What Is Secret Shopping?
Mystery shopping or secret shopping is a method used by businesses to determine how well they are meeting their customers’ needs. It can also be used as a training tool so that management and employees can learn where they are meeting company standards in performing their duties and which areas need to be improved.
The secret shoppers’ identities need to remain secret, but that doesn’t mean that the process is something to be considered sneaky or underhanded. Companies who use mystery shoppers should inform their staff members that they use this technique, so that when the staff member receives feedback after the visit the information doesn’t come as a surprise.
Consumers are becoming increasingly particular about where they spend their money.
Multiple companies, such as Maritz, offer the same products and similar services, after all. If a business wants to succeed, its owners and managers want to cultivate long-term relationships with a number of regular customers. Offering exemplary customer service is one way to get (and keep) a group of loyal customers who not only buy from the business, but who also refer other people to that location or website.
A company’s reputation can make or break the business. Many people will look for information online before making a decision to buy. Unfortunately, most people are more likely to talk about their negative experiences with a business online than to share their positive impressions. A negative mention on a blog, discussion board or on Twitter is something that may affect the company’s ability to attract new customers and to keep the ones it presently has.
That’s where secret shoppers play a role. These people take time out of their schedule to either go to the company’s location, call in, or visit the website. (Mystery shopping opportunities can take all of these forms.) They make mental note of their overall impressions and how they were treated during the “shop.” The job of the shopper is to observe and report on what they find, and being a very observant person who is able to write clearly and concisely is very important.
Secret shopping also offers variety, since no two assignments are exactly the same. You might be asked to visit a clothing store and buy something on one trip, and the next time, you may be asked to go to a new restaurant to check out the food and service. Some people get paid to check out night clubs, zoos, or amusement parks.
If you are looking for an opportunity with variety that involves visiting different kinds of businesses AND getting paid, mystery shopping is a great way to supplement your income.
On the MysteryShopperJobFinder website you have access to even more information about employment, the specifics around each type of job, and how people get hired.