Essential qualities of a mystery shopper
Mystery Shopping is about finding out what customers really think of a particular service. It is recognized by organizations (both large and small) as a valid way of evaluating the performance of their staff and the service their clients receive.
Mystery Shoppers, acting like regular customers, carry out all aspects of their appraisal in a professional and objective manner. The results of a mystery shopping evaluation are recorded in the form of a questionnaire, which is then returned to the market research organization to collect and report the results to the customer.
A common question that potential mystery shoppers often ask is “What qualities do I need to become a mystery shopper?” In answer to that question, here are the top five traits a potential mystery shopper should possess:
1) Good observation and memory skills
Be observant: Knowing what to be aware of and keeping an eye on it without drawing attention is a key skill. Also note that you won’t be able to afford to walk around with a clipboard filling out your evaluation questionnaire as you go. Your recall skills should be sufficient for you to absorb the necessary information and complete the assessment sheet once you have returned home or to a quiet place far enough away from the site you assessed.
2) Honesty
Both your reputation as a mystery shopper and the reputation of the market research company you represent are at stake if you do not carry out every job with the utmost integrity. Never guess anything, and under no circumstances should you make up answers to any of the questions. When in doubt, go back and check.
3) Reliability
Do what you agreed to do, when you agreed to do it, it’s as simple as that. Untrustworthy mystery buyers put projects in jeopardy, and those who prove untrustworthy may no longer be invited to accept jobs.
4) Objectivity
For the most part, you should be objective and report facts, not opinions. In some cases, you may be asked what your personal point of view is about your feelings as if you were a real customer, but this will be clearly communicated to you in your report. Personal opinions should generally be avoided at all costs, for example comments like ‘The waiter looked slovenly’ would not be acceptable, however when worded as’ The waiter was wearing the correct uniform, but it was very wrinkled and I noticed dirt under his nails’, is viewed as an objective observation and includes points that can be specifically acted upon.
5) Self motivation
Basically, you are working as your own boss and only you can make your visits. Some mystery shopping jobs are mundane and pretty boring. You must follow one of two schools of thought regarding this type of job: either turn down the offer of that particular job (and any accompanying fees) or accept the job and be happy knowing that all the other poor souls in! the queue is not paid to be there! Seriously though, if you’re the type of person who can’t get out of bed one morning, then mystery shopping isn’t your calling.
If after reading this you feel inspired to learn more about mystery shopping, you can find more resources on the author’s website.
