When the employees are informed a mystery shopper is coming in...

I just did a lunch shop at a salad/bakery/soup buffet chain. I was surprised by how clean the location was and the fantastic service. The manager was checking in with every table and the employees were clearing the tables at record speed. The location is usually a mess and the employees usually provide below average to mediocre service at best.

I overheard a employee say to her co-worker go clear a table and make sure that the area was clean since a mystery shopper is supposed to come in sometime this weekend...

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Meh. It happens. If a company wants to tell it's locations when they're being shopped that's their business not mine. Another thing I don't care about, lol.

There are reasons that a body stays in motion
At the moment only demons come to mind

I use to work in retail. We use to always be notify of a secret shop from the previous store that the shopper just visited. The managers from different stores watch each other's back and notify them of a possible up coming shop. I always wonder what was the point of the shop, if we always knew we was being evaluated. As a mystery shopper I act normal and don't give any hints that I am there for another reason. Plus after the shop stores get notified of the results and in turn they spread the word.

My son in law in a goldsmith at a national jewelry chain.

He says they not only know when the shopper is coming, they know exactly what questions the shopper will ask.

When I worked at a popular Japanese food chain, I was once told by the manager that the mystery shopper was coming. I was so nervous, so was he! He was so worried...felt sorry for him he owned 3 locations and looked exhasted especially trying to maintain a profit and maintain high standards. Now I know EXACTLY what mystery shop company, I laugh now...it is fun to be on the other side...I find it less stressful but I feel sorry for some people cause even when they know SOME still CANNOT get it right! smh

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/04/2019 03:21AM by Mysteriousways.

I mentioned this before, I've done some shops so many times they know me when I walk in. When I walked in one store, the employees said "Hi John" LOL

@azncollege wrote:

I just did a lunch shop at a salad/bakery/soup buffet chain. I was surprised by how clean the location was and the fantastic service. The manager was checking in with every table and the employees were clearing the tables at record speed. The location is usually a mess and the employees usually provide below average to mediocre service at best.

I overheard a employee say to her co-worker go clear a table and make sure that the area was clean since a mystery shopper is supposed to come in sometime this weekend...

I did mine today (salad/bakery/soup buffet chain) . Some kid vomited about 15 feet from me. Splashed two little old ladies at the next booth from them. Thank goodness I was done eating at that point. So nasty. I could not even think about food.

My visit two weeks ago, everyone was running around because they were getting a visit from the DM. Worked out well, since I was there too.

The references to the salad/bakery/soup buffet chain makes me think it’s Souplantation (MSC not mentioned). I had a similar experience on my last two shops there. I think it was because of the many pictures that are required. The photos were more than the average Yelp reviewer would take, and it was hard to do them without the employees noticing. Soon after taking the pictures (and asking the required question) I was given quite a bit of attention by the staff.

@kenasch wrote:

The references to the salad/bakery/soup buffet chain makes me think it’s Souplantation (MSC not mentioned). I had a similar experience on my last two shops there. I think it was because of the many pictures that are required. The photos were more than the average Yelp reviewer would take, and it was hard to do them without the employees noticing. Soon after taking the pictures (and asking the required question) I was given quite a bit of attention by the staff.

They've never seen me take the photos. When the DM was coming, everyone got great treatment and the items were well stocked. Dining room and restroom were perfect.

Today, it was just a vomit show. Otherwise, nothing special.

Now if my husband was taking the photos, we would have been outed for sure.

I hope they are told, makes my job just that more easier. HOORAY!

A Dad shopping the Ark-LA-Tex and beyond.

A manager at a Showcase Cinemas location told me they are notified when the shopper is coming for the concessions rewards shop. Unbelievable....

I did a grocery and the Manager knew it was the shopper's day, he told me so.....

Live consciously....

The only effect to me is that if they are doing things right, I have less to write. I love checking all the yes buttons and not having to explain the no.

I have an app on my phone to record video with the screen off. Makes these weird pictures easier, I just carry my phone around, hold it still for a second to get a good focus and then grab screenshots later. Great for pulling timings from lines as well. Start the app, get in line, put it in your pocket when you reach the counter or just set it down next to you.

Curtzey - what’s the app?

I'd like to get the name of that app as well.

I found instructions for recording video without the screen on. But, it is not an app. Here is the link. I have not tried it yet. [www.valuewalk.com] This will only work with IOS 10 or earlier.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/05/2019 12:54AM by Rg.

Years ago when I was doing my first or second shop, I was nervous and saw that on the back counter, there was a copy of the questionnaire. So obviously the staff knew that a shopper was coming.
There is a burger restaurant where I get unbelievable service.

When I do a gas station audit, they know who I am and greet me warmly. One always fixes me a cup of coffee.
.

