So, I did a bank shop that I have done before. This time, I went into the lobby looking around to get somebody's attention and a teller ask me if she could help me. I told her, I wanted to speak to somebody about an account. At this time, the teller is suppose to refer me to a bank officer. Normally, they do, but this teller began talking to me herself explaining the accounts and mobile banking ect. The bank was empty, there were no other customers, and no bank officer to be seen. Not at one time did she even tell me that anyone would be with me in a few minutes. So, I took her card and left. Now, the client said that is not the bank employee that was suppose to be talked to. I already knew that but how do you handle that situation without people realizing your a mystery shopper. The shop instructions even say

"At some of the branch locations they have a representative that is called a "Universal Representative". We may find this rep behind the Teller window and if this person offers to assist us, they should then move the shopper over to a desk to continue the conversation. Again, depending on the size of the branch locations and if there are no other reps in the building to assist customers, it may be necessary for the "Universal" rep to stay at the Teller window".

Anyhow, they asked me to redo the shop. But, I spent 15 minutes talking to the other employee while no other customer was in the bank, so she could recognize me. I thought about it for awhile, and I am not dishonest and going back trying to still be a mystery shopper would not have been right, so I told them, it would be in their best interest for a different person to go back there. Now, I am out $40. I understand a clients point of view but if a protocol is not followed at your company that is not my fault. Plus, the shop instructions said sometimes people are behind the teller counter. I do banks in rural communities, and normally there are not hardly and customers in the banks, I have shopped. Some times, a teller will begin talking about the bank accounts until someone else is available, but this employee did not do that. I don't know if I should stop doing the bank shops for this company, because they are one of the best paying and I am really disappointed. They may not want to even give me other shops too. It is times like this when I realize that making mystery shopping has a lot of risk and might not be a steady income. I guess, I can use this as a big learning experience.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/05/2015 11:19PM by breestjon.

After 30 seconds with the teller...
"That sounds great. I'm wondering if I could sit and discuss this with someone in greater depth."

This is unfortunate and sometimes there are unforeseen circumstances that will result in you taking a loss on the shop. It's happened to me once and I was sick to my stomach because it was an easy $60 shop that was bonused, but without blowing my cover I had to resign from it. If you are as clever as @elcarev68 and can think quick enough to have a good comeback, then that is hoped to work in future. We always have good comebacks in hindsight lol. It's a learning experience and if it does happen again, at least you know how to try and salvage it.

@breestjon wrote:

So, I did a bank shop that I have done before. This time, I went into the lobby looking around to get somebody's attention and a teller ask me if she could help me. I told her, I wanted to speak to somebody about an account.

My question is exactly what you told the teller. Did you say you wanted to "speak to somebody about an account" or that you wanted to OPEN an account? If you said you wanted information about an account, it sounds as though she gave you information not believing you wanted to OPEN an account. Did the guidelines require you to open a new account or to speak with a bank representative (not a teller) about a new account but NOT open the account?

I always say something like "I need to open a new account." At that point, I am either taken to a desk or referred to a bank officer in an office. Once or twice, I've been told the bank officer is at lunch or out of the building and told to come back at 1:00 or something similar. I think the key here is that the employee must believe they are laying the groundwork to open an account for you that day, right then. After getting the information and hearing their spiel, you wait to see if they ask for your business, i.e., "Are you ready to open that account right now?" I always say I want to bring my spouse in because it will be a joint account. They usually counter with :"Let's open the account today and you can stop by with him and he can add his signature." Then I tell them I have a couple of auto withdrawals that I need to check on before changing to my new account, so I'll do it all at once. And I make my get-away.

Sorry, I know this is disappointing. I hate it when the targets don't do what I expect them to do and it messes up my agenda. I probably would have redone the shop. If I ran into the teller, I would tell her she gave such good information that I now want to speak to a bank rep to open an account.

Thanks for the suggestions, and I try to say, I want to ask about opening and account. I will have to be more insistent. I have done a lot of banks, and each company wants something a little different. It would be a good idea to take a break for awhile. Maybe, I am doing to many and they are becoming to routine. I did send another email to the scheduler, telling him if he got in a bind, I could still try to do it at a different time during the day. I never thought, that going back would not be uncommon. I get to worried they are going to know, I am a mystery shopper. If you go into a busy store, or some place to eat you blend in.

I think you just have to figure that some shops will just not be salvageable.

I did a bank where I wandered in and did a little transaction with the teller and then went to the waiting area to wait for a banker. The teller trotted out from behind her window and asked if I was okay. I told her I just wanted to speak with one of the bankers. She told me she could assist and led me to her desk. She WAS a banker and was very good at it. But she was covering for the teller who was out sick and I was required to speak with two DIFFERENT people. It was in the middle of a route of bank shops and was a small enough place that I couldn't hope to go back in and not be recognized. Luckily the MSC was willing to let me have my choice as to whether the gal was my teller or banker (I took banker as it paid more) and then they were stuck sending someone else in to try to find a teller. I guess I could have been rude and said, "I don't want to talk to you. I want to talk to someone else!" Wouldn't that look great on a report when asked, "How did you get from person 1 to person 2?"

