Everyone loves a good mystery. However this is not just restricted to your choice of fiction. Businesses and market research companies use mystery shopping as way to measure the quality of service received by shoppers at a particular store. This is not a new concept. In fact, it was in the 1940s that many companies began to use mystery shoppers to gauge employee integrity. Today, it is a powerful and versatile tool in the hands of companies that carry out market research.
What is Mystery Shopping?
The concept of mystery shopping involves a shopper who is hired in order to assess the kind of reception received by an average customer at a store. The shopper is usually provided with a list of issues that they would need to pay attention to. This usually includes the attitude of the sales staff, store cleanliness and the manner in which products were presented.
The shopper may be asked to shop for a specific product or they may be asked to shop for several products of their own choice. After the shopping is done the shopper is required to fill in a simple questionnaire. This questionnaire could be written, audio or even a video recording.
Why are Mystery Shoppers Important?
Every business needs to constantly assess the performance of its employees and the range of products that it offers. When a mystery shopper enters a store, he or she is requested to pay attention to several points. This includes every aspect of shopping such as the manner in which the sales staff reacts to the customers and the ambiance of the store. They pay special attention to how the staff shows products, and closes sales. The speed of service and compliance with company policy are given a fair amount of importance.
The mystery shopper’s assessment helps a business refine its marketing strategy and also offers it insight into its target audience’s shopping behavior. Interestingly mystery shoppers are not restricted to the retail business but are found to be valuable in other industries such as health care and hospitality.
Many people enjoy their role as mystery shoppers. Of course the fact that they are compensated for their effort is important. Mystery shoppers like the fact that they are given a covert assignment to assess a given situation and the service offered in it. Many say that they find it satisfying to offer honest feedback that would be used to improve service. There are many companies that hire mystery shoppers. If you wish to become one, an online search will help you identify several that would be suitable for you.
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