If the MSCs and clients would put their heads together (as they should in COUNTLESS situations, but don't), then that new strategy would leave shoppers with some flexibility to deviate from the sometimes dead giveaway scenarios to which they require us to adhere. Every once in a while, it would come in handy to NOT HAVE TO ASK a particular question in a specific way, or order a particular type of pizza with no exceptions. If we were allowed that professional courtesy to adjust the pattern somewhat, then the employees would have fewer clues as to who is the shopper. Adhering to the same set of guidelines every single time just helps to out the shopper, regardless of how well the shopper conducts his/her shop. I had one manager try to out me, when he said as I arrived, "At first, we thought you were the mystery shopper." Apparently when I arrived, I wasn't who or what they had expected, since he said, "At first." Obviously I reacted so blankly to the statement, and convincing him that I was clueless, even commenting how mystery shopping is just an Internet scam, where they make you cash bogus checks or something because it had happened to a friend of mine, that he ended up apologizing for thinking I was the shopper. Then he told me that mystery shopping was real and he spent a few moments, explaining to me how it works and why my order had "at first" seemed so close to one of their shopping scenarios. I reported it and the MSC/client aparently had no issues, given that the manager had spent time, explaining to me what mystery shopping was. LOL!