Secret Shopper Grades: What Do They Mean?
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It is always nice to get feedback so that you know how you are doing. Although some will just give you a comment or two (Great report, but please watch your spelling.) and others give little or no feedback, many mystery shopping companies give feedback via shopper ratings or grades. Here is what those grades mean.
Each company uses their own rating system. Many use a 1 - 10 scale, with 1 being the worst and 10 the best. Others use a 5-point scale, a 100-point scale or letter grades.
Even if the companies you work for all use the 1 to 10 scale, a 10 from one mystery shopping provider does not necessarily mean the same thing as a 10 from another. Some companies will not give a 10 for any report, no matter how perfect. Others will give a 10 if the report is generally good without too many errors. The grading system is internal to each company, and each has their own idea of what the scores mean.
So how seriously should you take these ratings? Well, they are important and may determine the type of shops you are offered in the future, or even if you continue to receive assignments. However, it is not necessary to always have perfect scores in order to stay in good standing.
In general, if you typically receive 8s, 9s or 10s from a company using a 10-point scale, you are doing well. If you frequently drop below that level, you may find yourself getting fewer shops from that company.
Don’t get worked up because you usually get 9s and 10s, and you were given an 8 on one shop. That is still a good grade. It could mean that you were having a bad day and made some mistakes, or it could mean that the particular editor who reviewed your report is tougher than others. Although every company that issues grades has standards for what each grade means, there is still some room for interpretation.
Oh–and if you don’t get ratings on your shops? If the company continues to give you assignments, that is your feedback. You are apparently doing a good job. However, you may also ask for feedback on your shops. Some companies will provide it, others will not. Letting them know that you are interested in improving is always good, though.
One Response to 'Secret Shopper Grades: What Do They Mean?'
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on October 30th, 2007 at 10:29 pm
I’ve been told by some of my companies that their rating is actually done by a computer, sometimes before a person has even read it.