We can Monday Morning Quarterback what we coulda, woulda, shoulda done, but on the fly if we say we wanted to speak to someone about _____ accounts and the teller decides to be helpful, we are kinda stuck for it. I have weaseled out of a perfectly good presentation of an account by a teller by finding some objection and asking if the fee or whatever can be waived. If she says 'no', then I can look unhappy and suggest perhaps I should sit down with a banker. That has worked a couple of times. It also has ended a few shops where the teller picked up the phone to call the banker, ask if the objection can be solved and the banker just told her no. 'Thank you for your time' and quick departure follows.

I agree with Austin Mom. Once you emphasize that you want to talk to someone about opening an account, they usually do not insist on interacting with you because there are specific bank executives who can open an account. They are bound to refer you to someone qualified.

And if I am not mistaken, you could ask to go back when the specific executive becomes available. Sorry about the outcome of the shop. But I would probably have taken up the scheduler's offer to redo the shop. This is because your purpose was to open an account and the person you interacted with was not authorized to open an account. If you had gone back, you could have just said I needed to open an account with a wealth manager or whatever the title of the target personnel. That's just my opinion because I have done a number of this shop.

This happened to me recently.

I asked the teller if there was someone I could talk to about opening an account and the teller starts pulling out brochures and talking to me...I knew I had to get banker!

I let her talk for a few seconds then I said, "Thanks. Do you have someone I can talk to because I have a lot of questions?" She said,"Sure, she just walked in!" The teller directed me to the chairs and the banker called me into her office a few minutes later. .

If the teller insists and you know you need a banker, walk away from the teller saying, "Oh. I will just wait over here in these chairs and wait for someone."

You are now putting distance between you and the teller ......and she can't very well help you when you are sitting in those chairs by the front door.

@MysVal - Actually no cleverness on my end. This exact situation was discussed a little over a year ago, and someone else posted that line. I put it in my kit and have used it three times since then. This Forum rocks.

@SunnyDays2- I will have to remember to just go sit, and wait for someone.

@elcarev68 - Having a lot of questions is a good idea too.

I did get assigned another shop today with the MSC, so that is good news

"@SunnyDays2- I will have to remember to just go sit, and wait for someone."

Great! Keep practicing. Just remember with most bank shops, you usually have to let the teller know you want to get some help with opening an account.

Tell them it sounds good and you would like to talk to a rep about the other benefits.... I always use Trust Fund.... it's very detailed and a teller won't have the information available at her/his window. Home loan, car loan and if they offer insurance through the bank or affiliate is also a good be... they will want to get rid of you quickly if you ask these questions.

You can thank the teller for the information and then walk away from the teller area and go find the clipboard and write your name on it and have a seat. Only a banker will assist you and that clipboard always has time arrived and time assisted. Bankers will set lunch off to the side and closed doors will open up quickly. They will get off the phone and come out and greet you. A cashier can't touch the clipboard, so you know your getting a banker at that point.

I am doing my first bank shop for a company I have been working with for several years. This is from that company's guidelines regarding how to get to the bank rep:
=======quote:

You must speak with a sales associate. You should say, “I want to open an account, can you set that up for me?” or "I would like to speak to a new accounts rep or sales person." This will trigger them to have you meet with a sales associate for more information. If the teller tries to give you information and answer your questions, you should again ask them if they can open the account for you? If they say they can open the
account for you then proceed with the shop and make notes in your narrative that the teller stated they could open the account. This is required for your shop to be accepted!

==========

A similar thing happened to me recently, where the teller started to insist on helping me. Fortunately, I've thought about that happening and had an objection I pulled out. I said, "Oh, but I also need to find out about taking out a loan." She had me take a seat and got the proper person to help me.

But the MSC I shop banks through has an "out" in the report if, for example, the teller insists on helping you even after you ask twice about speaking with a CSR or MSO. You can complete the shop with the teller and explain the circumstances.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 11/13/2015 02:30AM by BirdyC.

I wanted to update this post. I talked to the scheduler and he told me that there are overzealous tellers, like a teller supervisor, that are not qualified to open accounts. However, they take over the shop and do not refer you to a bank officer. I did not get my shopper rate lowered, and he said next time to call them, because they have list of the employees. I did get assigned another bank to do, so I am glad about that. I wanted to thank everyone for their suggestions.

One of my bank MSC made it a point to highlight that when talking to an employee and they start discussing the account, to ask them "Are you able to open that account for me?" I think they ran into this a lot, and I was glad I was informed of this early on. In at least 40-50% of my account shops, the teller will start discussing the account after the initial inquiry... That is interesting that they do that, sorry you got stuck with the wrong rep.

Sorry to hear that.