnessing many different sales scripts allows you to pick out what you like and implement them in your own sales script.

Secrete shopping also was used as a weapon to counter customer’s gripes about our company compared to our competition. We were never involved in getting caught in a price war. If we did, we would have failed. As a smaller chain most of our competition was large retailers who bought in huge quantities for a cheaper price. On the contrary, we could only afford to buy enough inventories to stock one storage room shelf. So we had to sell value over price. Since our stores were specialized in wireless products, so was our sales team. Just like in the self storage industry, our company specializes in storage, so should our employees. In the wireless phone industry, we were not just a sales force, rather a place to get professional help on all wireless communication products. The same goes with self storage; self storage property managers should not take just reservations, but be a total storage consultant. This is why secret shopping is important whether you are checking out the competition or using it for sales training. By identifying competitive sales strategies you can act on them when they are dealt to you.

Most likely your competition is selling the same exact storage space as you. Sometimes there are differences, but not always. So to avoid getting into a price war, know how your competition is selling a self storage unit and counter on that.

For more information about secret shopping, mystery shopping, or if you want to learn how to secret shop visit one of PhoneSmart’s secret shopping blogs or mystery shopping blogs .

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Secret Shopping

Shopping Blogs — Fri, 22 Jun 2007 08:39:27 +0000

Mystery Shopping

Mystery shopping is a tool used by market research companies, retail stores, restaurants, hotels and many industries as a tool to measure the quality of products and/or services. Mystery shopping, or secret shopping, began in the 1940’s as a mechanism to measure employee integrity.

Secret shopping is also known as: mystery shopping, experience evaluation, mystery customers, spotters, anonymous audits, virtual customers, employee evaluations, performance audits, telephone checks and fulfillment assessments.

The concept of mystery shopping is centered on the idea that the customer’s perspective is important to the success of a business. In order to get an unbiased opinion of a company’s service, secret shoppers anonymously pose as customers and later provide feedback on their experiences and how satisfactory the product was. Companies may use this information gained from secret shopping to benchmark their customer satisfaction rates and find ways to improve the customer’s experience.

The purpose behind the concept of secret shopping is to allow businesses to gain improved customer insight into how the customer service related functions of their business are performing, and utilize the information gathered as part of performance management and service improvement initiatives.

Customer service has become a top priority for many sectors of businesses, especially restaurants, hotels and retail businesses. Customers often shop for product and compare two or more businesses before making a major purchase. With so much competition, usually geographically within a block or two of each other, it is imperative for businesses to out perform their competitors by focusing on the customer’s experience. How employees look, their actions, how many times they smile, how often they offer assistance- every little detail is constantly scrutinized by the customer. These businesses thrive on keeping their customers happy. Mystery shopping is a valuable tool that not only ensures the customer is happy; secret shopping keeps employees accountable and maintains that the bottom line of any business is profitable.

According to a recent US and World report that focused on lost customers by major companies, the report found that of the customers that left:14% left a business for better product, 9% went elsewhere for a cheaper product and 68% left because of poor service or the poor attitude of employees within the business. This study clearly demonstrates the significance of service quality and product quality.

In the service industry, it is not enough if the product meets the functional requirements of the customer. Businesses must also meet certain other customer expectations such as desirable behavior and a pleasant attitude of the person delivering the service. The customer’s satisfaction is the combination of product, environment and behavior/attitude. In today’s economy, it is essential to address what enables the customer’s satisfaction in order to see healthy business growth with the utmost importance given to measuring technical processes, product quality and customer service .

Secret shopping assesses the performance of employees and addresses conformance to the standard set by an individual company and within the industry. Mystery shopping provides feedback on behavioral aspects of service and usually deals within these areas which have been indicated by research publications to enable growth for a company.

· The responsiveness or readiness of an employee to provide service. Customers want to feel that help is available when they have questions or need guidance in choosing between similar products.

· The level of courtesy, respect and friendliness of personnel in contact with customers. Customers should feel appreciated and feel that the employee they are in contact with is sincere.

