Mystery Shopping Jobs in the U.K.
Retail Eyes Interview
Retail Eyes is a research company located in the U.K that provides its clients with detailed information about how their staff are performing when dealing with customers. The company uses various methods to gather information on behalf of its clients, including:
- Mystery Shopping
- Telephone Mystery Calls
- Focus Groups
- Online Surveys
- On Site Surveys
How has the current economic situation in the UK changed the demand for mystery shoppers?
With the UK economy in decline, many businesses are tightening their belts and re arranging their finances. Retail Eyes believe the companies which will continue to do well during this time are those, who have the customer in mind. As businesses fight tooth and nail for every customer to walk through the door, we know customer service will make up the consumer’s mind, where to spend the little cash they may have spare.
The demand for Retail Eyes bespoke programs has not slowed down as a result of the economic downturn; in fact, it continues to grow. With a huge community of 200,000 mystery shoppers, who are all genuine customers, we continue to offer our clients a greater insight into their business.
On the other hand, the demand to become a mystery shopper has grown as consumers look for ways to earn extra cash.
What kinds of companies does Retail Eyes work with? Do you mainly work with large corporations, or do small businesses also mystery shopping services?
Retail Eyes works with over 80 companies, covering a variety of sectors including: high street retailers, health clubs, hotels, travel, finance, pubs and restaurants, gaming and QSR.
We have clients who are huge brands and very well-known to the public and we have other clients who are smaller but growing.
What do you look for when hiring mystery shoppers?
Retail Eyes do not use what we call “career shoppers,” i.e., people who make a living from mystery shopping. All our shoppers are genuine customers, who voluntarily take part in assignments. This means we can offer our clients real feedback from customers who would normally visit their locations to help them improve and maintain great customer service.
To be a good mystery shopper you need to show commitment, have a very good memory and excellent observational and report writing skills. You must also be prepared to work to strict deadlines and return your reports as soon as possible after completing each assignment, normally the same day or the day after at the latest! Flexibility and enthusiasm are a must!
Our shoppers will also need to pass their probationary period before being allowed to choose from the full range of available assignments. We measure all our mystery shoppers’ ability to complete a visit and report to an acceptable standard.
What information are mystery shoppers given about the places they will “shop” beforehand?
All of our shoppers are asked a serious of questions about their interests when registering with us. Our clients may have specific requirements that a shopper must meet, for example ‘Age’. This allows the company to measure their target market group’s feedback and opinions.
If a shopper meets our criteria, new assignments will be displayed on their individual shopper account. They will have access to assignment notes and the questionnaire which details everything they need to know about the assignment i.e. scenario, times, dates, fees and reimbursement. Before accepting the assignment they also need to pass a simple questionnaire based on the assignment information they have read.
Are mystery shoppers given a specific list of things to evaluate when they go on an assignment?
The assignment notes will detail any specific requirements, which will vary depending on the client. A scenario is always given, which we have developed with our client based on a typical customer’s journey.
If there is any promotional material to look out for or any specific purchases this will also be mentioned. Each client has specific areas they want to measure and so the shopper always has brief instructions on what to do during their visits.
How do mystery shoppers report back to the company? Do they need access to a computer to submit reports or are they done manually?
All our shoppers must have access to the internet to take part in mystery visits. Registration, accepting assignments and submitting reports is all completed online. This means our shoppers do not have the expense of printing out lots of instructions and postage.
The benefit for our clients, is we offer genuine real-time reporting website which they can access 24/7 for results and updates online.
Once a report has been sent to Retail Eyes this information is updated for our clients instantly, which essentially allows them to quickly make changes and improvements in their service.
Is this type of work something that people of any age can get involved in?
Retail Eyes allows anyone over the age of 16 to register as a mystery shopper. We have a huge range of clients which set a criteria for the mystery shoppers completing their visits. This means we need a huge a range of shoppers to cover all our clients requirements. Some visits appeal to the younger generation and other are better for more mature consumers.