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You are here: Home / Writing Mystery Shopper Reports / Mystery Shopper Reports Paint Pictures with Words

Mystery Shopper Reports Paint Pictures with Words

December 9, 2008 by Cathy Stucker Leave a Comment

painter.jpgWhen you write a mystery shop report, you are giving the client a snapshot of what happened during your visit. Although some mystery shopper jobs include taking digital photos, most of the time we make the picture of our experience appear through our words.

You paint the picture through your choice of answers to the yes or no questions, and with your comments and narratives. The facts and details you include, as well as your choice of words, tell the story of your customer experience.

Mystery shopper reports are objective, so it is important not to shade or color your answers. Simply present the facts in a straightforward way.

Give details. The more you can tell the client about your visit, the more useful your report is to them.

>Do not tell them what they already know. Do not include details such as, “the store was just off the food court,” or “a dark blue carpet covered the floor.” They know that. Tell them what they do not know. Was the carpet clean, or was it stained and littered?

Be specific. Saying something was “very dirty” or the wait was “too long” is vague and does not tell the client what they need to know. Describe exactly what you saw, heard and experienced. How long did you wait?

Choose the right words. Words have specific meanings. Although it is fine to use a thesaurus to vary your word choices, never use a word unless you are certain of its meaning and the meaning correctly conveys what happened. Even words that have similar meanings do not necessarily mean the same thing.

Do not speculate. If the reason for a problem is obvious, or if an explanation is offered, you may include it. However, do not speculate that service was slow because “they were understaffed, someone must have called in sick,” or that the cashier, “seemed like a trainee.” Stick to the facts.

Tell the story of your visit. Reading the answers to report questions, combined with your comments and narratives, should make the client feel that they were there with you. They see and hear what your visit was like, from the time you walked up to the building to the time you departed.

Want to learn more about writing great mystery shop reports?

Filed Under: Writing Mystery Shopper Reports Tagged With: Customer Service, mystery shopper reports, Mystery shopping

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