I did a drive thru shop at Sonic on the day when the speaker was broken. The owner took my order at the window, and asked me what happened. I told him.

He said, "On the day the mystery shopper will be here of all days!"

"I told myself to quit you; but I don't listen to drunks." -Chris Stapleton

@HonnyBrown wrote:

I did a drive thru shop at Sonic on the day when the speaker was broken. The owner took my order at the window, and asked me what happened. I told him.

He said, "On the day the mystery shopper will be here of all days!"

LOL. I hope you said, The what?" Like you were clueless about what a mystery shopper is.

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

Just FYI for android users RE: hidden recorder apps: I tried a couple of those apps where you could record with the screen off and some worked better than others. However, phone started having major issues within a couple weeks and I think it was due to one or more of those apps. I ended up having to spend a day factory resetting my phone. They aren't highly rated in the app store and its possible one of them was hacking my phone. Sorry I don't have the exact names, but if you search for "Hidden recorder" you will find some. I may try one again, but would install just for the duration of the shop and uninstall again after. (Same thing I do with Observa, which tries to constantly run in the background and kill my battery.)

Sometimes, knowing that you're a shopper often doesn't make an ounce of difference.

I've been doing some "role play" video shops lately for a national home builder. Part of their training.

They literally know days in advance that I'm coming in an hour before official opening time, and they still screw up. Two of the last four I've done recently completely forgot to ask me for my contact information for followup. No capture of name, phone, email, nothing. I'd have chalked it up to nerves, but they seemed very "with it" and focused otherwise.... *shaking head*

I truly think that this happens at about 75% or more of all businesses that have a shopping. It happens, and its nothing that the shopper can do about it other than to follow the guidelines & proceed with the shop.

I mean, if they want to do that and I have a shorter report, what's the harm? I would never tell them I was one, but I can't stop them from knowing one is coming on their end. Honestly, have the scenarios make you stick out like a sore thumb with oddball questions and requests anyway. My guess is even Corp. offices know that you are giving away that you are shopping them.

Orlando - lightly shopping NC

@ceasesmith wrote:

My son in law in a goldsmith at a national jewelry chain.

He says they not only know when the shopper is coming, they know exactly what questions the shopper will ask.

I've been caught like this too. They knew the questions, that were mandatory questions, you weren't allowed to change them or ask more appropriate questions to the situation. I find those shops incredibly difficult to do, especially when you can see the change in the customer service when they have recognized you.

I always thought that the idea behind mystery shopping was to see what the customer service was like when no one was watching. I've done a few restaurant shops, and 35 mph food shops (the ones you have to go inside, to get the food but it's still kinda fast).

I have seen the difference between the days when regional managers are in the store and when it's just the store managers. It really shouldn't be that way, if you want the job you should be doing it the right way every day that you're there, no matter what or who is watching.

In the way back machine, I had a produce guy at a grocery store who apparently had a friend or family member who was shopping their stores give him the questions every month. I contacted the MSC and they said because of this, and for no other reason, I was to make up a similar question, on the same subject of the original question when I talked to him. Unfortunately there was some kind of shake up at that MSC, and the folks that are running that grocery shopping program now have no concept of loyalty, or the effort we put into doing the job.

Yes, there have been instances where the CS performed to the letter and I suspected they knew they were being shopped. Well, it makes my job easier, to report all positives.....

I recently shopped a corporate post-security cafe that required an escort. My escort was the cafe manager! Needless to say they performed very well.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/06/2019 12:25AM by NinS.

Manager bonuses are sometimes heavily weighted by mystery shop scores. They have big money tied up in the results, and so they’ve got incentive to find out when you’re coming and alert their staff.

It’s not fair to the other managers who play by the rules, IMO. And the client isn’t getting an honest assessment under typical working conditions.
Bummer all around.

A guy I went to high school is now a Five Guys manager. (Now I can't shop Five Guys anymore.) He tells his staff every Monday "Okay, sometime this week we are getting a mystery shopper. Let's do everything right and get a great score." He doesn't know if there will be a mystery shopper that week, and, if there is, he doesn't know the time frame or whether it will be a dine in, phone shop, online order, etc. He says he just figures it's a good reminder, like seeing a cop car sitting by the side of the road sometimes makes you take your foot off the gas.

I have a friend who use to work at a burger place I do a lot of mystery shops. I told him I did mystery shops where he use to work. He said anytime someone had an order for 3 items ONLY, the word went out, "MYSTERY SHOPPER" Only mystery shoppers made 3 item orders. (Burger, fries, drink) I was told by a cell phone store manager, they know who the mystery shoppers are, because they are the only one's asking questions. I believe many times the guidelines give you away.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/06/2019 05:47PM by johnb974.

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When the employees are informed a mystery shopper is coming in...

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