· The timeliness such as delivering product on time and also first contact resolution. Customers should be greeted and offered assistance within a few seconds of entering a business. Service and product should also be delivered promptly and on time, if not taken by the customer directly after purchase.

· The complete resolution, otherwise known as listening to the customers. The customer should not be talked over. Employees should answer their questions or seek an answer to the question.

· That there is good communication and empathy, when appropriate. Speaking in the customer’s language is also desirable, especially when the language is that other than the most common language to the area.

· Credibility is important to any industry and business. Taking ownership for errors and also resolving complaints are important when providing excellent customer service.

If a customer’s experience matches the customer’s expectations that will lead to customer satisfaction. When a customer’s experience exceeds their expectations that can lead to customer delight and the customer will be more loyal to that business. The goal of secret shopping is to highlight the areas in which a business or individual employee meets these areas and also the areas in which the business or individual employee can improve in order to meet these goals.

Customer retention and loyalty results from meeting and exceeding the customer’s expectations. The focus should not be to simply meet the goals, but to exceed them. Customer satisfaction and furthermore, customer retention demands the continuous improvement in an organization’s capability to examine its processes, environment and attitude. A business with good customer satisfaction and customer retention can not stop monitoring and measuring employee performance and the level of customer satisfaction or it would surely diminish. Secret shopping is a way to guarantee an ongoing evaluation of customer satisfaction.

Studies have also shown that a business can increase their profits by almost 100% by retaining 15% more of their customers than their competitor retains. This is because the cost of acquiring new customers is usually higher than the costs associated with retaining customers. Firms and businesses with loyal, long term customers can financially out perform competitors with higher customer turnover.

Focusing solely on attracting new customers and neglecting customer retention is much like adding water to a leaking bucket. Brining new customers in the door while former customers walk through the door of your competitor can harm your bottom line. This is why management must focus on employee behaviors, service issues and the customer’s experience in order to establish a differentiation between the company’s competitors.

The level and quality of service a business delivers to its customers is vital to the company’s success. The customer’s total experience with a business and the employees within that business dictate whether the business will succeed or fail, whether it will be profitable or not. Simply having expectations about what sort of experience customers should have in not enough. Businesses must measure and inspect. Objective, anonymous, third party assessments of the customer’s experience will provide a business the information needed to ensure the expectations for the customer’s experience are carried out in reality.

Customer service happens; good or bad, it continually happens. It is clear that how service happens can be controlled by managing the areas discussed and that the customer’s perspective is everything. Secret shopping helps capture the consistency and level at which a business provides service. Mystery shopping has one objective in mind: to rate the customer experience.

Once a business has contracted a secret shopping company, the mystery shopping is performed randomly from a third party. Tools used for mystery shopping assessments can range from simple questionnaires to complete audio and video recordings to detailed reports with complete employee background history.

The internet has provided an entirely new outlook on the secret shopping industry as many secret shoppers shop online. Video and audio recordings are also more often shared via the internet and the report, or evaluation, of the mystery shopper’s experience can be sent through the internet. Many secret shopping companies are completely administered through the internet. This allows the mystery shopper to use the internet to register for participation, find secret shopping jobs and even receive payment. The internet also allows the corporation or business being shopped to receive the results in a timelier manner than previous methods.

Secret shopping may be performed by physically shopping at the company, shopping online and shopping on the telephone. The avenue in which the shop is performed also affects the degree and points that can be measures by the shopper. For example, a secret shopper that it physically present will be able to judge the cleanliness of a business as well as how long it took to be greeted. A secret shopper conducting as mystery shop online will be able to assess the ease and user-friendliness of the site and also how satisfactory delivery and response times were. A mystery shopper conducting an assessment over the phone will be able to measure behaviors and attitudes and how knowledgeable the employee. These various methods allow nearly any business in the service industry a way to know what really goes on between the customer and employee. Each method provides its own benefit over the other and oftentimes, these methods can be combined to provide the widest view of the customer’s experience.

