by Marina Stein

Created on: May 03, 2009

In the recent years mystery shopping became quite an occupation with rules and regulations, Gold and Silver certifications, and fierce competition. Mystery shoppers are hired by a plethora of companies from banks, restaurants and retail stores to airlines and hotels, and everybody in between. The job of a mystery shopper is to evaluate how well company associates are following company guidelines.

Mystery shopper usually comes in the establishment with a very detailed assignment. Sometimes it takes up to 30 pages to explain all necessary steps and after it is done mystery shopper should fill the questionnaire to describe his/her experience. Very often mystery shopper is required to make a purchase; sometimes they are checking if associates will offer a certain promotion or item. Almost every time the name of an associate should be provided and if the greeting was offered and how soon.

Keeping all that in mind it may be relatively easy to identify a mystery shopper. Mystery shopper will stay low for a while waiting for the associate's greeting. When talking to the associate mystery shopper will look not in the eye but at the badge to read and remember the name. It usually takes at least 20-30 seconds and sometimes more (depending on the name). So if your customer looks at your chest while talking to you, know that you are being shopped. (Though some customers are nice and like to know your name they will not start their encounter with you looking at your badge. Usually they will ask for your name later).

Following their scenario, mystery shopper will ask specific questions which sometimes are very different of what regular customers will ask. If a customer suddenly is asking too much questions especially ones closely related to the company guideline which was presented to you recently (recent promotion, specials for using store credit cards, account benefits offered to new bank customers, etc) be prepared to provide this mystery shopping customer with as many details as you can recall from your training. Mystery shopper then will often repeat the information because they need to enter it in their questionnaire as accurately as possible and they need to rely on their memory only.

Almost all retail mystery shoppers are required to make a purchase nowadays and return is not allowed for some time. Though a return may be a give away but it will be too late to correct any mistakes which were made during the shop. Also, no mystery shopper is ever allowed to accept the fact of conducting the shop. So asking: "Are you a mystery shopper?" will not help. The best answer to that question on the part of a mystery shopper is: "Mystery shopper? What is it?" and the worse: "No, of course not!"

However, experienced and talented mystery shopper is very difficult to isolate. The best defense is to follow company policies and guidelines and provide excellent customer service to all customers in the same consistent way.

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