Need Input: Cell Phone (non-purchase) shops

I avoid doing shops that involve talking to sales people, I guess because I am in sales and value their time differently than others might. They also of course require a lot of one-on-one time with a person and of course keeping ones story line straight.

I see a lot of cell phone shops being offered across several of the MSC's I am registered with. Many require about 15 to 20 minutes of using their required scenario to inquire about a new phone (upgrade/replacement/etc..). I am tech savvy enough to do most of these.

For those of you that like these shops, any general advice on how you approach them. If they made you uncomfortable, how did you overcome that? What are the biggest mistakes one makes early on when starting to do these types of shops?

Maybe if I can get comfortable dong these I can consider apartment shops and eventually video shops.

Thanks!!!

My posts are solely based on my opinions and for my entertainment, contact a professional if you need real advice.

When you get in debt you become a slave. - Andrew Jackson

Create an Account or Log In

Membership is free. Simply choose your username, type in your email address, and choose a password. You immediately get full access to the forum.

More About Phone Shops

I approach it as I am getting specific information for the MSC and their client. For instance, I did one of those awhile back where I pretended to be interested in a new iphone. The salesperson actually tried to talk me OUT of the sale that I was bent on. He was an android freak and couldn't bear to see anyone buy an iphone. If you were the client, wouldn't you want to know if you had hired that person? I sure would.
Those are easy shops, and on the plus side you might get to give some excellent sales reps a great review as well.

Isaiah58, you were given good advice by CoffeeQueen. And really, it can apply to any shop. We are hired to measure specific actions/items/performance by the MSC on behalf of the client.

The only time I "worry" about taking a salesperson's time is when they are on commission. Most of those types of shops have a prohibition against going during peak times [e.g. weekends]. I try to schedule car shops and apartment shops mid week, although I worry less about it now since there are some salespeople who receive a bonus for a good mystery shop.

.
Have PV-500 & willing to travel.
"Answers are easy. It's asking the right questions which is hard." (The Fourth Doctor, The Face of Evil, 1977)

"Somedays you're the pigeon, somedays you're the statue.” J. Andrew Taylor

"I have never met a man so ignorant that I couldn't learn something from him." Galileo Galilei

I used to be in sales too. My biggest problem is when I get a mediocre or poor salesperson. I want to take control of the conversation, and not just ask questions to get the bare minimum information that I am required to obtain.

I wouldn't say I enjoy them, but I don't dislike them enough to turn them down. It is work, not play, after all. I think being too tech-savvy can work against you, because often you will be required to ask some very basic questions that you already know the answer to or could easily help yourself to the information. Don't go in there as your tech-savvy self that can google on your own to expert-level, but as a consumer who really needs another human being's help and input.

I wouldn't call it a mistake, but where these tend to go off-track and take longer than they should is letting the sales-person go into too much detail about rate plans when that is not the information you are required to get (sometimes that is the information you need. It depends on the client). You can't lead the conversation too much, but you don't want to let them waste time on things you don't need to report.

Don't feel too uncomfortable about walking out after the sales presentation. There's no need to make a lot of excuses. Just say you have to think about it and may come back later after you decide.

Cell phone shops are not my favorite but I do a lot of them because they are bread and butter to MSC's and are always available. I approach it like I need a new cell phone and am open to what they have to tell me. I do not like to spend more than 15 minutes but sometimes it cannot be avoided if you have to wait or get a really chatty salesperson. I was nervous at first but the nervousness soon became boredom which is easier for me to deal with than the nervousness. I always act like a novice because I do not want to get into all the extra bells and whistles - just a phone that works well and takes decent piks. One good thing about the shops is that I know so much about cell phones now that when I purchased my new one I got exactly what I wanted (of course it is already outdated) and I know the difference between androids, windows and the Iphone. When I exit the store I usually just say I need to get some lunch and think about it, then I ask when the store closes.

I put myself in the eyes of the customer. ....I go in there and feel like I "am" the customer and how that customer would respond to being ignored, or, on the other hand, being totally taken care of by a conscientious associate.

The other part of me is who I am and why I am really there: To report back to the client, an honest assessment of what happened during the shop.

Do I feel bad about taking 20 minutes of the associates time? No. Is this person making commission on sales? Is his only compensation commission on the phone sale or is he hourly/salaried?

If he was commission only, then yes, it would bother me that I was taking food out of his mouth because I have no intention of purchasing anything from him. To my knowledge, they are not commission only. (I hope) but then, I don't do that many cell phone shops (maybe 8-10 a month, if that)

I've mentioned this before. The only way you are taking food out his mouth and money out of his pocket is if you work under the assumption he has a 100% conversion rate, meaning every single customer he speaks to ends up buying. That just doesn't happen. I cringe when reading about shoppers who dawdle around with these reps which to me is wasting their time. If the expectation is your interaction should take 20 minutes, do your best to limit it to 20 minutes. Give them their chance to shine, but don't ask unnecessary questions and take extra time because you just enjoy it so much. This applies to any type of shop but is that much more important when dealing with commission sales people whether they are straight commission or salary plus commission.

Equal rights for others does not mean fewer rights for you. It's not pie.
"I prefer someone who burns the flag and then wraps themselves up in the Constitution over someone who burns the Constitution and then wraps themselves up in the flag." -Molly Ivins
Never try to teach a pig to sing. It's a waste of your time and it really annoys the pig.

Thanks everyone. I'll apply the KISS principal to my side of the interaction (keep it short and simple) and hope the sales associate does the same.

My posts are solely based on my opinions and for my entertainment, contact a professional if you need real advice.

When you get in debt you become a slave. - Andrew Jackson

Sorry, only registered users may post in this forum.

Click here to login

Need Input: Cell Phone (non-purchase) shops

Create an Account or Log In

Official List of Mystery Shopping Companies

Mystery Shopper Magazine