I've done several shops for one restaurant and there are always the same issues happening. I very thoroughly report everything and yet the next time I go there nothing has changed. Why do companies pay for mystery shoppers if they are not going to listen to what they're being told and make changes? It seems like a waste of their money and my time to do shops and reports that are not used to help fix their issues. Have you done shops where you keep finding the same problems time and again?

Reggie,
It depends on the "issue." If it is not something that the survey focuses on, but you do, it may not be of interest so much to the client as it was to you. However, if it is lack of sanitation in a food-handling operation, for instance, that is something that would bug me. Under-staffing, not so much, since that could be a general shortage of trained labor or any number of simple "mis-haps." What sort of problems are you concerned about at that location?

At one place they wanted to know if anybody working there had visible tattoos or piercings other than earrings. After I reported that the cashier had a nose ring and an eyebrow ring I noticed the same cashier there with the same hardware on her face multiple times after my report. I guess they weren't ready to fire her, so why ask about tattoos and piercings if you're not going to ask the employee to remove and/or cover them up?

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/18/2017 12:23PM by NYReggie11.

sometimes that question is used to help identify employee since many have same first names, it may not be against company or store policy. tats & piercings r pretty mainstream now. if someone gives great cust serv who cares if they have a pierced nose. ive seen employees w/large bandages on ear lobes to cover gauges. i think it looks ridiculous but that is personal opinion.

Might not be a negative, maybe it was just for a more detailed description of the employee. Some employers don't discourage that look.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/18/2017 01:06PM by MissChele.

That's felt in all industries... Trust me. In my main line of work in oil & gas, I do feel lots all of the engineering consulting I provide along with my project teams go to waste as the majority of our clients often go for the 'upfront' bare minimum usually because of business development perception. Why waste our time and effort to provide data, consulting, etc.? Well, because some of us enjoy the work and more importantly, we need to make a living and get paid. And also, it's because the clients are paying for a service and receiving the results (hopefully). If they don't want to utilize the results from the services and turn away recommendations from the consultant, that's not up to us.

There's a saying in my industry in oil and gas... There will always be more work for us whenever something land on our table because the clients never listen to the us consultants. When we anticipate something breaking and they don't listen to us from before, that's a guaranteed contract / change order



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/18/2017 01:26PM by Tarantado.

Because employees may borrow one another's name tag, more detailed descriptions may be required to make sure that the wrong employee will not be blamed for someone else's error. But if there was nothing negative about the employee's behavior, they probably just anted to distinguish between two otherwise similar employees. Why assume that they wanted to fire anyone? They may also have just wanted to retrain. I see a ton of employees with tats and piercings and conclude that the employers do not have a problem with that.

The only time I would feel a shop was a waste of my time is if I was not paid. What companies do or don't do with the information provided is really not my problem. If a company chooses to waste their money it is just proof private corporation does not automatically equate to efficient and cost effective.

I do a restaurant many do and love. I was on a 3 month thing and went on my own for dinner. (not a shop). I have a rewards card, and got really bad service, plus the bill was wrong, several issues with the Manager never coming out after it was cleared up, never saw him. Two weeks later, I get an email from them asking how my dinner was (reward card info.), and I didn't hold back. I just received an e-card for a $25.00 meal...sometimes it pays to fill out those surveys.....

It's true that the tattoos and piercings might just be identifying characteristics, as others have pointed out. I feel your frustration about cleanliness and other things not changing after repeatedly reporting them for the same location. These things sometimes just take time. Over the past year I have been doing some local convenience stores that get shopped every month. There are a few locations that just never clean their toilets properly. I mean obvious neglect such as ring of residue inside of the bowl that is not a hard water stain, a layer of dust and grime on the area behind the toilet seat, and a grimy buildup around the faucet fixture in the sink that still remains the following month (not to mention the smell). Even with the photos I provide as a necessary backup of any negative reports, nothing changes. But, there is a question asking about the condition of the pumps for these stores, and after a few months of reporting that the pumps were worn looking and in poor condition with peeling paint and exposed rusty areas, guess what? Most of those pumps have now been replaced with new pumps. So keep on doing your best objective job and hopefully some positive results will happen. And as Lisa pointed out, if you get paid, it's not a waste of YOUR time.

