Has anyone else had an experience where you really wished you were the shopper?

I went to a new bagel store today (not as a shopper). I walked in with the intention of buying a dozen bagels. Once inside, the bagels didn't look that impressive, so I mentally downgraded my order to just a few bagels. I considered not buying any, but looks aren't everything, and with nobody in line, I would've been mildly embarrassed to walk out of this particular store without buying anything. Why not give them a try?

Three people behind the counter paid no attention to me while I thought this through. Two were making bagel sandwiches, the third was talking to the people making the sandwiches. I stood there for maybe 30 seconds (it felt like longer--it always does, I've noticed) before deciding that it wasn't worth my time to wait to order bagels I wasn't excited about anymore, So, I left.

This store lost a customer who was actually inside the store ready to make a purchase, literally because nobody bothered to say hello within 30 seconds of her walking in the door.

It really struck me, how hiring mystery shoppers can be the difference between this company staying afloat and folding. I wasn't upset at being ignored, but the truth is I'll probably never bother to go back. (Unless they hire me to!)

I feel for you!

I wish they would also mystery shop a certain *Dollar Store* in a city near me, because the store was deplorable. The worst condition I have ever seen, trash on the floor, total disarray, junk and debris scattered about....after you climbed over the boxes.....

I wanted to contact Corporate about this store, as I was a regular customer and was shocked at this store's condition. So much so, that I can still see the store, even if I close my eyes.... Is it any wonder why clients need mystery shoppers?

We had this happen at a restaurant recently. Walked in, multiple employees just standing around, nobody greeted us. We stood there waiting to be seated for a few minutes, then just left. We won't be returning.

@Alter_Ego wrote:

Has anyone else had an experience where you really wished you were the shopper?

I went to a new bagel store today (not as a shopper). Three people behind the counter paid no attention to me while I thought this through. Two were making bagel sandwiches, the third was talking to the people making the sandwiches. I stood there for maybe 30 seconds (it felt like longer--it always does, I've noticed) before deciding that it wasn't worth my time to wait to order bagels I wasn't excited about anymore, So, I left.

This store lost a customer who was actually inside the store ready to make a purchase, literally because nobody bothered to say hello within 30 seconds of her walking in the door.

Since this is a new store, and you were there as a regular customer, have you considered calling/contacting the owner?? He/she would probably want to know that this happened.....who knows??? It might even lead to getting the location shopped! Just a thought.

I wished I'd been shopping Wendy's today! I went through the drive-through and ordered a half salad. The menuboard listed the price as $4.19, but the charge came up as $4.29. I wasn't going to argue about a dime, but when I drove up to the window to pay, I told the cashier that the menuboard had the wrong price on it. Well, you'd have thought I was explaining nuclear physics to her! I told her at least twice, when she didn't seem to understand what I was saying, "The menuboard says the half salad is $4.19, but your system charged $4.29." So, after I tell her this, she calls another woman (probably the shift supervisor) over and tells her that I said there's a problem with the price. I explain yet again what the problem is, and this other woman can't seem to understand what I mean, either! All told, I repeated the problem four times. Finally, the cashier understood and told me that the pricing had changed last week! But "I guess 'he' didn't change the outdoor signs." She said she would do it and thanked me.

My son was with me, and I asked him if I'd been speaking a foreign language or was otherwise not explaining the problem clearly. He said I was totally clear. Maybe they don't know what a menuboard is? Maybe they didn't understand how the menu could have one price on it, but the system charged another?

I thought it was funny that I kept thinking about how I'd report this in a shop!

@SunnyDays2 wrote:

I feel for you!

I wish they would also mystery shop a certain *Dollar Store* in a city near me, because the store was deplorable. The worst condition I have ever seen, trash on the floor, total disarray, junk and debris scattered about....after you climbed over the boxes.....

and I see your "Dollar Store"s has that destructive motif, not just the one in my areas.

I have walked out of a few places without ordering/service since starting mystery shopping, if I feel I am being ignored by staff. It gives you a much better perspective on what customer service should be.

I had the worst experience with a haircut earlier this week. My son and I waited while two stylists sat at their chairs and played on their phones and completely ignored us for three minutes. I should have known to leave right then. However, since I have limited free time these days, I decided to just get it over with. Unfortunately, I got the worst cut ever and the stylist was useless (not personable at all, never gave her name until asked etc.). I wrote a long statement to the company. I was objective and wrote as much as I would have for a report. As of today, I have not heard back. I will not return.

At my neighborhood McDonalds I witnessed an employee taking a couple fries out of customers bags and eating them before taking their orders to the drive thru window. I said something to the dine-in cashier who didn't seem to care. Later, I went home and filled out the survey listed on the receipt and noted what happened. After a few days, McDonalds emailed me asking what time it happened and what was the description of the employee eating the fires. I sent them the info. Not sure what happened but received many free food coupons with no expiration date.

I'm not sure if the employee still works there but would be easy to spot since she had green streaks in her hair. This wasn't a mystery shop but I was on mystery shop mode. Funny but I no longer look at shops the same way. I'm always judging shops now.

No she would be gone from mickey dees, they would fly her out the door for handling customers food like that gosh!

