WHAT IS MYSTERY SHOPPING?

Remember as a child when you always felt like your parents or your teachers were always checking up on you?  In most cases it wasn't because they didn't trust you, but rather they wanted to ensure you were doing what you were supposed to be doing!

Business owners do the same thing with their employees.  Competition is keen; therefore they know that if they don't service their customers properly, someone else will.  Business owners and managers have so much on their plate; they cannot be expected to check up on their employees all the time.  Yet they need an accurate measurement to gauge how well their staff performs.

There is a wonderful tool available that gives a snapshot of customer service at any one point in time.  It is called Mystery Shopping.

Mystery shopping is the act of evaluating employees without their knowledge. It is a little bit like spying – only it's legal and acceptable in the business community.  Mystery shoppers are sometimes referred to as secret shoppers.  The shopper is tasked to enter an establishment on a particular day to complete a transaction.

Before starting the shop, the shopper is given predetermined criteria to evaluate.  Without revealing her/his identity the shopper will watch for the requested information.  Once back home, the shopper will complete a series of questions, typically within 24 hours, and then submit it to the home office.

Mystery shopping is a great source of extra income for moms, students, actors and retired people.  You determine how much and when you will work.