Communicate more. Mystery shopping companies want shoppers to keep them informed. Let them know if there is a problem scheduling an appointment or something goes wrong on the shop visit or a location no longer exists or… One shopper told me that she discovered a major problem with the scenario for a shop: Shoppers were supposed to tell the salesperson the amount of their budget, and there was nothing in the store for anything close to that price. Oops. Letting them know about the error immediately helped them fix the problem before other shoppers did their assignments.

Try something new. Try a different kind of assignment or investigate doing other, related work such as merchandising and demos. You may find jobs you really love, and have more opportunities to earn.

Do shops sooner. When you have two weeks to do a shop, do it as soon as you can. This frees you up to take additional assignments and you don’t have to worry about unexpected events interfering with your shop. And if something does come up, you have plenty of time to get the assignment done before the due date. Something else to keep in mind is that many schedulers look at when you completed past shops when making assignments. The shopper who does their assignments early is often given preference over the shopper who always gets assignments done at the last minute.

That goes for reports, too. Report deadlines are shorter than ever, but if you have 24 hours to do the report you should not wait until hour 23 to start. Get it done as soon as you can after the shop. The details are fresher in your mind, getting it done means you can move on to the next thing, and computer problems or family emergencies won’t cause you to miss the report deadline.

Clear out the deadwood. Are there companies you no longer enjoy working with? Are there others that never seem to have interesting assignments? Maybe it’s time to dump them and concentrate on the companies you love. Or look for some new companies you have not worked with before. There are hundreds of mystery shopping providers out there—deal with the ones you love and forget the rest.

Learn something new. Acquire a skill that will help you to make more money as a mystery shopper. That might be learning about video mystery shopping so you can take on new, profitable assignments. Or it might be learning how to use technology to earn more money in less time. For example, you might learn how to mange your email more effectively to spend less time hunting for assignments, or how to use your GPS or mapping software to plan a route and spend less time (and gas money) driving from one shop to the next.

Start a savings plan. The money you earn as a part-time or occasional mystery shopper may seem inconsequential—$20 here, $50 there, it doesn’t seem like much compared to a “real” paycheck. However, when you add up the money and the extras you earn as a mystery shopper, it is probably a nice addition to the family income. Don’t fritter it away by cashing your checks and blowing the money. Deposit all of your mystery shopping payments into your bank account. Put aside a portion for expenses and taxes, and put the rest in an account earmarked for a special purpose, such as holiday gifts, a vacation trip, college for the kids or your retirement.

Implement a few of these resolutions and you will make 2012 your best year ever as a mystery shopper.

Here are some suggestions for getting a good quality image of the receipt to submit with your report.

First of all, pay attention to the guidelines and submit the receipt as requested. The guidelines will always supercede any general information, such as these tips.

Some companies will want your name and/or shopper ID on the receipt. If so, write it neatly on the receipt.

In most cases, you may either scan the receipt or take a photo. I usually find that it is easier to take a digital photo. Use whichever method gets you a clear image in the easiest way.

When taking a photo, you may be able to use the camera in your cell phone. Most recent cell phones take good quality photos. Because you must upload the photo with your report, you need to be able to get the photo from your cell phone to your computer. This may mean simply connecting the phone and computer with a standard USB cable, or you may need a cable made especially for your phone. In some cases, special software may be required to transfer the photos from your phone.

Don’t use a flash when photographing a receipt. It can cause glare that makes the receipt difficult to read.

Once you have the receipt scanned or photographed, you can edit it using your favorite photo editing software. I like to use IrfanView, but you can use iPhoto (on the Mac), Picasa or other online photo editors. Make sure the receipt is easy to read. If the print is very light, you may be able to adjust the contrast and brightness to make it more readable.

Save the receipt file in portrait layout so it can be easily read on the screen.

Save the image as a standard graphic format, such as JPG or GIF. The file size may be large, so reduce the file size by changing the dimensions of the image. Be sure that you maintain the same proportions when resizing so the image is not distorted.

Use a file name that makes sense. The mystery shopping company may tell you how to name the file but if they don’t you might use a naming convention such as ClientName-Location-Date.JPG. So the file name might be ThePieHole-Houston007-102411.JPG. Do not put characters such as periods, commas, apostrophes and slashes in the file name.