Like Lisa I really couldn't care less as long as I get paid. You may eventually learn that many mystery shops are done for reasons other than to improve service.

Our reports really "do" matter....

I went to a restaurant and the chairs were quite old, damaged with small amounts of stuffing coming out of them. The flooring looked like from the 1940's... dingy and gray. I wrote this in the report, along with other observations. About 3 months later I shopped that same restaurant and there were all new chairs! I kid you not! The flooring had been changed too! I can't tell you how happy it made me feel that they really DO read our reports.

I do a lot of gas stations and my job as an inspector is to report what the client wants and I don't expect them to instantly react to any infractions I may find. And I really don't care if they don't and the same infraction is there the next time I do the shop. One example is a station I have done repeatedly for three years. Same infarction every time - dirty canopy, lights not working, cracked store window and door, grungy restroom. On one visit the rusty grate over some plumbing pipes by the restroom was finally rusted through and it was a two foot drop to the pipes. I took a picture and my comment was that this was a law suit waiting to happen. I told the attendant about it and put it in my report. Guess what, this was serious enough to have the client send someone out to repair it, which I noted on my next visit. And much to my surprise, last week when I did the shop again the canopy and columns had been painted the lights replaced and repaired and the door fixed. The attendant was delighted. Do I think this was done because of all the negative reports I submitted? Of course not, I think this was simply a low priority station and they finally got around to the bottom of the totem pole to upgrade the station. I do my job as professionally as I can, submit my report and get paid. That's all i expect.

ive noticed big improvements w my gas audits too. new lights. new canopy. hand soap in dispenser. it makes my job alot easier because less pics to take.

I had noticed a sign over a bank branch that was ripped apart, dirty our front on the sidewalk, just a mess. The next time I went there was a new sign and it was cleaned up.

They wouldn't have an industry like this if (in fact) it didn't help...don't know the percentage of help, but in terms of bar audits and catching and reporting loss prevention it helps. I believe it helps to re-train, promote and clean up.
I recently saw a plugged up toilet in a nice pizza place, no, the Manager didn't catch it. I stopped in next day (on my own), and it was fixed. There are flaws, but also, many benefits for the client to know what's going on in his chains and Franchises. I see us as the eyes and ears for the owners.

I did a restaurant that the parent company has several locations and brands. Reported that when I sat at the bar, there was no place to put your feet. It was rather uncomfortable. I had to use the chair next to me. And there was really no identifying the restaurant, it had no sign out front. We drove around several times before we decided this just might be the location. And it was.

Got the job again several months later and the bar was fixed with a little place to put your feet. And there was a big sign out front with the name of the restaurant.

Great to hear that vloglady!
I actually had a very satisfying experience on a shop today. A few months ago when I did this gas station audit, I reported that in the bathroom, the handicapped railing that a customer in a wheelchair would use was excessively rusty with a picture of it attached. Bathroom was otherwise great, the station otherwise great. I'm pretty sure this was overlooked by other shoppers, since this railing is not really mentioned in the guidelines and I wondered then if I should even include it. This was my first time back there today, and there was a brand new railing in its place.

Like Irene said, we are the eyes and ears of the owners. In this case, I know the owner cares, because the location is otherwise excellent. But this railing clearly was lost in the shuffle. Knowing I made a difference, especially for a disabled person somewhere down the line, is satisfying and more then makes up for those times I return to the same places and report the same things, every single time.

If you view a shop as a "waste of time", you are in the wrong business. Shoppers simply report the facts, and what the company does or does not do is not the shopper's problem. In other words, don't concern yourself about the changes you think the client should make. It's all about the client. What are they looking for is the simple true observation. Do that and you're done.

I did a restaurant shop a couple years ago where the bathroom was old and dingy looking. The grout had also seen better days. I was impressed when I went back and they had totally fixed the bathroom. Also, they had questioned what would you do differently at the restaurant and I suggested adding more side dishes and they did! It feels good to see the changes that we report on.

