Top 10 Things I Do Because I am a Mystery Shopper

I have been mystery shopping for four years now, and I can't help but do things when I am out just shopping and NOT mystery shopping. These things have become habits, because I have done SO many shops.....so here is my list starting with number 10 and working to the one thing I do the most.

 

 

 

10. Pulling up to the pump and checking to see if the squeegee and paper towels are available.

 9. Feeling the need to TIME everything--how long to pump gas, how long to get my food, etc...

 8. Checking menus and menu boards to see if they are clean or damaged

 7. Taking a picture of my food. I will think "I need to take a picture before I can eat this" and then

      realize that this is not a REAL shop and I don't need a picture!

 6. Making a mental note of employees and if they make eye contact, smile, and if they are in uniform

 5. Noticing that gas station fuel signs are missing numbers or have damage to the numbers

 4. Keeping notes of an employees appearance--male/female, hair color, approximate age and height,

     length of hair, ethnicity, and if applicable facial hair

 3. Noticing if the employee is wearing glasses(this is almost always asked, the ones in number four

     vary from shop to shop, but not this one.

 2. Noticing if there is a manager on duty in a restaurant and making note of what he or she is doing

 

AND THE NUMBER ONE habit that I do ALL the time is.......

 

 1. Check to see if an employee has his or her name badge on!!!!! I will make note of it and then say  

      to myself...."this isn't a SHOP, you don't have to notice the name badge OR the name!"

It's Hot!

As I said in my previous post, summer is one of the busiest times for me. Unfortunately, it is also HOT here in Texas. I had four shops yesterday and they should have all been quick shops. However, one of the shops that usually takes twenty minutes, took an hour instead. I won't go into the details, but the restaurant was shorthanded and busy. Another restaurant had computers that were down and this made for a longer ordering process. It also took longer to get my food. All of this put me out in the heat longer than I intended to be. My car also heated up nicely while I was in the restaurant. It turned into a four hour outing instead of a two hour outing. Traffic didn't help either.

I had three shops today and they were all five minutes shops, however I couldn't start them until 4:00 pm. This is a HOT part of the day. Even with my AC on HIGH it was still hot in the car. I always make sure I pack water to have in the car and I try not to be out in the hottest part of the day, but that isn't always easy. At least the gas stations are done and I won't be walking around stations trying to take pictures.

I only have two shops tomorrow and they are both fast food shops. One of them is paying over triple the regular fee! I have no shops on Saturday and only one on Sunday. Maybe I can take the boys swimming, if the water in the pool is cool enough!

It Really is a Job!

A family member in another city just started mystery shopping. I had helped her choose a printer and suggested a few companies to start with. She finally signed up with two companies and got started. My partner and I had suggested she start slowly and sign up for only one shop!

I had talked to her the night before her first shop and she said, "this really is a job." She had to pass a quiz before she could do the shop and that took two tries. She then had to print the shop and study how to do it. She called me and I gave her several tips and answered her questions. She then called during the shop and clarified a few things and I gave her some hints on completing the shop. Later, she called me to help with the input, uploading the receipt and electronically signing off on the shop. She then signed up for her second shop!

I am glad she has gotten started. Helping her reminded me of how nervous I was doing my first Shop! Now, after two and a half years I can do most of my shops easily. New scenarios are a small challenge, but they don't make me nervous.  I am sure I'll get a few phone calls today on her new shop, but as she does each one it will get easier.