When a client company comes on board with a secret shopping provider, a survey model is usually drawn up and agreed to that defines what information and improvement factors the client company wishes to measure as part of the mystery shopping process. Common points of measurement and information provided by the secret shopping service are:

· The date and time of the visit or phone call

· The name of the store employee

· The number of employees in the store, or designated department, upon entering

· How long it takes before the secret shopper is greeted

· Whether or not the greeting is friendly

· The questions asked by the secret shopper in order to help find a suitable product

· The employees willingness or sincerity in helping the secret shopper

· The types of products shown to or discussed with the secret shopper

· If or how the employee attempted to close the sale

· Whether or not the employee invited the secret shopper back to the store

· The cleanliness of the store and the store’s associates (when conducting an in person shop)

· The speed of service

· Compliance with company standards that relate to service, store appearance (when applicable), and behavior/ presentation.

Mystery shoppers are sometimes given specific target areas or a specific assignment. For example, if a restaurant wanted to monitor the service they provide to customers with special needs, the secret shopper may pretend to have a peanut allergy, a secret shopper in a retail store may ask specifically about financing options, a hotel secret shopper may as for certain services, etc. Secret shoppers sometimes measure everything from the moment they drive onto the property of the client company all the way to the delivery of their purchase. However, not all secret shops include a purchase.

Some secret shopping is intended to measure the sales techniques and presentation of the client company. Not all cases require a purchase. In many instances, a secret shopper will enter a facility or pick up the phone and only inquire about a product or service. Because the shopper does not intend to purchase the product or service, this also presents an opportunity to assess how strongly an employee will try to close the sale. The shopper will submit the date to the secret shopping provider company. These measurements provide the client company with valuable insight into how the customer perceives their service. The information gathered during the secret shop is then analyzed before quantitative and qualitative statistical analysis reports. The data and reports are then returned to the client company that will measure this information against the previously defined criteria or industry standard.

The most common venues to be mystery shopped are retail stores, hotels, restaurants, fast food chains, banks, gas stations, car dealerships, apartments, health clubs, airlines and cruise lines. Even doctor’s offices are becoming game for mystery shopping, as many patients cringe at the thought of waiting beyond their schedules appointment to see the doctor. Virtually any context in which there is a customer/ employee interaction is open to mystery shopping . In the UK , mystery shopping is increasingly used to provide feedback on customer services provided by local authorities and other non-profit organizations.

A 1994 survey indicated that fast food outlets consistently scored the lowest in customer satisfaction among several industries. Due to this criticism, it is estimated that 75% of the 95 largest fast food chains now use a secret shopping program, up from just 45% five years ago. There is no argument that today’s consumers expect the best price, top-notch products and superior customer service.

The secret shopping industry had an estimated value of nearly $600 million in the United States in 2004. In 2004 secret shopping companies experienced an average growth of 12.2%. The report estimates that more than 8.1 million mystery shops were conducted in 2004. Secret shopping is more embedded into company procedures in European regions, and similar reports are available.

Mystery shopping programs are valuable because:

· Most customers who have unpleasant and unsatisfactory experiences will not raise their complaint to the company. They will not return.

· Dissatisfied customers are likely to tell several friends and family about their unpleasant encounter. Who in turn, probably avoid doing business with the offending company. Word of mouth greatly affects the credibility and reputation of a business, whether negatively or positively.

o It should be noted that negative word of mouth travels more quickly and farther than positive word of mouth. Therefore, it is all the more important to guarantee a positive customer experience.

· The use of secret shopping to provide independent and impartial feedback reduces any perception of favoritism in incentive programs. Secret shopping can also allow the employee to feel more comfortable in the workplace if they don’t hear that the management is scrutinizing their every move because an anonymous, third party will provide the assessment.