@walesmaven wrote:

Because employees may borrow one another's name tag, more detailed descriptions may be required to make sure that the wrong employee will not be blamed for someone else's error.

This happened all the time at work, especially if we had an event and needed folks to look tiptop. The occasional smart arse would say "well, it says I have to wear a name tag, it doesn't say it has to have a name on it, or a real name"... but then I got to thinking about that and honestly, it's not a bad thought.

I had a guy get my name off of my managers name tag, call the store, and ask me out on a date. I politely declined and explained that I was engaged. "But you don't wear a ring?!?!" It's food -- you shouldn't. He later looked me up on social media using my name. It was harmless flirting with extra social media stalking, but after he saw photos of me and my spouse, he apologized.

I had my next batch of tags engraved with a fake name and wore those for almost 4 years unless we had training or a company event.

Have you done shops where you keep finding the same problems time and again?[/quote]

Yes. I think this happens because the middle managers aren't really interested in the shop reports or because they do not feel like they should have to retrain the employees.

I used to do a bank shop where the employees were supposed to ask me for my name and then use it. Very few of them did, and I think that it was because whoever was supposed to train them to do this didn't bother to tell them to do it.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/24/2017 03:27AM by alannajm.

And sometimes both the client and the msc really do listen. I shop a fast food drive-thru fairly often. The report used to ask if the credit card machine was working but never about its cleanliness. It usually did appear to be working but it was never, ever cleaned. Since this msc is one of the lowest paying around, I never bothered to volunteer any additional, unrequested info about the machine's appearance. However, after about a year, the thing had become so nasty looking that I did finally add a comment about it. And the next time I visited, about two weeks later, the machine was, well, not perfect, but at least it looked cared for for the first time. Not only that, but the msc had changed the question to include cleanliness. Score one for professional satisfaction!

One of the chipotle shops I did have several worn out stools. You know, the ones that used leather on the stools. I commented that "x" number of stools shown visible signs of wear and tear with the seams coming apart. When I was assigned that location again some months later, those stools had new leather covering.

I do a few grocery stores in my area in heavy rotation but have never been outed (as far as I can tell). At one particular location, the store manager posts the MSC's report near the restrooms and employee breakroom and he circles the names of the employees who got positive rating/comments from me with handwritten comments like "Wonderful job, team! Keep up the good work." Like you, I really feel like the reports DO matter. They keep giving me good service and that seems to be a positive feedback.

@SunnyDays2 wrote:

Our reports really "do" matter....

I went to a restaurant and the chairs were quite old, damaged with small amounts of stuffing coming out of them. The flooring looked like from the 1940's... dingy and gray. I wrote this in the report, along with other observations. About 3 months later I shopped that same restaurant and there were all new chairs! I kid you not! The flooring had been changed too! I can't tell you how happy it made me feel that they really DO read our reports.

What about the positives of our shops?

Several years back I used to do two or three locations for a fast food restaurant chain. There was one particular employee who had such a great positive attitude and was very attentive and helpful, things I find too little of on my shops.

I wrote her up each time she helped me at one of the restaurants. One day I go into one of the other locations and she is working as the manager, still with the same upbeat attitude and helpfulness.

I like to think my positive feedback may have helped her get promoted.

If I'm not on a shop and get over and above service, I will often ask to see a manager. The employee looks they just saw the devil thinking I'm going to complain. When I give a good report to the manager on the employee, the managers all thank me for it. And I'm sure the employee has a much better rest of their day.

I agree with the thought that the tattoo question may be more to help identify which employee your are referencing and not necessarily something that isn't allowed. I wouldn't worry about it as long as you report on everything requested in the report.

Am I the only person who care little about the outcome of a mystery shop? I am concerned that I performed the shop well and that I will be paid.

You aren't the only one.

@bgriffin wrote:

Am I the only person who care little about the outcome of a mystery shop? I am concerned that I performed the shop well and that I will be paid.

The only reason I care about shops going badly is because it makes for a longer report. Otherwise,just pay me.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/21/2017 02:38PM by Hoju.