So I had to ask a promoter at a retail store about the product he was supposed to sell. He basically told me they raised the price and it's a rip off and he doesn't think it's worth the price. I know I have to report it somehow... but this is difficult...

Whether or not somebody gets into trouble is not our concern. We are contracted to report truthfully about what we experience and observe. If somebody is actively working against the interests of the company, s/he should probably not be working for the company.

Be clinical and truthful in your narrative. Do not exaggerate. Make sure you have all your proofs of visit in order.

I've thought about this some too. I wouldn't want to cause harm (loss of job, pay raise) to somebody...who would?

But consider the employee you describe has a lack of professional integrity, don't let that cause you to have a lack of faith. If they think they are selling useless swamp water and have a problem doing so, then they should likely seek a career change and not be disparaging their employer.

Also consider that for all we know, if a report we do causes somebody to lose their job / raise / whatever, that action may have actually prevented something worse down the road. The client who hired the MSC could end up losing money or getting into a lawsuit if they didn't know what you observed on a shop you. Loss of profits or a lawsuit could force the original client to close...causing even more harm to more employees. This may be far fetched, but it may not be too.

So I side with the "Be clinical and truthful in your narrative" comment above.

And you'll (potentially) get a new better person hired.

I've seen major personnel turnover at more than one restaurant chain I regularly shop. The locations that have employees and management that do not come close to exhibiting company standards.

The clients depend on our eyes and ears. They tell us what to ask, look for, assess. We agree to perform our assessments accordingly.

I may feel bad for the individuals, but I feel worse about the poor service they provide.

I suspect one of my reports got someone fired. Not pleasant. What happened though was at McDonald's. I saw a worker in the kitchen look around, slip her cell phone out of her pocket, send a text, slip it back, and return to preparing my lunch. Total gag factor! She was wearing those glove things, but she didn't take them off, wash her hands, and put on a clean pair. Cell phones carry e.coli and other bad stuffs. PLUS, I knew it was 100% against McDonald's rules for employees to use their cells while working. They can use them on break, and managers can use theirs, but those workers aren't supposed to. And the way she looked all around, to see that no other employees could see her do that told me she KNEW she was breaking the rules -- and just didn't really care. I HOPE they gave her additional training and explained exactly WHY cell phones don't belong in the food prep area. But I'll never know.

Of course I reported it. I also reported that I didn't even taste my order (except for my drink; she didn't touch that), and why. Report was accepted and I was paid.

I once saw an employee leaving the kitchen area with a full plate. The bread fell off the plate and landed on the floor. He casually picked it up, put it back on the plate, and carried it out and delivered it to the customer.

Sometimes we're lots better off NOT seeing these things -- we'd never eat in a restaurant again, LOL!!!!

I think the guy should get a different job, maybe selling something he doesn't think is a rip-off! I might even have asked him if he felt that way, what was he doing selling that stuff.

A lot of what we do as mystery shoppers is really useful in helping companies do a better job meeting customer needs, IMO. Some of it, however, is just to help companies sell crap that people don't need or can't afford. For the first group of companies I don't feel bad at all pointing out something negative about an employee's behavior, whether it's misconduct or just poor service skills. For the second group of companies, I do feel dirty sometimes reporting something negative about an employee who is just being honest. I agreed to do the job, and I uphold my end of the agreement by reporting honestly and objectively about the employee's behavior, but I don't kid myself that I am doing a service for the greater good. Sometimes life is compromises.

I apologize in advance for the long response. Read the entire response or don't read it at all is my suggestion

OP:

Look would you rather have an employee be honest and tell you to save your money and buy something else or a competitors product. This would ave you as a consumer most likely from wasting money. Then he could lie and say the product is wonderful and worth the increased price. This would be great for the company as they may sell more useless crap and hurt you as it would cost you money on something that won't last. You will most likely remember how wonderful the employee said such product was. This may cause you to distrust said store and not want to visit said store for future products. This would in the end hurt the company. They may not fire said employee with you reporting it or they could but that would be there call. I may nicely try to word what the employee said such as the employee told me the price of the product recently went up and he did not feel the product was worth the current new price and may not have even been worth it at the old price. He felt the product was inferior to a competitors product or he felt the product did not have the quality to justify the price. A good company would see this as an employee who was caring about the customer and could then maybe improve their product by improving quality or lowering the price. They could also create a different product and sell off at a significant reduction of the old product. A corporate greedy company like unfortunately most these days could either fire said employee or retrain them to highlight the good parts of the product and hold back their opinions on the bad things about the product. If the company fired the employee it may actually benefit the employee as he could find a job that he cold help the customers instead of being forced to lie to them.