Your receipts and other documents are an important part of your shop report. Make sure the images you submit are high-quality.

Failure to read the guidelines and form before the visit. In order to know what you need to do, you need to review the client’s guidelines and the report form you will complete after the shop visit. Without this preparation you won’t know what questions to ask, observations to make, required purchases, etc.

Going to the wrong location. Believe it or not, this happens all the time. There are many clients that have multiple locations in the same area. When shoppers do not verify the address they may end up at the wrong one. Even worse, some shoppers go to a location of another business, not the client.

Performing the shop on the wrong day or during the wrong time frame. Most shop assignments require that you visit within a range of dates. Some may specify a time of day for your visit. If your lunch shop is to be done between 11:30 a.m. and 1:00 p.m., that means that you should arrive between those times. (You usually are not required to complete the shop by 1:00 p.m., but refer to the guidelines to be certain.)

Changing the scenario. Some scenarios seem odd, and mystery shoppers fear that they will be discovered if they present the scenario as described in the guidelines. The client has chosen that scenario for a reason and changing it will cause them to reject your report.

Drawing attention to yourself. Mystery shoppers should not be memorable. Dress like a typical customer, act like a typical customer, be a typical customer.

Purchasing the wrong products or services. Some secret shop assignments require that you purchase specific items. For example, guidelines for a fast food shop might say that you are to order a SuperDuper Burger Combo, and you are not to make any changes or substitutions. Ordering a SuperDuper Cheeseburger Combo or asking for your sandwich without onions could result in your shop being rejected.

Overspending. Secret shoppers receive reimbursement for required expenses. Do not assume that because you are being reimbursed for at least a portion of your purchase that you should spend like a drunken congressman. Ordering the most expensive item on the menu, buying a lot of items or upgrading services beyond what the typical customer would buy may not “out” you as the mystery shopper, but it may cause your experience not to be typical. That could affect the validity of your shop report.

Checking the bathroom last. Several mystery shopping companies have said not to visit the bathroom as the last stop on your visit because it is a clue that you are the mystery shopper. Of course, if visiting the bathroom is the giveaway and you do immediately before you leave, it doesn’t give them a chance to skew the shop results because they have figured out that you are the shopper. Nonetheless, you don’t want to be identified in case you want to return to that location.

Being obvious about taking notes. It helps to take notes during a shop, but do it discreetly. When you make the bathroom check in the middle of the visit, make a few notes while you are in the stall. If you use other methods of taking notes (e.g., texting) make sure you do it in a way that does not arouse suspicion.

Asking too many questions. Although you will need to ask questions during a mystery shop visit, asking too many questions will raise red flags. Ask only what you need to know to complete your report. Don’t get into too many details or badger employees with questions.

Clear out your file cabinet. Get rid of outdated shop notes, printouts of reports and guidelines, and other clutter. In general, you should keep shop notes ad report copies for at least 90 days, although some mystery shopping companies may recommend keeping them longer.

Go paperless. OK, going completely paperless is probably not realistic for most people. However, you may be able to reduce the amount of paper that flows through your office. Instead of printing copies of the reports you submit, save them to your computer as PDFs. Scan papers you would normally keep and get rid of the papers. (Before getting rid of things such as receipts, make sure that there is no chance the mystery shopping company will ask you to produce the original.)

Clear out your computer files. If you are already saving many of your reports and other documents as files and not paper, clear them out from time to time. Don’t forget photo files. When you do reports requiring digital photos, you can end up with a large section of your hard drive filled with photo files. You may also have lots of photos or scans of receipts and other documents. You may want to keep receipts for several years (to have them just in case you face a tax audit) but other documents can generally be deleted after 90 days or so.

Set up a work area. If you do not have a space dedicated to your mystery shopping business, set one up. Keep files, reference materials, equipment (such as digital recorders, thermometers, stopwatches, etc.) and supplies (pens, batteries, memory cards, etc.) in one handy place. Get a comfortable chair and make sure your computer or laptop is at a good height.

