Doing some hotel shops!

Ok ~ many people here know I am a scheduler. Would it surprise you to know that I am NERVOUS to be doing a couple of hotel shops? I'm heading to the Big Easy for these shops tomorrow! I have read and reread the guidelines probably 10 times (they are slightly different for the two hotel shops I am completing with areas to observe - but same client) I am on friendly terms with the scheduler for these and have skyped her several times verifying bar ordering limitations and how to pay (for what isn't reimbursed).

Yet I am still soo very nervous and have told my husband that he better know the full guidelines as well to make sure we do not mess up.

Does anyone have tips they would care to share on how to make it seamless? I'm going to use the audio recorder on my phone for interactions, triple checking guidelines, verifying guidelines, etc. Is there anything I am missing on how to prepare?

Deva Roberts
Director of Operations
shoppers@acemysteryshopping.com
ACE Mystery Shopping
[ace.shopmetrics.com]
[acemysteryshopping.com]

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 Hotel Mystery Shopping

Make your husband do the interactions while you stand back and take notes.....if that's allowed.

Put your husband in charge of names and descriptions so he can stare at the badge while you talk. Make a cheat sheet of all the guidelines you think you might forget and look at it in the ladies room, or text yourself the list and check it on your phone.

When we would go together to hotels we also could split up some of the work, so while I was working hard getting the massage in the spa, he was checking out the business center and idly toying with the fire extinguisher tags to make sure they were all current. He was checking out the fitness room while I was checking the fire escapes to make sure they weren't blocked with ladders, housekeeping carts etc. I was writing reports while he was enjoying watching TV after maintenance came to 'fix it' after I switched out the batteries in the remote with dead ones.

I like the thought of him getting the names and descriptions! He's pretty good at that (names). I also like the idea of a cheat sheet! I was going to print off the full guidelines but may rethink that now! Thanks much Roxie!

Deva Roberts
Director of Operations
shoppers@acemysteryshopping.com
ACE Mystery Shopping
[ace.shopmetrics.com]
[acemysteryshopping.com]

Relax! You and hubby can do this!

Keep in mind that cheat sheets and other preparations & practice can take many forms. Write, type, text, sketch, draw, color code, chant, sing, dance, visualze, etc.

Enjoy!

Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished. - Lao-Tzu

Also...if you have a note app in your phone that you use for notes, make a master note that has a list of all tests that need to be performed, including any specific guidelines (i.e. Dinner 6-8 PM), then delete each test after you perform it.

That way you always have a running list of what's left to do....

I personally never print the guidelines out because I don't want to take the chance of having them be seen, but will always keep a copy in phone for reference.

And certainly when we did shops I had my laptop but all information was saved to a thumb drive that left the room with me any/every time I walked out. The laptop was password protected and could be replaced if stolen but the observations done already needed to be somewhere other than on the laptop. While they could be stored in the cloud, access to my cloud space would be easy with my laptop, though what was on my thumb drive stayed with my person.

Thanks for those Shop-et-al! I'm so out of practice. :/

@Shop-et-al wrote:

Relax! You and hubby can do this!

Keep in mind that cheat sheets and other preparations & practice can take many forms. Write, type, text, sketch, draw, color code, chant, sing, dance, visualze, etc.

Enjoy!

Deva Roberts
Director of Operations
shoppers@acemysteryshopping.com
ACE Mystery Shopping
[ace.shopmetrics.com]
[acemysteryshopping.com]

Thank you all for those tips and hints! They all are sooo very helpful! I may be an old dog in this industry, but when it's been a few years since doing a hotel shop, I needed help.

If anyone is going to be in New Orleans for the next few days, look me up!

Deva Roberts
Director of Operations
shoppers@acemysteryshopping.com
ACE Mystery Shopping
[ace.shopmetrics.com]
[acemysteryshopping.com]

I second Steve's idea of a master list of interactions, but I work better when I print it out and cross them off as I complete them. I'm pretty confident I won't miss something major like a meal or spa appointment, but I'm always concerned with missing one of the shorter interactions and a checklist solves that for me.

