Odds are, you won’t get caught as a mystery shopper. One of my friends has been mystery shopping for over 15 years, and she’s never been caught (as far as she knows!). And even if you do get caught, it is extremely unlikely that you’ll be called out.
Another of my friends was mystery shopping a casual restaurant, when she heard some employees snickering together about how they’d found out a mystery shopper! They knew for sure that it was the guest at this table way across the room. Little did they know, the real mystery shopper was just a few feet of way, chuckling at their conversation.
However, if you do get caught, or if an employee asks if you’re a mystery shopper, its best just to play dumb. In reply, say something along the lines of “huh?” Or “What’s a mystery shopper?”
In short — it is very unlikely that you’ll get caught. But if you do get caught, you’ll likely not be able to mystery shop that location again, so remember to be at least a little careful!
I feel that you should not need to get the hostess’s name during a dining visit, unless it is necessary for the Host to wear a name tag. I did a restaurant shop about a month ago, and found that it drew attention to me, because I asked for the Host’s name. My wairess did not know the Host’s name and had to go ask. Only a Mystery Shopper would need it (as proof I guess).
I agree with Vicky. I don’t think you should have to fish for a name when a name tag isn’t required uniform for the particular company. It does draw attention.
I agree with Vicky and Elijah about if you have to ask,that’s a dead give away that you’re what they suspect.If an person doesn’t have a name tag and you(THE SHOPPER) can describe the employee that should be enough for the company and you’re not responsable for the no-tag situation.Some companies ask for too much for so little money at some of these shops.They need to step back and take an accessment of what’s taking place.
If you will need to ask for an employee’s name, just kindly say, “I like to thank the employee personally who just serve me, what was his/her name again”? It works and there was no doubt from the employee.
I did a shop at a fast food drive in place they are supposed to take the order and have it out to the customer within four min. I waited for my order for about eight min. Then I called the order taker to ask where my order was? She said it was comming right out. After about two to three min. my order came out. The car hop said the reason was they had run out of coffee. She handed me my receipt and I asked her for the other one the time showed that my order was delivered within four min. of the time I placed my order. I told her she lied she she said what’s it your bussiness are you a mystery shopper or something. She called the company on me and gog me fired.
sam
Wow Sam that’s insane. I believe you could of just noted your times and let the company figure it out. As far as getting a hostess name I had a problem on of my dine in shop’s the hostess didn’t wear a name tag. I called the resturant when I got to the car and inquired about her name. All I had to do was describe her. They very well couldn’t see me through the phone so I was still a mystery. Try it it works great. Hopefully I just helped some of you. Its wounderful to get all the helpful tips and even more wounderful to be able to hand some back. Happy Shopping.
I have yet to accept a job. One of my previous employers had a mystery shopper & it was not always the same person but the same name.It drove us crazy but only when the store was closing did we think we knew the MS & I think we were wrong!
That excuse about who to thank works sometimes and if you can remember it I play it by ear These companies want to much allot of times and if you go word by word script all in your print outs exactly as described yes its a dead give away I have found most if not all companies accept improvisation to a extent as long as you do most of whats in the paper work and just give a police description of the person height weight hair color sometimes eye color that is good enough most times and some companies require both name and description I have done 70 or more shops and have yet to be told I have been reveled or that my improvisation is not allowed because I follow enough of the important stuff
You could always say what’s the person’s name in question because you thought you worked somewhere or went to school with you or they were related to someone you knew. Being amystery shopper does call upon alot of improvision. Though I do agree many do want wwwaaayyyyyyy too much for way too little money! Solution is set standards and only do the shops that meet your standards! In this business time (and gas!) is money and we need to work smarter not harder!
I shopped a small store with only one person on duty. She took my phone call on the day previous to my visit, worked with me on my purchase and took my return an hour later. She looked my right in the eye and said “You’re the mystery shopper, aren’t you.” I might have gotten away with it if I had been able to do the return a different day. The company would have allowed it, but my schedule didn’t.
Valerie, you should have looked at her totally dumb founded and said, “what’s amystery shopper? I just realized I already had one of these or forgot I was supposed to put some money back before I bought this”.
I always enjoy your e-mail they have really good tips in them. I do have a question the last e-mail you sent me the link said the information was lost. Can you resend it to me?
i agree with everybody in regarding name tags and receipts. when i did a dinner shop and needed a name i just inquired at the cashier and ask if i could have the servers name so i can let the management know how good her service was. or another company where i shop for sandwiches and when you ask for a receipt and nobody else is asking its like a big bullseye on you. so far i haven’t been tagged yet. i try to do these shops when i know the store is really busy and nobody really notices your request.
