Mystery Shopper's Manual

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Mystery Shopper Reports and Opinion Questions

May 2, 2017 by Cathy Stucker

Although most of the questions on secret shopping reports are objective, yes-or-no style questions, many reports include one or more questions that ask for your opinion. Examples include questions such as:

  • Based on the service you received today, would you have opened an account at this bank?
  • Based on the rental agent’s presentation, would you have rented an apartment here?
  • Would you return to this store/restaurant and spend your own money?

These questions call for your opinion, but a good answer requires that you back up your opinion with reasons and facts. Here are some examples of how to handle these types of questions.

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Why Was Your Report Rejected?

May 17, 2010 by Cathy Stucker

This is a guest post from C. McDaniel of Spot Check Services Ltd.

You’ve just completed and submitted your shop… now you get a notice saying your report has been REJECTED… WHY did it happen to YOU?

Everyone runs the risk of making a mistake at some point during their shop, whether you’re a newbie, or the most seasoned mystery shopper. Depending on the nature of your error, it can be nothing more than an email informing you of your error. But in those cases where the error was crucial, it can result in your shop and report being rejected by either the client or the mystery shopping company. The word REJECTION isn’t pleasant in any case, and the fallout can be detrimental to you as a person, as well as a mystery shopper.Continue Reading

Mystery Shopper Report Deadlines

December 22, 2009 by Cathy Stucker

mystery-shopper-report-deadlinesI got started in mystery shopping back in the “old days,” before the Internet. When reports were mailed, there was not a big rush to get the report submitted within hours of completing the shop visit. Of course, smart mystery shoppers did their reports soon after the shop so that all of the details were still fresh in their minds; however, that didn’t have to mean staying up all night to get the final report completed within six hours of leaving the client location.

These days, report deadlines are very short. Many reports must be submitted within 24 hours of completing the shop, but others may have to be done within six hours, or within twelve hours, by midnight, 10:00 a.m. or noon the following day.

The deadlines have gotten shorter for us because mystery shopper reports have more value when they are fresh, so clients want the reports as soon as they can get them. They may expect to have a report 24 or 48 hours after the shop visit. Remember that the report has to be reviewed by an editor before it can be released, so that means we have to submit the report within several hours after the visit to meet the client deadline. And if the editor has questions about your report, you need to be available to answer them quickly, so the report can be finalized and released.

What can you do to make sure you produce quality reports by the deadline? Here are some tips.Continue Reading

Tips for Getting Receipts on Secret Shops

September 3, 2009 by Cathy Stucker

secret-shopping-receiptMost mystery shopper assignments require that you submit a receipt in order to be paid. Most often you are instructed to upload a scanned image or digital photo of the receipt. You may be allowed to fax or mail the receipt instead. In some cases, you may be asked to mail the original receipt, and in others you may only have to enter information from the receipt when you submit the report from your secret shop.

No matter how they ask for the data, you will almost always need to have a receipt from the mystery shop in order to successfully complete the shop requirements. Here are some tips to help you deal with receipts and mystery shops.

Read the guidelines carefully to know what you are supposed to do if a receipt is not offered. Some clients will tell you that you should request one. Others say that you should not draw attention to yourself by asking for a receipt. Know beforehand what you are to do.Continue Reading

Should I Write a Complaint Letter After a Bad Mystery Shop?

June 17, 2009 by Cathy Stucker

restaurantQuestion from a secret shopper:

I had a mystery shopper job at a restaurant the other night. The service was okay, but the food was awful! I answered all of the report questions honestly and they ended up with a bad report.

After I submitted my mystery shop report, I also wrote a letter to the restaurant chain describing the poor quality of my meal. I did not tell them that I was the mystery shopper but I did say when I was there. The restaurant sent me a coupon for a free dinner to make up for the bad meal I had, but now I am starting to wonder if I did the right thing.

Should I have written a complaint letter to a restaurant I was mystery shopping?
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