Establish a good record keeping system. Keep a notebook in your car for writing down mileage and recording small expenses, such as tolls or money you put in a parking meter. Keep envelopes in your car so you can keep receipts and other documentation together. Set up a calendar, spreadsheet or other system for tracking your shops, expenses, and payments due from mystery shopping companies. Keeping good records makes you more profitable because you will not forget shops and you will remember to deduct all of your expenses.

Once you have your organization in place, you can work on being more profitable.

Apply to more mystery shopping companies. The more companies you apply to, the more mystery shopper jobs you will be offered. Take a few minutes to set up all of the information you need to fill out applications, then make it a habit to apply to at least one or two companies every few days.

Educate yourself. Develop the skills that will make you a better and more sought-after mystery shopper. Take a grammar class to improve your writing skills. Get a mystery shopper certification.

Use technology. Although you may not want to invest much money in technology for mystery shopping if you are only doing it part time or spare time, there is no reason not to use technology you already own. Do you have a digital camera, digital voice recorder, navigation system or other device that could make your life as a mystery shopper easier? Use it! And learn the power user tricks that can make those devices work even better for you.

Take a chance. If you play it safe, only doing shops with which you are “comfortable,” you are holding yourself back. Try a different kind of shop, work with new companies and be open to new opportunities. If you decide you do not like doing some types of mystery shops, or the schedulers for a company are unpleasant to work with, dump ‘em. But be open to trying new things.

Here’s to making 2011 the best year ever!

Doing these seven things will make you a better—and a more successful—secret shopper.

1. Do a great application. The information on the application will be all that the mystery shopping company knows about you. The more they know, the easier it is to match you to appropriate mystery shopper jobs. Answer every question completely and honestly. Provide a good writing sample with proper spelling, grammar and punctuation so they can see that you have the writing skills needed.

2. Be reliable. As many as 25% of secret shopper jobs accepted by shoppers are not completed and have to be reassigned. This creates lots of work for the companies as those jobs still have to be done, often at the last minute. If you take an assignment, do it on or before the due date.

3. Hone your writing skills. You do not have to be a great writer to be a great secret shopper, but you need solid writing skills. If you think your grammar and writing may not be up to par, take a business writing class at your local community college or keep a couple of good reference books on hand to check your writing.

4. Communicate. Do not hesitate to contact the mystery shopping company when you have questions about an assigned shop, or if something goes wrong before, during or after the shop. This is critical. Do not be embarrassed if you do not understand something or that you made a mistake. When you have a question or a problem, let the mystery shopping company know right away. They will appreciate it.

5. Read and follow the guidelines for the shop. The guidelines describe exactly what the client wants you to evaluate. Failing to follow the guidelines means that your shop may not be accepted and you will not be paid.

6. Complete the shop and the report on time. When you are offered a mystery shopper job you will know when it must be completed. There may be a range of days and times, or it may be very specific. In either case, put it on your calendar so you remember to do it before the deadline. Then do your report as soon as possible after your shop visit—the client needs the information while it is still fresh.

7. Be a pro. All of the tips in this article are about doing your best for your secret shopping clients. Mystery shopping companies have told me that only about 10% of their shoppers are excellent shoppers—people they know will always do their assignments reliably and correctly. Make it your goal to be one of the 10%. It is not always easy, but it is simple.

Most of the time this is not a problem on restaurant mystery shops. The guidelines may state that you must order an appetizer, entree and side, but not specify the exact menu items to be ordered. There are shops (usually fast food), though, that will specify specific foods to order. Even if you may choose any menu item you wish, there may be limitations on special requests, such as asking for sauce on the side or substituting items.

So what if someone has a long list of foods that can not or will not eat? Can they still do restaurant mystery shops? Sure! Here are a few tips anyone can follow to make sure their food preferences do not clash with the mystery shop requirements.

Read the guidelines. If the full guidelines are available, review them to see what you must order. Even an email offering an assignment will generally describe ordering requirements. Most of the time they do not require that you order specific items, but sometimes they do. If so, make sure it is something that you will eat.

Consider your companion. Restaurant mystery shops often allow or require that you have someone with you. Does your companion have dietary requirements or preferences to be considered? For example, because my husband does not like seafood I would not accept a secret shop at a seafood restaurant. Your companion may be willing to eat things you are not. If there is a requirement to order something you will not eat, perhaps your companion could order it.

