Video Mystery Shopping
When companies want to get the most detailed information possible about how they can service their customers properly, they approach a company that is able to provide them with pictures as well a words. You may be interested in working as a video mystery shopper.
Experienced mystery shoppers who are comfortable with video equipment are good candidates for this type of work. Having some ability as an actor would be helpful, since you would be expected to assume a specific role depending on what you are given.
Companies that hire video mystery shoppers may ask for a recent picture for these kinds of positions.
The reason for this policy is that shoppers are given assignments based on their geographic area, as well as their physical characteristics. Clients may have very specific requirements to be met so that the video mystery shopper will be able to pass as a regular customer.
Video mystery shopping is introduced to the staff members of the business requesting the service as part of a company training program. Employees are asked to sign a form consenting to being video taped as part of the exercise. This is necessary requirement to address any legal issues surrounding the taping of interactions between employees and the mystery shoppers.
The client company has the option of choosing specific dates or times when the mystery shopping visits will take place. They can also specify if they want the shopper to follow a specific scenario or work within specific guidelines during the conversation. Once the “shop” has been completed, many mystery shopping companies offer the video to their clients through a streaming video. This material may also be provided on a CD or DVD, if the client prefers it that way.
As a training tool, video mystery shopping has been very successful for companies. The employees can see themselves on the video and get a better idea of how they interact with customers. They can appreciate the difference between what they are communicating verbally and what their body language is saying.
In Focus: A Videotaped Mystery Shop
A personal visit to a business without a video tape can provide valuable information but armed with this additional knowledge, managers and employees alike can review each part of the transaction in detail without relying on a person’s memory or perceptions of how well they performed in that situation.