Work as a secret shopper: an inside look

Newfangled profession "mystery shopper" or "mystery shopper") is gaining momentum and becoming more popular on the Russian consumer market. Almost every major company in the world has its own "secret agents" in Russia for a long time and successfully work agencies, offering services of professional shoppers. What is this profession, and why going shopping pay money? Which is useful to know the tricks of "mystery shoppers" normal not secret consumers?

Mystery shopper - in fact it is absolutely normal buyer, but at the same time a secret agent hired by the school to check the quality of service and their own employees. The essence of the following: visit the Department of trade, Bank, restaurant, hotel, showroom for a buyer on a predetermined scheme.

Mystery shopper conducts a sort of exam to the seller, the cashier or to the waiter and gives an estimate of the trading point as a whole. Contrary to the first impression of the rainbow, mystery shopping is not always engaged in shopping and almost never buys. First, it does not provide for validation scripts, and second, almost always you simply want to gauge the reaction of the seller to refuse to make a purchase.

In a nutshell, a mystery shopper is an auditor in the quality of service. But if scientifically, then mystery shopping is a type of marketing research to test the customer service process with the involvement of professionally trained people carrying out checks on behalf of potential or actual customers, in detail reports on the results of inspections. Mystery shopper work is in demand wherever there is service.

There are secret phone buyers. The essence of the work is the same: to test the courtesy, competence of staff, waiting time on the wire, the completeness of the information provided. But working on the phone is rare and is paid more modestly.

In field conditions, on a visit to one is required to spend 15 to 30 minutes. Completing the questionnaire takes about 5 minutes to an hour. Payment checker often depends on the complexity of the questionnaire. In addition to the questionnaire, mystery shoppers are often required to present proof of inspection from the appearance, name and position of employee to the scan copies, business cards, booklet, photography outlets, and even audio and video recording of the conversation.

After verification, data is sent to the executives who take the decision regarding the level of service, encourage or punish their employees. In the end, and inconspicuous student, and corrosive retired, and respectable lady can be the "decider" career or dismissal of staff.

There are various names for this type of service quality evaluation: mystery shopping, mystery shopper, mystery shopper, mystery shopping, mystery customer, secret shopper, hidden client, test client, an anonymous buyer, and others On the Russian market popular terms "mystery shopper" and "mystery shopper".

An inside look

Sellers, especially warning about a potential audit, often ready for it. Among the lazy sellers are of the opinion that employers, giving out educational material on the development of independent worker who can not find time to personally attend to their subordinates, and give the money to the "agent under cover", that is, a random person off the street to test how well staff have mastered the material. Indeed, not every "agent" (the person) may qualify for such a proud title. Even in the written report of accident the hired man can tolerate up to 40 mistakes, so as not versed in the characteristics and features of check of the goods. But in speech "an agent off the street" it is not connects the three words and can not Express clearly their requests to the seller. That lands on the Desk of the chief reports of the mysterious buyer, with elementary grammatical errors. However, the management and the report takes into account - after all, and they gave the money.

And this also has its advantages: first, the workers begin to diligently teach the characteristics and range of goods, and secondly, after visiting shoppers can reduce the salaries of negligent sellers. But if the seller is still "inside", it is in the process of communication with the buyer will be able to identify in it the "secret agent" and work 100% or just serve absolutely any buyer at the highest level.

Point of view themselves of shoppers experience "undercover" is also leaving his fingerprints. On duty, in principle, among shoppers is not accepted to spread about its focus, even if it should go with a friend to check in the cafe, as inexperienced one can easily give the test with an awkward glance or an obvious smirk.

Typically, the profile of the agent is quite broad. Its services may use and large retail chains, banks and gas stations, and restaurants and hotels, and even airlines.

In a memo to the mysterious buyer is recommended to use the recorder, indistinguishable from ordinary consumers to be curious and rather indifferent, to be attentive to detail, in any case not to betray his incognito, even if asked a direct question. The most critical mistake of the buyer lies about the allegedly perfect visit, which will always be revealed by comparison of the facts. In General, you should be professional to "spy on a mission.

Today, Mystery Shopping is a Mature industry with a wide client base, which employs hundreds of thousands of people.

Reminder for ordinary consumers

About mystery shopping it is useful to know the most usual buyers and consumers. Why? So sellers who value their reputation, they treated them not as a "wallet", and as desirable to the consumer. Once the sellers are afraid of audits, they try to serve so to get the highest score. So why not use it?

So, to try the role of mystery shopper and everyone can, because these errors are experienced sellers and know that before them the real reviewer "spy". And yet, these tricks apply only to stores and networks, where from time to time conducted these checks.

At the entrance to the Department be sure to loudly say Hello to the seller first.
Carefully and as if a sneak look at the badge seller, as if trying to memorize its name and position.
Ask more questions than usual, even if you know nothing of the world.
Try to be led in conversation, giving the right offer to the seller.
Periodically put his hand in his pocket, as if checking a running tape recorder.
You can accidentally get the camera.
Definitely ugadyvaete Department, as if trying to remember the situation.
Keep an eye on the clock, like a watch regulated by the time of the visit to the store (according to the script of certain stores or cafes, the seller must consult the buyer on a strictly 5 minutes, and the presentation of the product to not less than, for example, 7 minutes).
Avoid buying at the last moment. If you still need, do it later some time.
From time to time, make notes in Notepad.
On the question "are You a reviewer?" in the affirmative nod of the head.

All of these errors is expressly prohibited hereby employed "secret shoppers" as they reveal their purpose of visit and devalues the whole purpose of verification. But ordinary consumers who count on decent service, it may "spy games". Moreover, it is to improve the quality of service in the Russian shops!

How much money does a secret shopper?

The average cost of checking the store - from 300 to 500 rubles for one visit.
The usual test is needed to make small purchase - from 200 to 500 rubles (that sometimes kompensiruet).
Check the restaurant's mostly free, spent money on dinner reimburse customers, usually 600-1000 rubles.
Test Bank - 400 and above depending on the complexity of the task.
Check service center or dealership - from 500 and up plus expenses to diagnose a car.
Call checker from 200 to 700 rubles.
Check (must be ordered rarely and only experienced TP) is from 1,000 to 7,000 rubles plus payment.
For checking out the elite cosmetics store, perfume or clothing can pay with gift certificates to this store.