Know the menu. Most restaurants post their menus online, so you can review them prior to accepting a restaurant mystery shop. Make sure that there are dishes both you and your companion will eat.

Be cautious with special orders and substitutions. In general, when you are secret shopping you should not special order items that are not on the menu. You may be able to request modifications or substitutions, but read the guidelines to be sure. For example, you might be able to ask for your burger to be served without grilled onions, or that they substitute mashed potatoes for french fries. Some shops, however, specify that you not ask for any changes to the standard item, so verify what you may order before doing the shop.

Do not order “to go” unless allowed by the guidelines. If you must order something you do not want to eat, do not assume that you can order it “to go” and take it home. You may, however, be able to take a few bites then ask for the dish to be wrapped up for you. It all depends on what the guidelines say, so read them carefully. When in doubt, ask your scheduler.

And what about alcohol? There are restaurant mystery shops that require the shopper to visit the bar before or after the meal, or even to eat at the bar. The shop may require that at least one alcoholic beverage be ordered. If you do not drink, or do not wish to drink “on the job,” your companion may be able to fulfill this requirement.

Bon appétit!

• The time you arrived and the time you left
• How long you were at the location before you were greeted by an employee
• The time between placing an order and receiving it
• How long it took to check out
• And many others.

Timings are vitally important to the client. Many of their standards to relate to client service times. Customers want speed and efficiency, and clients need to know that they are meeting client expectations.

The client may ask for timings rounded to the nearest minute, or they may want them down to the second. How can you get the specific timings needed to make your mystery shopper reports accurate and complete? Here are some of my favorite tips.

Wear a digital watch. Trying to discreetly get timings from an analog watch can be difficult. Use a digital watch with a display large enough to read at a glance. Make sure the display includes seconds, as well as the hour and minute.

Get a stopwatch with a lap timer. There are many small stopwatches that attach to your keychain or easily fit in your pocket. Many digital watches also include stopwatches. You want a lap timer so you can capture multiple timings. The way it works is that you tap a button each time you want to capture a time. Learn how your stopwatch works and practice with it so you can get timings without looking at the stopwatch.

Use your cell phone. Your cell phone may include a stopwatch. If you can use it without drawing attention, that may be an easy way to get timings.

Make notes during the shop. Be very careful about making notes during a shop; however, if you are discreet, you can jot a few timings, names and other notes. Go to a closed restroom stall. Send yourself a text message. Jot a few notes on your shopping list or in your check register.

Back up your timings with a digital recorder. Record the shop so you can verify the timings you took during the shop visit. Do not rely solely on the recording—technology can fail. However, reviewing the recording can be a good way to double-check your timings.

Timings that do not add up will cause the editor to question your report. When you complete your report, check your timings against each other. For example, if you say you were at the location 32 minutes, but individual timings add up to 38 minutes, something is wrong.

Getting your timings right will make your reports valuable to mystery shopping companies and clients.

Plan your route. Use mapping software, such as Microsoft Streets and Trips, to plan your route before you get in the car. With this software, you can enter a list of addresses, and the software will map out the most efficient route. That way you will not spend a lot of time (and gasoline!) backtracking or getting lost.

Don’t forget your errands. Need to pick something up from the dry cleaner? Mail a package at the post office? Buy toothpaste at the drug store? Include the little errands you need to run in your itinerary for the day and get them out of the way between mystery shops.

Double up. Take a companion with you who can help you review the guidelines and reports for each shop as you drive from place to place. Or have them drive, so you can jot notes from the last shop and prepare for the next.

Catch up. Don’t get to spend enough time with a friend or family member? Take them with you, and use your travel time to catch up. If you need to do your mystery shopper jobs alone, they can pop in to a nearby store or get a cup of coffee while you work.

Learn something. Get an instructional program on CD, such as a language course, and listen to the lessons as you drive. Or choose an audio book of that new novel you have not been able to make time to read. Amazon has great prices on audio books, and many libraries have extensive selections of books on CD.

Be safe. Do not do things while driving that will distract you from your most important task: Driving. No texting, no conversations that cause you to lose focus, nothing that takes your attention away from the road and other drivers.

Using your travel time effectively makes you more productive and more profitable.

As mystery shoppers, we are there to observe and report, not to influence the outcome of the shop. One of the best ways to do that is by talking no more than is necessary.

