Reveal Yourself?
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"Reveal" shops are not for everybody - I don't do them. However, they are pretty common.
Sometimes, a client likes the idea of the employees on duty getting immediate feedback so that they can remember exactly what happened during a visit instead of receiving a mysterious report days/weeks later. Also, sometimes a client likes the idea of linking a mystery shop with an audit that requires the shopper to do things like stick thermometers in food - which would require breaking anonymity. Etc.
Note that, if you choose to do such shops, you will likely not be able to do unrevealed shops for that client as your identity will become known.
Sometimes, a client likes the idea of the employees on duty getting immediate feedback so that they can remember exactly what happened during a visit instead of receiving a mysterious report days/weeks later. Also, sometimes a client likes the idea of linking a mystery shop with an audit that requires the shopper to do things like stick thermometers in food - which would require breaking anonymity. Etc.
Note that, if you choose to do such shops, you will likely not be able to do unrevealed shops for that client as your identity will become known.
Hard work builds character and homework is good for your soul.
MFJohnston,
Thanks for your reply and info. It makes things a bit clearer.
Your last comment on preventing myself from doing shops with that company did cross my mind, but on a grander scale. I just imagined my entire "career" as a MS being jeopardized from that one reveal shop. >_< That doesn't sound appealing to me.
I'm wondering what the experience was like for other MSs who actually revealed themselves?
Thanks for your reply and info. It makes things a bit clearer.
Your last comment on preventing myself from doing shops with that company did cross my mind, but on a grander scale. I just imagined my entire "career" as a MS being jeopardized from that one reveal shop. >_< That doesn't sound appealing to me.
I'm wondering what the experience was like for other MSs who actually revealed themselves?
Doing a reveal shop doesn't really affect your anonymity in the broader scale. Especially given that you are in NYC. You'd have to be stick out in some more extreme way to be memorable.
Actually, it's personal anecdotes and jokes that people remember more than anything. I don't know if you experience nerves or have the tendency to talk through awkwardness, but a big skill in the job is just letting things happen. You are almost never as noticeable as you can make yourself, if that makes sense.
Actually, it's personal anecdotes and jokes that people remember more than anything. I don't know if you experience nerves or have the tendency to talk through awkwardness, but a big skill in the job is just letting things happen. You are almost never as noticeable as you can make yourself, if that makes sense.
Your 'career' can include some anonymous shops, some revealed audits, and some revealed merchandising tasks. It's up to you. What do you want to do? What do you like to do? (You might not know this yet, if you are just starting...)
For gas station assignments, I wish that I had not completed any revealed assignments. I believe that it would be better for me to get some of my fuel and enjoy more free time in a day via the quicker gas station mystery shops. I do not do long routes, so I do not know how well it pays for people to do many revealed gas station shop/audit combinations. I think it pays very well. For some retail audits, I am glad that I used my name because these assignments were abundant and fit into shop days or were located near places that I wanted to go. These reports were substantially less time-consuming that those for gas station shop/revealed audit assignments. For some app assignments, it sounds like a pain in the finger to perform the assignments discreetly and without being noticed by employees instead of performing some task openly. For merchandising, I always use my own name.
For gas station assignments, I wish that I had not completed any revealed assignments. I believe that it would be better for me to get some of my fuel and enjoy more free time in a day via the quicker gas station mystery shops. I do not do long routes, so I do not know how well it pays for people to do many revealed gas station shop/audit combinations. I think it pays very well. For some retail audits, I am glad that I used my name because these assignments were abundant and fit into shop days or were located near places that I wanted to go. These reports were substantially less time-consuming that those for gas station shop/revealed audit assignments. For some app assignments, it sounds like a pain in the finger to perform the assignments discreetly and without being noticed by employees instead of performing some task openly. For merchandising, I always use my own name.
Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished. - Lao-Tzu
I have not done a reveal shop in over 12 years. Here's why. Nearly all that I have seen are at fast food or fast casual eateries, convenience stores and gas stations. The turnover rate among the low wage employees at those places is VERY high. Presenting a prize means that when the winning employee moves on to the place down the street they may well remember that I am THAT shopper. Pretty soon I would be IDed at a whole bunch of local places. No thanks. YMMV
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.
Shopping from the Carolinas to New York
Have video cam; will travel
Poor customer service? Don't get mad; get video.
Some of my favourite shops are audits. I arrive at the location with my clipboard, check in with the manager and go through my checklist. No need to remember anything! And easy report to enter. I have alao done exit interviews scheduled by a mystery shopping company.
I have also done the reveal after a mystery shop. I don't mind them but prefer to limit how many I do in my home town.
Anyway, no reason to avoid that company, just select the jobs you prefer.
There are so many different shops to do, that is what keeps me at this. So varied. I have stood at intersections and counted drivers wearing seatbelts! The hardest part of that was I had to draw the intersections. LOL
Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 05/17/2019 10:10PM by prince.
I have also done the reveal after a mystery shop. I don't mind them but prefer to limit how many I do in my home town.
Anyway, no reason to avoid that company, just select the jobs you prefer.
There are so many different shops to do, that is what keeps me at this. So varied. I have stood at intersections and counted drivers wearing seatbelts! The hardest part of that was I had to draw the intersections. LOL
Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 05/17/2019 10:10PM by prince.
The most reveal shops I have be doing lately is to call a rehabe place and set up an apointment and then at the end of the call right before I hung up I tell this has be a mystery shopper. But I can keep doing them until the learn my voice because they do not see me and I use a different name each time. Has anyone else done this
I have done those. It was a convenience store I think. Not recent.
@Alieda wrote:
The most reveal shops I have be doing lately is to call a rehabe place and set up an apointment and then at the end of the call right before I hung up I tell this has be a mystery shopper. But I can keep doing them until the learn my voice because they do not see me and I use a different name each time. Has anyone else done this
In the last year, I have done "mystery shop followed by reveal" for a chain of storage locations, a chain of convenience stores, and a bank (the reveal was not to the branch personnel but to the so-called escalation team). I have seen some others, but have not taken them, and I may have actually forgotten some that I did. I have often done a gas station mystery shops followed by an audit. Easy.
Shopping Southeast Pennsylvania, Delaware above the canal, and South Jersey since 2008
Wow! You all have helped me understand this MS world so much more. I've decided that I'll continue to feel out the shops I've been doing: restaurants & retail a bit more. I'll probably migrate into the area of "revealed" shops after I've gotten the hang of MSing.
I'm so happy to have found this forum where we can all feel supported and not judged, especially us newbies.
Thank you all for your feedback!
I'm so happy to have found this forum where we can all feel supported and not judged, especially us newbies.
Thank you all for your feedback!
@Alieda. You are talking about the therapy appointments, I presume. I do those shops a lot. I like them since they are quick and it's not in person which makes me feel comfortable.
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