I would shop Little Caesar's if they offered those in my area. I've been to four different LCs in my city, and none of the workers seem to understand the concept of "Hot and Ready". The customers shouldn't be told "It'll be at least ten minutes" for something that's supposed to be ready to go out the door at a moment's notice.

I find that I view every shopping experience differently once I've shopped that kind of store! I can't check into a Hotel any more without making sure my camera is ready when I reach the door.

lol ALL the time! It's so instinctual now to walk into many places and immediately begin critiquing.

I would like to reply to all of the individuals who had posted 'they wished a particular company had been shopped", you can shop that company. You merely write to the company headquarters and outline your complaint. I have done this with WalMart and emailed to Bentonville and did get a response, also McDonalds and numerous other companies. No, you don't get paid to do this but you do help companies that either have or do not have a secret shop company improve customer service. Who knows, what goes around comes around, you might just benefit with better service and a company that is now more aware of what is going on at the street level.

Went to Fuddruckers the other day and the line was about 5 to 6 people deep when I arrived and practically out the door by the time I was at the register. They had 3 registers going but only one person stayed there while the other employees kept wandering off. After finally ordering my burger took about 15 minutes to come out. I was trying to get in a quick lunch before doing something that actually makes money on my lunch hour but had to cancel that since this took so long. At least the food came out pretty good.

Years ago, long before I began mystery shopping, my husband at-the-time and I went into a supposed popular restaurant (not a chain) and there was no-one at the door to greet us. We stood there and looked around. All the tables were dirty (no exaggeration) and nobody was cleaning them. We were almost ready to clean a table to sit down and we both looked at each other and said we should not have to clean a table to get service. We left and never went back. The restaurant closed some time later. I asked my husband if he thought a nuclear bomb went off inside there and we were the only ones left standing?

I actually did a lunch shop for a pizza restaurant and then came back a few days later. The shop went great, service was A1. I went back the second time around 10pm and it was a DISASTER. The prep area was a mess, they made the crust incorrectly, and the servers started arguing in front of us. The couple in front of me complained that they didn't have any salads out, and the server basically told the woman it would be too much hassle to go make her a salad that late (and this was after they ruined her pizza). I wished I was on a shop then! They're pizza is pretty good, but had that been my first time going it probably would have been my last.

I shopped a Salvation Army and it was a total disaster. I was trying to find positive things and the only thing I could write was that the cashier was really sweet. I don't think I've ever wrote a report like that and felt bad because it was the Salvation Army.

Little caesars are currently shopped by 3 msps right now. I know there are some areas and stores not done as they are not shopped where I currently live but were shopped where I previously lived.

@dominofx wrote:

I would shop Little Caesar's if they offered those in my area. I've been to four different LCs in my city, and none of the workers seem to understand the concept of "Hot and Ready". The customers shouldn't be told "It'll be at least ten minutes" for something that's supposed to be ready to go out the door at a moment's notice.

They really should shop some of these places late night so they can see how the place runs when the employees think no one is watching.

@jdickersonshops wrote:

I actually did a lunch shop for a pizza restaurant and then came back a few days later. The shop went great, service was A1. I went back the second time around 10pm and it was a DISASTER. The prep area was a mess, they made the crust incorrectly, and the servers started arguing in front of us. The couple in front of me complained that they didn't have any salads out, and the server basically told the woman it would be too much hassle to go make her a salad that late (and this was after they ruined her pizza). I wished I was on a shop then! They're pizza is pretty good, but had that been my first time going it probably would have been my last.

@schylarsok wrote:

I shopped a Salvation Army and it was a total disaster. I was trying to find positive things and the only thing I could write was that the cashier was really sweet. I don't think I've ever wrote a report like that and felt bad because it was the Salvation Army.

I have shopped Goodwill stores, and have found some of them really messy! One time in the bathroom, there was an old dirty diaper spread halfway in and halfway out of the trash can. That went into the report. Don't know if your Salvation Army shop was a thrift store shop, but if it was, I know that sometimes these thrift stores are a mess from being picked over.

I know how you feel. I've actually had to interrupt employees, either talking to each other or on the phone, obviously with friends, to get service. I've even received an eye-roll or two, at which time I always ask to speak to the manager.

When my daughter was a retail manager, some of her employees were totally astounded that they were expected to actually work for their wages! They were expected to greet customers, be polite and helpful, be well groomed, and be on time. Nothing too over the top at all.

One young guy was constantly 15 minutes late for work, and when he was given a warning that he could be fired, he said that the bus schedule was the problem. So my daughter said she would change his work start time from 10 am to 10:30 am, so he'd actually be 15 minutes early. Well, the kid thought this was great, having extra time in the morning ..... so he started taking a later bus, and arrived at work at 10:45 am !! Still 15 minutes late! Needless to say, he got fired! Some people just can't be helped.

That is so funny about your bagel situation! I went to get a bagel yesterday and the service was fine, but when I got my bagel it was like the scoop of cream cheese was just a round scoop in the center of the bagel. The cream cheese was not spread out on the bagel at all how hard is it to take a knife and just smear it all over the bagel? It was a drive-through bagel Company, it was just so irritating when I drove away and it was just scoop in the center of the bagel!

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/30/2016 03:28PM by Adore.