Mystery Shopper cover blown!

McAzrael

I used to work for a bookie chain and I hate to tell you this but we spotted you pretty much as soon as you walked in. And then we rang every shop in town. As fatlad9 says, the first tip off is your unfamiliar face and the second is when you place a small stake bet on whatever it is that the company is desperately selling that month.

Whether we behaved any different was a different matter. Getting a bad score wasn't that big a deal for those of us who, shall we say, weren't such diligent workers in the first place.

silkyuk9

when you live in a small town it can be very difficult if you are a MS and you report bad things about he shop, even if these are done correctly. We have a food shop in town and there are a few undisirables working there, for one thing i would never do this shop as it could lead possible violance if my cover was blown by a tip off from head office. not so bad if you live in a big city where you can do jobs and never visit the shop again or never be seen walking around on a saturday night. This MS lark is not as good as forst thought. and looking through this thread thar i started it seems that companies are tipping off their staff, which seems to be defeating the object.

Aesop

I MS a lot of banks and because some of the questions you have to ask are for such a new brand of product, the bank staff are forewarned they will be tested on them, and you can tell this. I walked into a bank and as soon as I said, "I am interested in x product, it was recommended by a friend", the lights started flashing, red warning lights, bells ringing, staff standing straight, yes madam, no madam, just a minute...etc, etc.

Sometimes by just asking for a particular brand, the staff know you are a MS. But the key is to act natural, look surprised when they say you are a mystery shopper... mystery shopper? what's that? never heard of it. What do they do?

In one local branch, whenever I walk in the staff go on best behaviour as they think I am on MS job, when in fact I am just carrying out normal transactions, because I have previously MSd them and they knew it.

flyer

I am a mystery shopper and a good friend of mine is a manager at one of the larger betting shops I ms. Trust me, they know you are coming and the scenario bet/questions asked identifies you.

To be honest, I find it pathetic. What's the point? Now I just accept it, play the game and take the money.

Horasio

Touch wood, I haven't had it happen to me but someone did accuse me of being one when I wasn't on a job:D

Mags30

flyer wrote: »

I am a mystery shopper and a good friend of mine is a manager at one of the larger betting shops I ms. Trust me, they know you are coming and the scenario bet/questions asked identifies you.

To be honest, I find it pathetic. What's the point? Now I just accept it, play the game and take the money.

But you aren't supposed to MS places where you know the staff.

Hermia

linzi686 wrote: »

when you spot them do you question them or just let them carry on? and how do you find out that he/she was a mystery shopper?

I let them carry on. We are being marked on how well we perform so I won't gain anything by exposing them. I expect they would just repeat the exercise again.

I guess because they just don't act like normal customers. I work in a library and the mystery shoppers have to come in and give us an enquiry. We usually guess because when you are dealing with an enquiry you ask lots of questions to make sure you understand what information the customer wants. I find the mystery shoppers often freeze when we ask questions they weren't expecting. I also find they freeze when you chat to them. E.g. my colleague had a mystery shopping question about whether the person needed a visa for Spain as she was going to a festival. My colleague had been to the festival before and started chatting to her about it. The mystery shopper just couldn't respond and stood there in rabbit in headlights mode. Someone in that situation would usually be chatting away and wanting to ask questions from someone who had been there before.

Other clues that the person is a mystery shopping is sounded stilted and sounding like you are reading a script. And I often find mystery shoppers feel the need to tell you a back story.

Littlemadam83

We were at a restaurant chain a couple of weeks back, merrily eating our dinner when the waitress directly behind us said, "I think our mystery shoppers are over there as they're asking weird questions" pointing to another end of the restaurant, did make me chuckle.

I agree it is so bad that these people know you are coming and will be in their best behaviour. Isn't there a law or something that if you are going to assess someones service they have to be informed or it is entrapment or something silly.

What with the pressure for these stores to perform it just ends up being one big joke.

xxx

silkyuk9

ive been offered a job on the website by staying in a hotel, before i go i have to send them an email asking these questions

Where is the nearest cash/ATM point?

How far is the nearest tube/train station?

Where is the nearest fast food restaurant?

Where can I get breakfast and at what time?


who the heck is going to email a hotel asking for the nearest cash machine. surely this is a classic giveaway.

Lil_Me_2

silkyuk9 wrote: »

ive been offered a job on the website by staying in a hotel, before i go i have to send them an email asking these questions

Where is the nearest cash/ATM point?

How far is the nearest tube/train station?

Where is the nearest fast food restaurant?

Where can I get breakfast and at what time?


who the heck is going to email a hotel asking for the nearest cash machine. surely this is a classic giveaway.

Ummm you have to email asking A question.... "for example one of these" not ask all of these. :doh: