How Do You Record Shop Notes/Details?

Depends on the shop. I use GeoVerify, Solocator, use voice recording or text myself. The car has a steno pad and clipboard so I can write things down so I will remember details.
I prefer my steno pad. Physically writing things down prompts my memory, it was something I learned in college.

Live your life in such a way that when your feet hit the floor in the morning; the devil shudders...And yells OH #%*+! SHE'S AWAKE!

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.

I totally agree. I have used apps before but I have opted for a pocket notebook and will take notes in the bathroom out of sight. Tell me this, do you think if someone made a notebook with basic input forms for common shop details, that you would be interested?

I am interested in this! I am curious if a mystery shopping pocket notebook was created designed for mystery shoppers with forms in the book to fill in with common shop details (Time in/out, name, description, etc.) would you use it?

I like 3x5 lined index cards. I get them at the dollar store or sometimes while on a shop at a stationary store. I can easily shuffle the cards when organizing a route. When I'm done I staple the receipt to the card. I like the more substantial feel of the card vs a small piece of paper. I use them after leaving the store. While conducting a shop I jot down names using the iPhone notes app.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/19/2017 10:44PM by kenasch.

I have taken my local grocery store ad and make notes on it.
I see a couple of you use Evernote. I was checking on it today and gather it is better than Onenote which seems like more for business.

I text my own phone, or my 2nd. phone. That is a great way to blend in, as so many people spend huge amounts of time texting. I have a great new sound recorder but I haven't actually used it. I also have what looks to be a great videocam set from Grayhawk, but I can't seem to be offered video shops. I have done 1 videoshop with the MSP's equipment. Love to all Shoppers! Signed, Night Owl at 1:25 am

I can't even imagine texting or making notes on my phone. You guys must have fast fingers. I used to pencil my notes on the back of my receipt. I mostly do fast casual restaurants so I have a receipt but obvi it wouldn't work for retail where you don't get a receipt til the end. Since I have to keep the receipt anyway, it makes sense to write on the back.

I still do that if I have to but I have begun video taping almost all my shops. It was getting too hard to notice all the details and the timings and the dialogue and the name tags and the everything. I put all the timestamps and the events and dialogue on paper before I do the report. I usually only have to replay certain parts. For some reason it's easier to watch a video than just listen to an audio file.

@ShopWhisperer wrote:

I still do that if I have to but I have begun video taping almost all my shops. It was getting too hard to notice all the details and the timings and the dialogue and the name tags and the everything. I put all the timestamps and the events and dialogue on paper before I do the report. I usually only have to replay certain parts. For some reason it's easier to watch a video than just listen to an audio file.

I thought California was a two party state. Is it legal to be taping? Do the MSCs know you are taping?

Shoptastic NEEDS to get a life!

I used to take paper notes, but that is so pre-2010. Why waste the time writing notes on paper or cards? I use my expensive Android phone to save me time which allows me to do more shops and make more money to pay for that smartphone.

I use Notepad App on my Android during shop and an old-fashioned spiral notebook for post-shop notes. Spiral keeps everything together, avoids misplacing slips of paper or note cards, and provides a quick checklist for reporting numerous same day shops.

I just text myself. I put the shop name and time in, then small details I dont want to forget. It's helpful on those occasions I get a question from the editor. I can just scroll to, or search for the day of the shop, and my notes are there to reference. It enables me to reply quickly with accurate information.

I use text-to-speech on my Android. It was difficult at first, but Android learns so fast. Within 2 weeks of using text-to-speech, my Android phone understood me well enough to know the difference in homonyms just by listening to the way I spoke. It will even put periods, commas, exclamation points in for me, and it knows the difference between "." and "period" Try it; you'll find it very helpful and time saving for those shops out on the road and shops where you need to take notes discreetly. The phone microphone is very sensitive. The recorder mic is also more sensitive than the human ear and can screen out background noise..

deleted

Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 05/23/2017 09:47PM by shoptastic.

I use the standard notes app on my iphone about 90% of the time. I will also discretely snap a picture if I can do so without it being obvious. Helps me with descriptions of people, and I don't have to manually type that stuff in.

deleted

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/29/2017 02:45AM by Robin2.

One job generates daily paperwork. For free, I use that for some shop notes before shredding it. I have used the phone, codes, cosmetics, and even ketchup on napkins in a ff joint.

It's all good.

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

For shops with a lot of timings, I set up in Notepad ahead of time the clues for each timing, then fill in during the shop. As soon as I get out to my car, I make voice notes or drive to another location close by and fill out the paper survey for things I might forget.

If I feel that audio recording won't break my state's laws, I turn on my phone's recorder during the shop.

I learn something new every day, but not everyday!
I've learned to never trust spell-check or my phone's auto-fill feature.

Sorry, only registered users may post in this forum.

Click here to login

How Do You Record Shop Notes/Details?

Create an Account or Log In

Official List of Mystery Shopping Companies

Mystery Shopper Magazine