I take cell phone photo of checklist so I can always access it w/out having to hide out in the bathroom half the night. I am not allowed to record. Partner looks at name tags & gets descriptions & text them to me. I don't trust other people to do the interactions.

My suggestion is to do as much as possible when you first check in, ie. touring the grounds, halls, healthclub etc and write your report as you go along. I like to check in, and take care of the check-in, room condition, premises condition, valet reports right away. If the job requires a call to housekeeping for a forgotten/repair item, I do that asap. The more I can cross off the list asap, the better.

EileenS points out the housekeeping and such. The ones I have done generally require some several service requests. I almost waited too long for a dry cleaning request at one shop. The maintenance call, housekeeping call, front desk call for wake up, the front desk security call, the replacement key card without ID because 'I must have left mine in the room', etc. do need to be disposed of early so that you can give them adequate time to comply.

Edited to add: Make sure you do the photos of the room before anything gets disturbed or used.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/05/2015 10:04PM by Flash.

Oh yes Eileen! I've figured out the order. Check in at 4pm; observe that, valet, and bell service. Do the maintenance request (fill out report for all of those interactions)then observe lobby and head to the bar for those. After that, we are free for the night. Next morning, housekeeping (morning required), lobby, and then checkout observations.

@EileenS wrote:

My suggestion is to do as much as possible when you first check in, ie. touring the grounds, halls, healthclub etc and write your report as you go along. I like to check in, and take care of the check-in, room condition, premises condition, valet reports right away. If the job requires a call to housekeeping for a forgotten/repair item, I do that asap. The more I can cross off the list asap, the better.

Deva Roberts
Director of Operations
shoppers@acemysteryshopping.com
ACE Mystery Shopping
[ace.shopmetrics.com]
[acemysteryshopping.com]

From reading what all some other shops require as far as interactions, I'm thankful I don't have as much. I did forget to add one to the list I put above. The retail store! Yes, I think that will come after I observe the lobby!

Deva Roberts
Director of Operations
shoppers@acemysteryshopping.com
ACE Mystery Shopping
[ace.shopmetrics.com]
[acemysteryshopping.com]

That actually sounds super simple. Have a nice shop and a good visit to NO.

Oh thank you so much! I will update after the shop! We leave as soon as we can after church tomorrow.
The 18 year old will be in charge of our jr high girls.... fingers crossed LOL I still am nervous BUT feeling better thanks to ya'll with your great tips! Thanks again!

@Flash wrote:

That actually sounds super simple. Have a nice shop and a good visit to NO.

Deva Roberts
Director of Operations
shoppers@acemysteryshopping.com
ACE Mystery Shopping
[ace.shopmetrics.com]
[acemysteryshopping.com]

@SchedulerDeva wrote:

Oh yes Eileen! I've figured out the order. Check in at 4pm; observe that, valet, and bell service. Do the maintenance request (fill out report for all of those interactions)then observe lobby and head to the bar for those. After that, we are free for the night. Next morning, housekeeping (morning required), lobby, and then checkout observations.
.

[/quote]

A plan is an awesome idea. Just one thought. I don't see any food on yours, i.e. restaurant, room service, etc. Good luck.

Happily shopping Rhode Island and nearby Massachusetts and Connecticut

Don't forget the concierge lounge!

LOVED the Concierge Lounge! Free breakfast and Hors d'oeuvres in the evening!

@Roxie wrote:

Don't forget the concierge lounge!

Deva Roberts
Director of Operations
shoppers@acemysteryshopping.com
ACE Mystery Shopping
[ace.shopmetrics.com]
[acemysteryshopping.com]

@SchedulerDeva wrote:

LOVED the Concierge Lounge! Free breakfast and Hors d'oeuvres in the evening!

@Roxie wrote:

Don't forget the concierge lounge!

Sounds like you did the same shop I did here in Phoenix last weekend! The Concierge Lounge was awesome! And the room service dinner wasn't too bad either.

Shopping central Arizona.

I just did one of these in San Diego and for my engineering request I used the light bulb out by unscrewing one of the lamp bulbs. When the engineer came he made i comment that he has found a lot of guests unscrewing or taking the light bulbs home.