Obviously, we need to speak on mystery shops. There are questions that need to be asked or answered, and appropriate conversations to hold. Saying too little is almost as bad as saying too much. But saying too much can affect the outcome of the mystery shop.

Here are some ways that talking too much on a mystery shop can make the shop go wrong.

You say too much and cut off questions. Most of the time, salespeople are expected to ask questions to determine a customer’s needs. That may be part of the report. If the mystery shopper starts off by saying, “I need to buy a birthday gift for my nephew. He’s nine and loves soccer. And I don’t want to spend more than $30,” they have eliminated several questions that the employee might ask.

You give too many details. Keep both your questions and answers short and to the point. When you need to ask for a receipt, simply say, “May I have a receipt?” Do not launch in to a long explanation of why you are asking for one. Too often, when secret shoppers think that something they must say or do on a shop will make them look like the shopper, they do something even more attention-getting to try to cover. Just act natural when talking with employees, and remember that real customers do some of the goofy stuff we are asked to do.

You lead the employee. Sometimes employees do not ask the questions or make the recommendations we expect based on the mystery shop guidelines. The temptation is there to ask about those things; however, if the employee is supposed to bring them up, you should wait for the employee to do so. For example, the report may ask if the salesperson told you about this month’s special offer. Asking if they have “any special deals if I buy today,” might lead them to tell you about the special, even if they would not have mentioned it without your question.

You are too knowledgeable. In most shops you are supposed to represent the typical customer. I have a background in life and health insurance. If I were evaluating an insurance agent, I would not let them know that I have years of experience in the industry and that I am a licensed agent. That would influence how they presented to me. Asking questions that a typical customer would not ask also makes you stand out. Be a blank slate, there to learn.

You use their jargon. The shop guidelines may use terminology that is specific to the industry or the client. Tossing around these terms by saying things such as, “I need to talk to a CSR about taking out a GR7 unsecured loan,” instantly marks you as something other than a typical customer. They may suspect that you are the mystery shopper, or they may fail to give you all of the information about the product, assuming that you are already very familiar with it.

You don’t let them talk. If a secret shopper keeps up a steady stream of chatter, the employee may not be able to ask questions, make suggestions, or otherwise say and do the things that are expected of them. Give them a chance to speak.

Remember that as a mystery shopper your job is to listen. Know your guidelines so that you ask the questions you need to ask and give appropriate answers to employees’ questions. Then be quiet and let them speak.

Although tools such as digital recorders are useful, they are not infallible. Batteries die, switches get turned off, or other sounds interfere with what you want to hear on the recording. Recorders should be thought of as backup, not your primary means of getting and recalling the data needed for your reports. And because there are times when it is difficult or impossible to make notes without being observed it is critical to develop a good memory.

Here are some tips on developing memory skills that will not fail you:

Use visualizations.

You have heard the term “photographic memory,” right? By making the effort to remember what something looked like, you may be able to recall the details you need. For example, use your memory to “take a picture” of the name sign at the bank teller’s window, and you will be able to recall the teller’s name by “reading” it from your memory. Or visualizing how your food looked when it was served will make it easier to describe the appearance in your report.

To take a mental picture, look at what you want to remember and make a conscious effort to remember it exactly. Too often, we look at things without really seeing them. Take a few seconds to etch the memory in your brain and you will be able to recall the image in graphic detail.

Use sounds.

Creating a rhythm or melody associated with words you want to remember can help bring them to mind quickly. When you want to recall exactly what greeting the cashier used, set it to music in your head. The music will make it easier to remember. Likewise, if you need to remember a list of items or fact, silently run them through your brain to create a rhythm. Some people create a rap or rhyme to help them remember multiple items.

Use associations.

Associating new information with information already in your brain can make it easier to recall the new information. For example, if you need to remember the name of the salesperson, think of someone you know with the same name.

Each of these methods work, but you may find that some work better than others for you. You may be very strong with visuals and less so with associations, for example. Use the methods that work best for you, but keep in mind that you can improve your success with each of these by practicing. Even when you are not mystery shopping, make an effort to recall things such as names, times, and other details often requested on mystery shopper reports using these memory techniques or others that work for you.