First mystery shop tomorrow.....

[gimmethesimplelife]

So, to make a few extra dollars I am doing my first mystery shop tomorrow, for $30. Ironically it as at a place I would have gone to to have a procedure done in my credit card/free spending/mall days.....a hair replacement options kind of place. Amazing as now I shave my hair down to 1/4 inch MYSELF and am embracing the fact that I have lost a great deal of hair. Odd that this should be my first shop, but will be interesting to hear their sales pitch! Rob of the Valley once more

[Bootsie]

So you just have to listen to the sales pitch and not actually buy anything? Is that what mystery shoppers do?

[gimmethesimplelife]

So you just have to listen to the sales pitch and not actually buy anything? Is that what mystery shoppers do?Basically I am a paid spy - I go in and see if they do things the way they have been trained to do it - I actually have mixed feelings about doing this as as a server I have been mystery shopped before and I can tell you that survers HATE mystery shops as you have so little control over everything and the corporate criteria you are being evaluated on by perfect strangers is not reflective of reality. On the other hand, I have always wanted to try being mystery shopper, and I am turning down any food and beverage shops as I will automatically side with the server so there's a conflict of interest there. So I'll how it goes. Not going to get rich doing this, but an extra $30 is not going to hurt if it is sitting in my savings account! Rob of the Valley once more

[gimmethesimplelife]

So you just have to listen to the sales pitch and not actually buy anything? Is that what mystery shoppers do?Sorry, I forgot to mention on this shop I don't have to buy anything no. There are others in which you do have to buy something and get a reimbursement for it, others in which you buy something, and get paid for the shop, and then can get a refund on your purchase, and then others where you go into banks or apartment complexes or such an pose as potential customers and report how you are treated.....Rob of the Valley once more

[treehugger]

I actually have mixed feelings about doing this as as a server I have been mystery shopped before and I can tell you that survers HATE mystery shops...

I clicked on this thread to mention just this topic, but I see you are ahead of me. :) I was a server (long ago, at CoCo's - large and corporate-run) and I had legions of happy regulars, but I never did too well when I was mystery shopped because I refused to force the constant, intrusive upselling on my customers, and that's most of what mystery shoppers had to evaluate. Ugh, bad memories.

So, not saying there isn't value in mystery shopping, or that there aren't employees that need some feedback, but in general, I feel that the average mystery shopper doesn't get what food service and retail jobs really entail, so they end up only being bad for employees. I also feel that most employee issues could be fixed by effective management, but that's another post.

My post is nothing personal towards you, honestly, so I hope it doesn't come across that way. Enjoy your experience and give constructive, honest feedback.

Clearly, this subject strikes a nerve with me. I have seen a lot of posts about this subject on other [frugal] boards, and trying to offer the perspective of the employee never goes that well. The people have the right to mystery shop and get their free meal, you know, no matter who looses their job!

[loosechickens]

Since you've been on the receiving end of "mystery shoppers", perhaps you'll actually be able to do an excellent job, more fair than normal to the employee, because you'll have a better sense of recognizing what is a problem in the employee behavior, and what is caused by circumstances, so shouldn't be judged.

Good luck....it sounds like kind of an interesting gig.....