Ann Michaels and Associates Mystery Shopping Company
Kathy Doering, of Ann Michaels & Associates Mystery Shopping, answered some questions for us about mystery shopping for them. Ann Michaels & Associates provides mystery shopping and market research services to a wide range of industries. The company is a member of the Mystery Shopping Providers Association, and Kathy and others from Ann Michaels have attended the MSPA’s Shopper Educational Conferences and several Gold Workshops.
Here is what Kathy had to say about mystery shopping for Ann Michaels & Associates.
Describe the ideal shopper.
The ideal shopper is someone who has strong written, observation, and communication skills. They can pose as a typical customer while remaining objective in their observations. Being able to write a narrative in an objective, thorough manner is a definite plus.
Does your company recognize MSPA certification? What advantage does a Silver shopper have over non-certified? Gold over Silver? Do you recognize any other certifications?
Our company strongly supports MSPA certification. We will select shoppers for shops if they are Silver certified over those who have no certification, and we will offer Gold certified shoppers first priority on a shop over the others. Of course, we have our “tried and true” shoppers who may not be certified, but have been with us for years providing great work, are reliable, and communicate exceptionally well.
We do use a mix of new and “established” shoppers each month, since we want to always give new shoppers a chance too!
What types of shops does your company do? What types of reports are used?
Ann Michaels & Associates completes mystery shops in a variety of industries, including retail, restaurant, banking, business to business, and age compliance shops. The majority of our forms require some type of narrative, whether it is a longer narrative describing the shopper’s entire experience or shorter, more focused narratives on specific portions of the shop. Some of our surveys are shorter and only require brief comments for any “no” or negative responses.
What is the best way for a new shopper to get in the door and get a first assignment?
We welcome all new shoppers to register to become a mystery shopper with our company. As shops become available in their area, they will receive an email notification inviting them to apply. A link is provided to learn more about the job requirements and decide if they’d like to apply. From there, they can choose to apply for the shop. If they are selected, they will be notified via email.
Generally speaking, it is difficult to know where to start as a new shopper. We get many calls from people wanting to get started, but don’t know how. Since each company has work in different industries and different geographical locations, I recommend registering with as many companies as possible to increase chances of getting work in your area. I always direct them to the MSPA website, which provides shoppers with a list of MSPA certified companies. This is a great starting point. I also recommend new shoppers take a look at Jobslinger, since it offers such a comprehensive job listing section that you can search by zip code. This will give new shoppers an idea of which companies do work in their area, and they can easily start by registering with those companies. I do caution new shoppers that just because they register with a company and apply for a shop, it does NOT mean they will start getting work right away.
How can shoppers qualify for your best (highest-paying and most interesting and enjoyable) shop assignments?
Reliability and communication are two important qualities that we look for in shoppers. Shoppers who consistently do great work for us, meaning they do shops as assigned (and/or communicate with us in a timely manner if they need to reschedule or they have an emergency) and submit reports and all necessary documentation on time, including receipts, business cards, etc. will qualify for the best shops we can offer.
When narratives are required, we are looking for shoppers who can describe their experience in a clear, chronological fashion. We advise shoppers to write so that the client feels like they were sitting right next to the shopper during the shop – writing in a chronological, objective manner is best. We also advise shoppers to go back through the questions to make sure they’ve documented the reason for any “no” or less than excellent ratings in their narrative.
How long after a shop are your shoppers typically paid? Do you use/require PayPal??
Ann Michaels & Associates pays shoppers via PayPal at this time. We pay on the 15th of each month for all work completed the month prior. If a shop is completed in August, shoppers can expect a PayPal payment to be made on September 15th.
How is your company helping shoppers deal with the high price of gasoline?
We are all feeling pain at the pump these days, and we are trying to do what we can to help shoppers get the most out of their trips. For example, we do allow flexibility in scheduling if shoppers are trying to create a route of shops with us and other companies so they can combine multiple shops in one day. While we cannot charge our clients for mileage or gas reimbursements, we do try to offer these when possible, especially when shoppers are going to very remote locations. We also make every effort to post all of our shops at the same time each month so shoppers can know when to expect to find new shops with us and try to route them with shops from other companies.
What is your biggest problem/pet peeve with shoppers?
One pet peeve is when shoppers do not answer qualifying questions when applying for shops. For example, we may have a three-day window in which a shop can be completed, but need shoppers to commit to a specific date. We will ask shoppers to let us know which date they are able to complete the shop during the application process. Many times shoppers do not answer this question. We want shoppers to know that these questions are part of our first impression of you as a shopper – if you don’t follow the first instruction when applying, our certainty that other instructions may not be followed increases. Therefore, we will likely choose another shopper who has answered our qualifying questions.
What are the biggest challenges facing mystery shopping companies today?
There are a few challenges facing mystery shopping companies, the largest one being the scams that are out there. We were faced with the check cashing scam a year and a half ago, which was daunting to say the least. There have been other times when shoppers will call us demanding that we refund the money they’ve paid us….since we don’t charge fees for shoppers to register with us, it means they have paid someone else for something they are not getting.
Another challenge that many companies have been facing deal with the cost of mystery shopping programs…..while the price of gas, groceries, and other items has increased over the years, the cost of mystery shopping services has actually decreased. This hurts everyone in the industry, not just the shoppers.
Anything else you want to add?
Everyone at Ann Michaels & Associates started as a shopper….we know how it can be sometimes! We also want shoppers to know that we realize that we could not be in this business without mystery shoppers – we have worked with some outstanding shoppers in the past ten years, and we are truly grateful for their hard work and dedication! Our success lies with the shoppers, and we appreciate everything shoppers do!
—-
Thank you, Kathy, for sharing this information with us. If you would like to be a mystery shopper for Ann Michaels & Associates, go to https://www.sassieshop.com/sassie/SassieShopperSignup/Signup.php
Related articles:
Post a comment