@carlsbadguy wrote:

I just did one of these in San Diego and for my engineering request I used the light bulb out by unscrewing one of the lamp bulbs. When the engineer came he made i comment that he has found a lot of guests unscrewing or taking the light bulbs home.

When I told my partner what we had to do, he just kinda looked at me strangely and said, "What are we supposed to do with the bulb?"

Shopping central Arizona.

I have a spy pen (by Swann, about $20) that records video and sound - and actually writes! That way I'm not stressed if 10 hours later, I'm trying to remember if the person had a beard or 5 o'clock shadow.

Even when I get room service for dinner and a buffet breakfast, I must admit that I like to hit the concierge lounge to take dessert back to my room to have with some of the wine that I brought along with me. I also take a cooler and ziplock bags because many of the room service entree portions are gigantic! I often take home enough for another dinner! It helps to make sure you get a refrigerator in the room, of course. And, by not putting dessert on the room service tab, I have room to order one of the pricier entrees! In the morning, I snag fresh coffee and milk and even a pastry and fruit from the concierge lounge so that after breakfast, when I am writing reports and mopping up the service requests and interactions, I can make iced coffee and have a light lunch in my room. I like to make sure that when I leave the hotel every report is done except the departure valet, bell and front desk interactions.

Based in MD, near DC
Shopping from the Carolinas to New York
Have video cam; will travel

Poor customer service? Don't get mad; get video.

@walesmaven wrote:

Even when I get room service for dinner and a buffet breakfast, I must admit that I like to hit the concierge lounge to take dessert back to my room to have with some of the wine that I brought along with me. I also take a cooler and ziplock bags because many of the room service entree portions are gigantic! I often take home enough for another dinner! It helps to make sure you get a refrigerator in the room, of course. And, by not putting dessert on the room service tab, I have room to order one of the pricier entrees! In the morning, I snag fresh coffee and milk and even a pastry and fruit from the concierge lounge so that after breakfast, when I am writing reports and mopping up the service requests and interactions, I can make iced coffee and have a light lunch in my room. I like to make sure that when I leave the hotel every report is done except the departure valet, bell and front desk interactions.

Thanks for the reminder, walesmaven! Gotta make sure I pack some Pyrex containers to bring home leftovers.

Shopping the Greater Denver Area, Colorado Springs and in-between in Colorado. 33 year old male and willing to travel!

@walesmaven wrote:

Even when I get room service for dinner and a buffet breakfast, I must admit that I like to hit the concierge lounge to take dessert back to my room to have with some of the wine that I brought along with me. I also take a cooler and ziplock bags because many of the room service entree portions are gigantic! I often take home enough for another dinner! It helps to make sure you get a refrigerator in the room, of course. And, by not putting dessert on the room service tab, I have room to order one of the pricier entrees! In the morning, I snag fresh coffee and milk and even a pastry and fruit from the concierge lounge so that after breakfast, when I am writing reports and mopping up the service requests and interactions, I can make iced coffee and have a light lunch in my room. I like to make sure that when I leave the hotel every report is done except the departure valet, bell and front desk interactions.

We actually stopped in before we ordered dinner because I was starving and we were about to head downstairs to do the bar and retail outlet. And the last thing I wanted to do was do the bar on an empty stomach, since I'm a lightweight as it is. Lol! I didn't see desserts, otherwise I may have done that...but we did order dessert through room service and I was still $20 under my limit. I don't think we finally ate dinner until nearly 8 and I took half of my pizza home and had it for lunch at work the next two days.

Shopping central Arizona.

Typically, I see desserts set out in the Concierge lounge later in the evening. It pays to drop in for a snack or a free bottle of water before dinner and ask what time dessert will be set out. I often do not dine until 9-9:30 PM, so I have to hide that dessert when room service arrives.

Based in MD, near DC
Shopping from the Carolinas to New York
Have video cam; will travel

Poor customer service? Don't get mad; get video.

What mystery shop companies for accounts with hotels. I have done dinner shops and retail shops but I haven't been able to find hotel shops in NJ or NY.

Sorry, only registered users may post in this forum.

Click here to login

Doing some hotel shops!

Create an Account or Log In

Official List of Mystery Shopping Companies

Mystery Shopper Magazine