Just about anyone can mystery shop; perform the shop, write a report, get paid. But, there is a difference between someone who just gets the job done and someone who is a successful mystery shopper. The difference isn’t how often you are doing it or how much you are getting paid. The difference is always quality. Successful mystery shoppers care about each individual shop and corresponding report. They understand that they are making a difference in someone’s future customer experience. They understand that they are actually doing a real job. Below are 5 things that successful mystery shoppers do consistently.
- Read and follow the shopping guidelines.
Shop assignments almost always have a set of shopping guidelines attached to them that explain the dos and don’ts for that specific shop. Make sure to read them carefully; not all shops are the same and not know exactly what is expected can lead to costly mistakes. If you miss something, the shop becomes unusable; and unusable shops don’t get paid. Ouch.
- Complete all shops on time.
You might be surprised how often shoppers perform or submit their shops after the due date. This can have significant consequences on what is trying to be accomplished, as due dates are generally created for a reason. So make it a priority to perform your shop on the correct day and time and submit your report by the due date. Of course, life can throw things at you that prohibit you from completing your shop on time, which leads us to number 3 on our list.
- Communicate with your scheduler.
If you have questions or aren’t able to complete a shop in time, always contact the scheduler. Most companies prefer you email the scheduler instead of call, as this is usually the most direct way of reaching them; but calling, if available, is an option too. Make sure your communications are brief and include the necessary information to locate your shop since the scheduler is likely busy scheduling hundreds or thousands of other shops that month as well.
- Register with several mystery shopping and scheduling companies.
Wouldn’t it be awesome if there was one mystery shopping company and it had all of the available mystery shops? Well, for now that’s just a dream. In reality, mystery shops are spread out across many mystery shopping companies. Often the mystery shopping companies will outsource their scheduling which makes it beneficial to sign up with scheduling companies as well.
- Be organized.
Plan out your shops, create a schedule for yourself, and save proof of shops, such as receipts and photos. If there is an issue with your initial shop or upload, the mystery shopping company may request these documents again. Keep them for at least 2 weeks after your shop. To stay organized, some shoppers use an Excel file to keep track of the dates and shops they do and for which mystery shopping companies. Some use a file system. Whatever you prefer, remember to stay organized.
At Shoppers’ View, we love our shoppers! If you’re interested in becoming a mystery shopper check out our shoppers page or visit us on Facebook!
