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mystery shopper - Getting paid to shop and eat out! What, Where and How |
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This article tells you what a mystery shopper is, what is expected of you and how to register to become one. Once you qualify and register, you become part of the group, quite possibly for life. |
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| Author: Clinton Goodwin |
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A mystery shopper is someone employed, paid and contracted by research companies and privately owned organizations to be “judges” of the customer service standards of the client’s company. There is no obligation to accept every job and assignment, but naturally the more you do, the more benefits for you.
Mystery shoppers can be any gender, race, size or preference because that’s exactly what clients are looking for.
Shop types include restaurants, car yards, car servicing, cinemas, travel agents, petrol stations, supermarkets, clothes stores, hotels, franchise chains, fast food, outlets and lots more.
Mystery shoppers visit the assigned stores during the assigned time frames and carry out a variety of tasks including:
• Reading the instructions of the assignments prior to the visit.
• Working out a series of cues and questions to be asked.
• Observe the store layout and product display.
• Evaluate the way the staff handles an inquiry, purchase, customer service of whatever other function is required by them in servicing customers.
• Check product range, compliance and management requirements.
• Actually utilize the product or service and judge the quality and speed.
• Report back the observations made as well as express general thoughts and feelings towards the customer service experienced.
• Report on how well the staff member performed to company policies and expectations.
You will then be asked to fill out a questionnaire which you will be provided with prior to the visit. You then return the questionnaire, via internet, fax or email by a due date.
Various companies use different ways of ensuring that you have actually made the visit such as the name of someone, some distinguishing figure or the name of an adjacent store/s. Thus, the time and date of your visit can be very crucial.
What is the experience like?
Your first assignment might be a little scary and exciting at the same time. It is hard to know exactly what is expected of you. The good news is that the research company tells you everything you need to do, including the type of questions that you will need to ask. As long as you follow the instructions they provide, there is very little that can go wrong. It they miss anything then it is really the companies fault for missing out something.
The best thing to do is to print off and read the questionnaire because then you will know exactly what is expected of you for each assignment.
Assignments range from 5 mins through to just over an hour. Obviously the pay and reimbursements reflect these.
You must read each brief and my hint is to read the questionnaire with as much thoroughness as possible. After all, this is the information that the client is really after. The rest of it is just there to make your life easier. The full brief on the job is usually downloadable or mailed to you.
Just take it easy on the first assignments or don’t accept an assignment that you would not be comfortable with. You can build up the confidence and know how from there. Just be aware that each company will have different instructions and expectations but it really is a lot of fun. My first assignment was to test drive a Mercedes Benz 4WD and it was definitely an experience not easy to forget. But it just took a little preparation and a sense of adventure.
How to get Assignments
Below, is a list of companies currently accepting applications for mystery shoppers. You will need to register your interest by phone, mail or email.
Some of the sites will allow you to log on and register your interest online. From my experience, this is very effective and easy if you have good access to the internet. They are just as valuable and real as “paper based companies”. Some companies only give out assignments online and it can be a first come, first serve basis. (GapBuster especially) Others such as Market Pulse, Hoed and Incognito will assign assessments to you.
When you register, you will be asked for your contact details, including times you are available and suburbs you want to visit. This can be near your place of work or where you live or even where you travel often. One or two companies will ask for you to create a personal profile which outlines your interests. This simply helps them select the appropriate people for the right job.
What you will more than likely need to do is to then read the mystery shopper’s code of ethics, the company training manual or do a sample survey.
This is required for the selection process and to ensure that the company maintains its quality levels. Not only that, it will give you clear guidelines as to what it means to be a mystery shopper and part of the elite group around Australia checking in on the quality and level of customer service at some of the largest organisations. If they do have a training manual (or a test), it is important to just read it. You will find that once you have been through one, then the rest of the companies have pretty much the same information to give. The only difference tends to be the way they work at an operational level. The best one to start off with, in my opinion, is the one at Spectre Marketing. They have the toughest and thorough process which puts you in good stead. You can then easily pass all the remaining assignments.
Once you have done this, you will be put on their books. You may get your assignment in a few days or you may have to wait for a month or two for the right assignment for you. Some companies will allow you to see what clients they have and you can select which jobs you want. Believe it or not, there are often a lot of jobs in regional areas.
I'm also offering a free site, that has more information and links to companies in UK, America, Australia.
About Author
So you want to get paid to shop? Great. You can, right here in your own backyard. Right now, there are mystery shoppers just like me, all over the world auditing the level of service that companies aim to provide. We are testing their mottos and putting their mission statements to trial. There is always a need for mystery shoppers because people are needed in all different parts of the country and from different walks of life. After all, the customer is never the same; and every customer is right.
Uk - http://freewebs.com/ukshopper
America - http://freewebs.com/americanshopper
Australia - freewebs.com/aussieshop
Article Source:
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