I just shopped the post office where I lived for 36 years. I only shopped it once before for several reasons, one being I would be too memorable. As I was preparing my package, two of the clerks were diss'ing their mystery shopper because the last two reports were bad. Well . . . As I wrote, there were multiple reasons why I won't normally shop this post office . . . And waiting in line while they gossip was another.

I know those were not my reports because it's been six months or so since I did my only shop there. Glad I'm not the only one who noticed.

One time I was doing a shop and I heard the employee say "our mystery shopper lies." Guess they did not know that I was the shopper since I was standing right in front of them and I have never lied on a report.

One of my first shops in a new location (a new town I had moved to), I overheard the two employees having a personal conversation behind the counter, while I waited for service, standing at the counter. That went into my report. The employees disputed the report saying that I had lied. The employees claimed it wasn't them or that I was flat out lying, that they were talking about "work."

In my report, I had carefully described both employees and detailed their personal conversation, almost verbatim. The MSC came back to me and told me that the employees were disputing it. I told the MSC that I went above and beyond and provided MUCH more narrative that required for a report. Why go to all that trouble to make something up? And if the store owner was still having doubts, the store owner could review the security tape. I had made a point of looking right at it during the visit and described the location of the camera.

I was paid, but told that I could no longer go back to the location, for obvious reasons.

Same town, my boss was shopped. Her first reaction was to dispute the report (she got like a 67% on it.) I said let's go over it. We went over each point and I asked if there was any possibility that the shopper saw it like that. I told her to pretend she was a customer with me. After going through the motions of the customer, from browsing to checking out, with a heavy sigh, she conceded that, "Yeah, that was the customer's experience and the report was probably accurate."

The experience was good for both of us. I learned who shopped them, I was able to see if from a customer's perspective, and it helped me be a better employee while I worked there. And for those who want to ask, no I don't shop for THAT MSC. I'd like to...especially since that company [that I worked for] went out of business years ago!

Sometimes the companies listen, sometimes not.

And I think often, employees have a knee jerk reaction to dispute part or all of a report.

I thought I would add just a bit to what happened yesterday. Basically, the clerk said he watched the shopper sit in the parking lot until they got busy and then came inside for the shop. He said next time he is going to outside and ask the guynif he can help him.

This leads me to believe they do not know who the shopper really is. I don't think any of us have time to wait until a business is busy so we can spend extra time and write a negative report.

One of the biggest reasons I do not normally shop this post office is because they have lines out the door with one clerk at the counter. They are about as un-customer-friendly as they come. It's a small town and it is really easy to wait an hour in line. The customer service really sucks.

So, they got caught and they are blaming the shopper. But the customer service was excellent with no line whatsoever yesterday. Long live mystery shopping!!!

@ijdk wrote:

After going through the motions of the customer, from browsing to checking out, with a heavy sigh, she conceded that, "Yeah, that was the customer's experience and the report was probably accurate."

The experience was good for both of us. I learned who shopped them, I was able to see if from a customer's perspective, and it helped me be a better employee while I worked there. And for those who want to ask, no I don't shop for THAT MSC. I'd like to...especially since that company [that I worked for] went out of business years ago!

Sometimes the companies listen, sometimes not.

And I think often, employees have a knee jerk reaction to dispute part or all of a report.

I have posted about it a few times. The shop I did actually did not get a bad report. They received around 80% but the client was disputing the report because they claimed I visited the wrong store. They said the employee's name I gave was non existent and that I did not count the correct number of employees in the store, claiming I even overlooked the presence of the manager.

They asked how their display was made and the location of the store in the mall. I think what triggered it was I had reported on the way the clothes were hanging on the racks. They were fully packed that it was hard to take out the item and more difficult to put them back on.

I was so nervous after I received the email from my scheduler. I was on my first month of mshopping and my integrity was being questioned. Knock on wood, nothing similar has happened again as I became more experienced or the MSCs were more on my side.

I explained exactly where the store was located in the upscale mall, the store across it and beside it and the corridor where it was located. I also described in detail their display window and the jewelery display beside their cash register. Then I explained the racks and the blouses hanging tightly that it was hard to check out the item with ease.

Regarding the staff's name, I said the name I gave on the report was the name given to me by the staff who was not wearing a nametag. I don't know if I was given the wrong name but I gave a full description of the staff who assisted me.

And if a manager was present, I must have missed her because like other customers, I was not acknowledged until I approached a staff, after being ignored more than 5 minutes. I also told them the question was how many employees were visible when I entered. If additional employees came in while I was already browsing, they were not included in the count. I emphasized that some employees were not even wearing a name tag that I mistook someone folding a sweater as an employee. The report went through with an apology.

When a bad or negative report is written about a shop and the employees it is a natural human tendency to do everything they can as an employee to dispute it. Your job may be at stake and no one really enjoys hearing that they're wrong so they become defensive and some employees may even lie to dispute some or part of the report. As mystery shoppers we need to know and understand the human tendency to disagree with that report. Some mystery shopping companies understand that but I sometimes believe they are more concerned about keeping the contract so they are quick to accept the disagreement by the client or employee.