Various Mystery Shopping Jobs

When mystery shopping first came on the scene many years ago, you went and did the shop, and then filled out a survey type questionnaire and sent it back in to your employer, who then paid you for your work. You were given a long form, with questions on both sides, and you simply checked a box as you went down, was your food hot, yes or no, did the employees seem friendly and focused, yes or no, and so on down the line. While some mystery shopping jobs will still use this type of form, there are many others now available, so you should take the time to learn about all of them if you are serious about your mystery shopping job.

Thanks to the advances that have been made in modern technology over the years, many of your mystery shopper reports can be filled out and sent in electronically, via email or website. This cuts down on the time it takes for your employer to receive your feedback, and your wait for payment.

In some ways, however, this same technology has helped limit the demand for mystery shoppers somewhat. Thanks to so many people now being able to shop online for their needs, companies who do business in this manner don�t really have to be concerned with what you think, as you don�t ever see the inside of their store, or have any one on one contact with any of their employees. So, in the world of mystery shopping, technology has been both a blessing and a curse.

Many businesses operate call centers, where customers can call in for product service, questions, or complaints as needed. The company who provides this service has to be certain that their employees are taking care of the needs of their customers in a polite, friendly manner, and that wait times are at a minimum, etc. That being said, you may be assigned a mystery shopping job that you can do right from the privacy of your own home, calling in to one of these customer service centers, and rating your service. You will likely be asked to report on your wait time, employee friendliness, and the support you received, as well as many other details as the employer sees fit.

Another way that some companies are erasing the need of hiring mystery shoppers is by installing video surveillance cameras in the workplace. These cameras are usually linked into the corporate office, where anyone at any time can link up and see what is going on in any given store. If a customer has a complaint about a specific day, a supervisor can even go back to the day in question and view the scenario, visualizing the problems and then taking action to correct them as needed. Not every store does this, as it can be quite expensive, and some still prefer the anonymity of the mystery shopper. Employees know that cameras are installed, and they adjust their actions accordingly, where if you, as a mystery shopper, do a good job, they will be none the wiser that you are there.

Just remember, no matter what type of mystery shopping assignment you receive, you are the voice of the customer. If you see something that needs to be changed or done differently, you should speak up, that is your job, after all.

Mystery shoppers to target shops who sell knives to children - Telegraph.co.uk

BBC News

Mystery shoppers to target shops who sell knives to children Telegraph.co.uk, United Kingdom - Aug 11, 2008 Shops which sell knives will face 'mystery shopper' visits by underage children as part of a crackdown on their illegal sale to under-18s. ... Crackdown on shops selling knives to teenagers guardian.co.uk Home Office calls for crackdown on illegal sale of knives to under-18s InTheNews.co.uk all 30 news articles

Mystery shoppers: Hired spies monitor, rate store performances - DetNews.com

Mystery shoppers: Hired spies monitor, rate store performances DetNews.com, MI - Aug 11, 2008 No one knows the exact number of mystery shoppers, but the Mystery Shopping Providers Association estimates there are about 1 million nationwide. ...

Irish shops top queue for speedy service - Herald.ie

Irish shops top queue for speedy service Herald.ie, Ireland - Aug 19, 2008 A survey of 24 countries carried out by the global Mystery Shopping Providers Association (MSPA) found that that an average queue in Ireland had three ...

Dallas CVB and UniFocus Expand Partnership - Hotel Interactive, Inc.

Dallas CVB and UniFocus Expand Partnership Hotel Interactive, Inc., NY - Aug 19, 2008 Utilizing a “mystery shopping” survey technique, UniFocus and its SERVICEScope system will assist the bureau in establishing exceptional phone service and ...

Lancashire police to use 'mystery shopper' teenagers to tackle ... - Lancashire Telegraph

Lancashire police to use 'mystery shopper' teenagers to tackle ... Lancashire Telegraph, UK - Aug 15, 2008 Retailers are set to face a “mystery shopper” crackdown as part of the drive to tackle knife crime in the county. Government ministers and police chiefs ...