My concern lies in the companies that want you to do inside a restaurant and a drive thru for the same meal. I think that has to be one of the biggest give aways for a mystery shopper, especially when you have to ASK for a receipt. I almost always see the person who served me inside looking out the window when I arrive.
I occasionally get a look or remark about a receipt at 7-Eleven-, or Quick-Chek-type stores, so I just mention casually that it’s for my expense account.
Also, I’m glad to read other shoppers have run into companies demanding way too much work/time for way too little pay. I just answered a Sunday-morning call from one of them for 1-hour retail merchandising – today – for $7.50 and a 4-page questionnaire & narrative. I’ve decided that I’m free to accept the best jobs at the best pay rates & most sensible report forms. Then the rest may get the hint.
I am just getting started as a shopper and as yet I haven’t accepted any shops as they aren’t the kind that appeal to me. I am retired so I can afford to wait and join more companies. One of the best things I have done is to join MSPA and became Silver Certified right away. Yesterday I went to a Gold certifcation seminar and will be certified shortly. One thing I have noticed on this net is that some of the people reporting use very poor grammar. They will never be successful in maintaining a relationship with their shops because the editors will not stand for so many gramatical errors. Take heed and brush up on your grammar.
Bob
Vicki, in regards to having to ask for an employee’s name, this is a very simple obstacle to overcome. Simply wait until the end of your shop and then ask for their name. Let the person you are asking know that you want to know the host’s name to send in a complement to the restaurant’s corporate office.
Bob, I agree with you 100%. I do an average of about 45 shops per month and regularly score 9 or 10 on my reports. One of the things that companies’ schedulers and auditors require is that we have excellent written communication skills. This encompasses both spelling and grammar. If the written work is shabby or done poorly, someone else is going to have to rewrite it or clean up the narrative before it can be presented to the client. If, as shoppers, we want to be paid more for the reports we turn in, we should be providing quality work.
On the other hand, I also feel that many times clients demand too much information for too little compensation. However, the best thing about this business is that we get to pick and choose. For my part, if a shop requires more than one narrative, I won’t do it unless I have at least a $10 fee and complete reimbursement of expenses.
There is a way to make doing shops more cost effective in terms of gas. One, schedule shops that are all relatively close to each other. Two, find a shop that is paying very well (say $25), and then find shops that can be scheduled as stops along the way to the final destination. It only happens this way for me about twice a month, but it pays very well when it does.
Let’s work to collectively improve our written communication skills. Happy Shopping!
It’s as Jacob Jans says – apply, apply, apply. To be able to pick and choose your shops, you must have your application in to as many companies as you can. Initially it’s time-consuming, but it is well worth the effort.
Regarding Sam’s complaint near the top of the page.
You are obviously not a very good shopper anyway Sam. Accusing the Team Member of lying only drew attention to yourself, I’m not surprised you were reported to the MS company and sacked, I would have done the same thing.
A good shopper would have been patient, noted the discrepancy, said nothing and contacted the company as soon as possible and let them know what transpired.
You are supposed to keep a low profile during an assignment and by calling out to the order taker and then getting into an argument shows you aren’t the type of person who should be doing this type of work and gives genuine Mystery Shoppers a bad name.
Does anyone know how to get yourself lined up so you can make your reports the following day of the shops? I only have a couple of companies that I can do that with. It would sure be nice to be able to drive the 40 miles I need to drive, do several shops, come home and do the paperwork the next day.
Sherry, I live in the country. My shops are miles away. I keep a day planner and I work appointments, based on their locations. I have a full time job and plan three appointments per evening. When I get home, I submit the reports, while they are fresh. Word and grammar pro software helps with the report narratives. Some shops pay bonuses for a perfect report. This works for me. Companies are calling me and I have more appointments, than I can accept. Happy shopping.
Bob,
I agree!
I am seeing alot of spelling, and grammar errors.
If some of you are entering your reports, the way you are writing these posts, you will never get the higher paying jobs.
Come on people, always check your spelling and grammar!
Kelly
My wife and I have served mystery shoppers,but it has been quite a few years ago.
If most of these companies insist on a report being submitted right after the shop, then I’m in trouble. I don’t own a computer and have to access one(obviously)elsewhere. Like Sherry, I would need to be able to do the paperwork the next day. If this leads to fewer jobs, so be it until I can afford a computer. Any ideas?
RE: getting a name
I have found that since I have kids, it is easy to ask questions using my kids as the reason. ie: “Is your name Trevor? You look like one of my son’s friends.” They are usually young employees and they always tell me, “No, my name is Mike.” I am just a Mom to them and they aren’t defensive. I am friendly and so they tend to be casual and open. Try it sometime – it works for me.11/21/07