· Secret shopping helps determine whether customer’s actual experiences are intended. Mystery shopping reveals whether or not good customer experiences are consistent and how they may vary. This allows the client company to purposely set in motion a plan of action that can help increase the consistency of positive customer experiences.

· Secret shopping programs can identify areas of training which need improvement and can identify areas of training that are working particularly well. Knowing what the successes are will help keep morale up while a business focuses on improving the areas that are substandard.

As discussed previously, there are several types of secret shopping . Services offered by secret shopping providers may include:

· 24-Hour Reporting: Reports/ results are delivered or accessible to a client within 24 hours of the store visit/ phone call/ internet visit. (48 hour and 72 hour reporting follow the same logic.) This is the closest form of real time secret shopping available and provides the fastest results. Because of timeframe, the results are often not as detailed as some reports can be generated but require more time.

· Audio Recorded Secret Shops: These are secret shops in which sound is recorded. They can be used for either customer service or employee integrity issues. Recording phone conversations unknowingly to all parties involved is restricted in some states.

· Competitive Secret Shops: These are mystery shops in which a client company contracts the secret shopping company to visit the competitor and information is noted on the same survey used by the client company. These shops are usually requested to compare customer service or pricing with a competitor.

· Customer Service Evaluation: This form of secret shopping is the most typical form in which a secret shopper poses as a customer and then, after leaving the facility or ending the phone conversation, fill out a survey form regarding policy compliance, customer service, selling skills, facility appearance and/ or product quality. This form of secret shopping is also sometimes called General Mystery Shopping.

· Customer Service Training: These mystery shops are usually requested and conducted as a follow up to a General Mystery Shop. The results of the surveys are tabulated and based on the information acquired, training will focus on areas needing improvement.

· Cybershops: Mystery shops conducted via the internet are referred to as Cybershops. They are often used to determine how easily a client company’s website is to understand and how easy it was to find what product or service the customer is looking for.

· Discrimination Testing: Mystery shops can be used by establishments to collect information on treatment of customers with varying demographics. These are sometimes requested by the client company to ensure equal treatment and sometimes requested by the government. Depending on the setup of these programs, these shops may be restricted by law.

· Incentive Based Shopping Program: This is a mystery shop program whose results may spur a reward to the employees who were secret shopped.

· Integrity Evaluation: These are secret shops in which employees are evaluated covertly, in order to measure or determine their honesty. These are usually requested as a result of a problem and typically focus on the cash transaction between the shopper and a specific employee. These shops are restricted by law in some states. It is advisable that only licensed private investigators perform integrity testing.

· Internet Performance Evaluation: This secret shop utilizes the internet to evaluate performance of internet related transactions. These typically focus on measuring the email responsiveness to customer inquiry from a web site.

· Internet Reporting: This refers to the capability of a secret shopping company to send reports to the client over the internet, or the capability of a client to access the reports via the internet.

· IVR (Interactive Voice Response) Reporting: This is the capability of a secret shopping company to receive reports from shoppers via automated telephone response systems. Additionally, IVR may be used to capture comments directly from customers, which can be used in conjunction with mystery shopping as a means of measuring customer satisfaction.

· Merchandising Audits: These can be over or covert visits by representatives who are asked to check merchandising and point of purchase issues; including, but not limited to, the stocking, placement and pricing of specific merchandise and POP materials. These are usually requested to ensure policy compliance by either a retail store or the manufacturer of the product.

· Mystery Shopping: This is the use of pre-calculated and qualified consumers, such as independent contractors, or professional staff trained to evaluate a business anonymously using a prescribed evaluation form. The evaluation may take place in person at the business establishment or through public media such as the telephone or internet. Mystery shopping is also referred to as secret shopping, spotter services, shopper programs, undercover performance evaluations, anonymous consumers, shopper audits, virtual customers, and so on.

· Operations Audits: These can also be over or covert evaluations of adherence to operational guidelines. These are usually survey based with yes / no questions and supplemental comments. They are not based on opinion but rather based on actual measurable policy compliance.