I agree with BuffaloNY. In a way, it's good customer service. I would greatly appreciate if an employee gave me a heads up and told me not to buy a product if it sucked. Kudos to that employee.

@bmarvin wrote:

But consider the employee you describe has a lack of professional integrity, don't let that cause you to have a lack of faith. If they think they are selling useless swamp water and have a problem doing so, then they should likely seek a career change and not be disparaging their employer.

If anything, warning a consumer about a scam and shady business practices shows a lot of professional integrity. He could easily make a big commission on this sale but chose to tell the truth instead.

It's nothing shady nor a scam. It's something we use every day and I think the new product is one of the best on the market.

whats the product?

Probably best not to say that. If people get too specific, especially on a shop where a person could get fired, there could potentially be issues between the client and the MSC. It doesn't necessarily make the shopper look very professional, either, and sometimes schedulers and other MSC employees/reps do hop on here. Best to give them awhile to resolve a sensitive issue.

Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 11/24/2016 11:12AM by OceanGirl.

I disagree with Buffalo and some of the "its really good customer service" sentiment. This employee is representing a business, and as stated is supposed to be promoting this item. It is his job to act in the best interest of the company.

There is a difference between telling someone, "this is a rip off!" and telling someone, "If you're looking for the best value we have, this item may not be you're best option." The CSR can even further take that and offer alternatives which are better values. Saying an item the company sells is a rip off questions the integrity of the entire company. Phrasing it as not being the best value or fit for a customer is far more professional and maintains the integrity of the business that the employee is representing.

I would be extremely disappointed and borderline outraged if an employee told a mystery shopper this and the mystery shopper didn't report it and it would have me questioning the value of mystery shopping in general (which as mystery shoppers is something we all must bare in mind). As for the employee, yes, if he was mine and I got this mystery shopper saying that he said this, I am preparing his immediate termination. Though if he stated it wasn't the best value or maybe not the best fit, then we will talk about why he feels that way, but that would not lead to termination or any disciplinary action.

One more point: Never worry about getting someone fired. There are thousands of people out there desperately looking for jobs that can't get one. They can't get one because unmotivated paycheck collectors like this guy are holding the one that they can do much better.

Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 11/24/2016 02:17PM by tcurione.

I have had the something similar occur during a Home Improvement shop. The associate told me that the item I was inquiring about was not worth the extra money being asked and that the lower cost similar product was just as good if not better and even had a better warranty to go with it.

Then there is the case of the associate who walks away from the sale several times during the interaction to the point where I have to go and look for him to finish the shop. because he did not give me time to give the hesitations. He never once said he would be back or thank you.
I reported all of this and this shop requires that names be given.
Not once did I feel bad about reporting his lack of interest in my scenario or needs.

I did a bar shop while a bartender was taking a drink of one liquid and then taking a drink from his water as a chaser. You think that guy got fired? Drinking and eating behind the bar.
At a grocery store I had to visit the deli department. I had to ask for a sample of some kind of meat. Employee had no gloves on and was rubbing his face hat and touching everything else and put no gloves on as he sliced some meat for me to try. I was gagging and had to tell him I would come back later for a sample.

The same grocery store chain, I just did the shop two days ago. Cashier sneezed two times into his apron then rubbed his hands through his long beard two times and started rubbing his nose and then started ringing up my items. I was totally gagging, so unsanitary.

Do people not think about germs?

I had a shop for a very expensive mattress company. The salesman said, "These mattresses are over-priced. When are they going to get it through their heads that these mattresses are too high priced for customers?. I think you would do better with this one (less priced mattress) over here." I reported what he said and I went back 4 months later for another shop there and he was gone.

I reported truthfully though I left out the worst quotes. However, he could have offered an alternative from the same company as a few other promoters did (I tested quite a few of them this year) but no, he only recommended against the product he was supposed to sell. I said "I heard about your great new xxx" and he told me how it's not great at all, that it's just the same product as the previous one, just more expensive.

Honest and truthful is always the ONLY way to report.

I would think that the company would have to write the person up first. You cannot fire someone without previous documentation unless they are within a 30 day period of being hired. At least that has been my experience and I was a manager at one time. Now that is not true if they are caught stealing or breaking a major company policy.

@Keppi wrote:

So I had to ask a promoter at a retail store about the product he was supposed to sell. He basically told me they raised the price and it's a rip off and he doesn't think it's worth the price. I know I have to report it somehow... but this is difficult...

If it is difficult for you to accurately report to your client things that their employees are doing wrong, then you are in the wrong business.

@MScat wrote:

At a grocery store I had to visit the deli department. I had to ask for a sample of some kind of meat. Employee had no gloves on and was rubbing his face hat and touching everything else and put no gloves on as he sliced some meat for me to try. I was gagging and had to tell him I would come back later for a sample.

The same grocery store chain, I just did the shop two days ago. Cashier sneezed two times into his apron then rubbed his hands through his long beard two times and started rubbing his nose and then started ringing up my items. I was totally gagging, so unsanitary.

Do people not think about germs?

Cat,
I do quite a few grocery stores, and if I ever ran across something like that, I don't know how I could graciously handle it without gagging as well!! I don't blame you for being grossed out! I haven't run across that yet, but who knows? Gaggy story, sure enough! I wonder what happened those employees. Since one was just 2 days ago, that may be too soon to know if your report helped straighten that situation out! I'd be curious to know how the stores handled it.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/25/2016 08:55PM by guysmom.

I have seen many changes in my regular shops because of things being reported, that is our job and what we get paid the big bucks for, lol, I couldn't resist that one. There a lot of people looking for work and if someone is not appreciative of the one they have there is someone who would love to have it and make the boss proud.
One instance for me was every time I shopped this one place I was being charged different prices for the same item.. Sometimes the owner was losing out on over a 1.00 per time. Could make a big difference in how he gives his people raises also. If the item is marked 3.89 and I get it 1.89, 2.49 these losses can add up.

@bmarvin wrote:

But consider the employee you describe has a lack of professional integrity, don't let that cause you to have a lack of faith. If they think they are selling useless swamp water and have a problem doing so, then they should likely seek a career change and not be disparaging their employer.
.

Does Wells Fargo ring any bells?

@lateraine wrote:

Or breaking a major company policy.

Telling customers the product is a "rip off" qualifies, I would think.

While doing a shopping at McDonalds last year, and waiting at the counter as instructed, I saw a young food 'preparer' sneeze into his gloved hand, then immediately go back to preparing sandwiches. Of course I wrote it up. Certainly he should have known better, his mother should have taught him about that, but the McDonald's trainer also should have thoroughly discussed that in his workup as to why employees were required to wear throw-away gloves. When the McDonalds management got the report back, they hopefully should have pulled the 'tape' for the date and time that I told them I was there. Then the trainer should have been fired.

I have dealt with the same issue twice just this past month. I did a shop in home for my computer and the guy was not to give out his name to do work on the side, which he did when I asked him for it (and then he told me he was leaving the company in a couple of weeks, so what did it matter if he was breaking their rules). I had a health insurance rep tell me he was opening his own business and would get back to me once he was on his own. It is somewhat uncomfortable doing my report and knowing it is going to directly impact those individuals, but I have to remember that I was hired to do a quality assurance job and ultimately the goal is for that company to improve their customer service and the information I am providing helps make that happen - my report impacts the bigger picture. I hope the companies we work for use our information to improve employee training. I remind myself that I've lost my job twice in the past 15 years through no fault of my own and in both cases I ended up in a better position that I was happier in doing work that I was better suited to, so maybe my report will make that happen for someone not representing their employer well.

@ceasesmith wrote:

I suspect one of my reports got someone fired. Not pleasant. What happened though was at McDonald's. I saw a worker in the kitchen look around, slip her cell phone out of her pocket, send a text, slip it back, and return to preparing my lunch. Total gag factor! She was wearing those glove things, but she didn't take them off, wash her hands, and put on a clean pair. Cell phones carry e.coli and other bad stuffs. PLUS, I knew it was 100% against McDonald's rules for employees to use their cells while working. They can use them on break, and managers can use theirs, but those workers aren't supposed to. And the way she looked all around, to see that no other employees could see her do that told me she KNEW she was breaking the rules -- and just didn't really care. I HOPE they gave her additional training and explained exactly WHY cell phones don't belong in the food prep area. But I'll never know.

Of course I reported it. I also reported that I didn't even taste my order (except for my drink; she didn't touch that), and why. Report was accepted and I was paid.

I once saw an employee leaving the kitchen area with a full plate. The bread fell off the plate and landed on the floor. He casually picked it up, put it back on the plate, and carried it out and delivered it to the customer.

Sometimes we're lots better off NOT seeing these things -- we'd never eat in a restaurant again, LOL!!!!

I think the guy should get a different job, maybe selling something he doesn't think is a rip-off! I might even have asked him if he felt that way, what was he doing selling that stuff.

"Cell phones carry e.coli and other bad stuffs." = says the professional from the cdc (not).

declarative statements from persons lacking professional expertise in specific fields are more than suspect.

amirite.

I could not have eaten that food either. It is good you were paid.

Sorry but that's what we get paid for! Just keep the report objective and quote, verbatim what was said.