· Price Audit: These can be cover or over as well, and record the prices of various products or services. They are usually used to evaluate pricing compliance by retailer or manufacturer; or to respond to price changes among competitors. A small price audit of most common or high ticket items may be included in part of a competitor shop.

· Questionnaire and Program Design: This is a service offered by many secret shopping companies or marketing research companies in which they assist the client with survey questions and program design. The vendor may make recommendations as to the focus of the shop, the content and wording of the questions, the number and frequency of the shops, reporting formats, incentive programs and the use of the information.

· Specific Individual Evaluations: These are usually integrity related. A shop may be requested by a client because there is a reason to believe that procedures are not being followed by a specific employee.

· Telephone Performance Evaluation: This form of secret shop utilizes a survey to covertly evaluate the compliance with telephone procedures of an employee or call center. These types of shops may also be performed to evaluate the sales performance of the client company.

· Video Recorded Secret Shops: These are shops in which video is recorded. This could be used for either customer service or integrity. Video recorded secret shops are restricted by law in some states.

Customer experience measurement should include the objective experience data that secret shopping provides. Mystery shopping records a snapshot of the way in which customers are engaged by the business. Specific measurable items are assessed to provide an objective look at the customer interaction. Mystery shopping can answer important questions a client company may have regarding how long is takes for customers to be greeted and if the associates on the phone are friendly and represent the company well. It may be valuable for a mystery shopping program to be augmented by customer satisfaction surveys, interactive voice response (IVR), and other means of measuring how customers feel about a business. However, customer satisfaction measurements such as surveys, should not by used exclusively to guide customer experience management programs because they are not objective. While gathering information about the attitudes of customers can be important, customer feedback is, by nature, subjective and can be influenced by emotion. The objectivity that mystery shopping provides is critical to any effective customer experience management program.

Bottom line performance can be influenced, in either direction, by many factors. As reported and discussed, customers use the behaviors and attitudes of a company and its employee to determine how satisfied they are and if they will return. So quantifying the financial return on investment of any new incentive can be difficult. The behavioral return on investment in secret shopping programs can be readily measured, though, provided the results of the mystery shopping program are effectively used to change employee behavior. For example, if a secret shopping report reveals that fifty percent of the time, employees fail to thank the customer before ending a phone conversation or before the customer exits the building, the company may take specific steps to ensure that employees understand what the expectations are and that employees should thanks each customer. Subsequent secret shopping may later reveal an improvement in this area. The financial value of that improvement may be hard to gage, but consider this: a customer who felt appreciated and valued is far more likely to do business with a company that a customer who is underappreciated or ignored. Acknowledging customers as they enter and exit your building has also been proven to improve loss prevention and reduce the rate of theft. Both of these factors should be weighed when determining the worth or value of a mystery shopping program.

Mystery shopping has proven to be an asset for those wishing to assess heir staff while off location. Insightful feedback from the secret shopper can not only identify opportunities for improvement, but also highlight trends based on the data collected from the secret shopper’s evaluation.

While many companies allocate funds towards training their employees, very few monitor their program’s effectiveness afterwards. In addition to improving customer satisfaction and customer retention, and as a result, the bottom line, secret shopping also validates that money invested in employee training is worthwhile and productive.

Debate has arisen about the effectiveness of mystery shopping. Those who oppose the practice suggest that an individual who knows nothing about a particular workplace has no business analyzing it. This ideal might be counteracted by arguing that customers enter and exit a business without becoming familiar with its inner workings and yet, they still leave with an opinion about that business- an opinion that will affect that business’ bottom line in one way or another. Secret shopping faces opposition in that some managers feel there could be an explanation for why a certain type of poor service was provided. However, studies show that customers expect a high level of service, despite whatever obstacle the company may be facing. Perhaps a mystery shopper is the answer for some, but not all. Meanwhile, those who prefer a tangible report revealing the way customers generally feel when they leave your establishment, can find it in an unbiased, honest evaluation from a mystery shopper.

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