Mystery Shopping Thread 21 *PLEASE READ THE OP FIRST**PLEASE NO CLIENT NAMES OR FEES*

Boredupnorth

marvellousaunt wrote: »

I’ve just seen that the same shop with the same scenario that I did 20 days ago is on GFK again (the phones one) – was there something wrong with the one I did? I got paid fine and received no queries… just wondering why it’s on there again? Having an ‘inadequate’ moment! I followed the brief to the letter, but they obviously wanted a certain brand of phone recommended and the MOS didn’t mention that brand at all. Not the ones where you have to prompt if they don’t mention it.

Hope it was more to do with the fact the MOS was new (told me) and was reading off a piece of paper taped to the desk the ‘interesting facts’ about the phone, which he did his best to convince me was interesting, but really weren’t. He also then tried to get me to sign a piece of paper at the end of the enquiry when I told him clearly I wasn’t making a purchase. He said ‘No no it’s ok, I’ve ticked the box that says you don’t want insurance’ and I was like – why on earth do I have to sign then!? I’m not signing any piece of paper when I’m not making a purchase! Bizarre.

Don't worry about it the ones I did have come back. They are probably checking that improvements have been made. Also the phone shop you did always try to get you to sign something I hate the place and always tell them to f&£k off when they ask.

Lil_Me_2

marvellousaunt wrote: »

I’ve just seen that the same shop with the same scenario that I did 20 days ago is on GFK again (the phones one) – was there something wrong with the one I did? I got paid fine and received no queries… just wondering why it’s on there again? Having an ‘inadequate’ moment! I followed the brief to the letter, but they obviously wanted a certain brand of phone recommended and the MOS didn’t mention that brand at all. Not the ones where you have to prompt if they don’t mention it.

It's more than likely a case of the store didn't do what the company wanted, therefore they will have probably sent something/done some training/reminded them etc and now they're just checking back to see if whatever they have done has worked.

marvellousaunt

Wonderful - thanks for the reassurance. I did feel bad that week as I did a supermarket job and the product query I asked a guy whose first day it was, then the same week MSed this dude at the phone shop who'd only been there a month! He wasn't very good though, I felt I could do a better job.

'What's your budget?'
'I don't really have one'
'Let's put... £35 then. Let's say... 900 minutes.'

Is that an actual tariff or are you just making it up!? The worst bit was when I told him the scenario 'I want some sort of internetty appy phone but I don't know which one' and the first question was 'What phone do you want?' ... I don't know! That's why I'm asking you, div!

/rant

Boredupnorth

marvellousaunt wrote: »

Wonderful - thanks for the reassurance. I did feel bad that week as I did a supermarket job and the product query I asked a guy whose first day it was, then the same week MSed this dude at the phone shop who'd only been there a month! He wasn't very good though, I felt I could do a better job.

'What's your budget?'
'I don't really have one'
'Let's put... £35 then. Let's say... 900 minutes.'

Is that an actual tariff or are you just making it up!? The worst bit was when I told him the scenario 'I want some sort of internetty appy phone but I don't know which one' and the first question was 'What phone do you want?' ... I don't know! That's why I'm asking you, div!

/rant

I did a few of these and not one recommended the type of phone the company were lOoking for them too. Maybe says something about the product!

yonk

marvellousaunt wrote: »

I’ve just seen that the same shop with the same scenario that I did 20 days ago is on GFK again (the phones one) – was there something wrong with the one I did? I got paid fine and received no queries… just wondering why it’s on there again? Having an ‘inadequate’ moment! I followed the brief to the letter, but they obviously wanted a certain brand of phone recommended and the MOS didn’t mention that brand at all. Not the ones where you have to prompt if they don’t mention it.

Hope it was more to do with the fact the MOS was new (told me) and was reading off a piece of paper taped to the desk the ‘interesting facts’ about the phone, which he did his best to convince me was interesting, but really weren’t. He also then tried to get me to sign a piece of paper at the end of the enquiry when I told him clearly I wasn’t making a purchase. He said ‘No no it’s ok, I’ve ticked the box that says you don’t want insurance’ and I was like – why on earth do I have to sign then!? I’m not signing any piece of paper when I’m not making a purchase! Bizarre.

Actually, he was right to ask you to sign. It's the data protection thing because he'd captured your personal details. If people are refusing to sign, I hope they are putting the appropriate response in the questionnaire. It does sound like you didn't realise what it was in this case and it is one of the questions that they are scored on.

I've done a lot of these recently so know the brief well.

The tariff he suggested was reasonable and so were the amount of minutes. They are supposed to ask you open questions and tell you those particular facts for each phone.

Sounds like he was following his training...

marvellousaunt

Mmm, be that as it may, he offered me insurance, which I refused and also refused a sale, I didn't give him any personal details and he didn't explain what I was signing, so I wouldn't be happy with that as a real customer.

I realise they are supposed to tell me facts for the phone (it was on the questionnaire), but they were dull as dishwater and telling me that a particular fruity company has more reserves than the Bank of England is not going to persuade me to buy one of their products. Would probably have the opposite effect in fact, I'd think - well I'm not giving them any more money then!

My beef was more that I had specifically asked him for a recommendation for a phone and he sat down with me and followed his piece of paper/brief/training without personalising it to my specific request - ie I don't know what phone I want, so don't sit me down and then say - so, what phone do you want?

It was a bit of a frustrating shop, I definitely wouldn't have bought anything and the manner in which he said 'Umm, let's say X minutes. Let's say this amount' didn't instill confidence that any of these tariffs were actually available, especially seeing as I've just checked a competitor and their 900 minute tarrif is £41 per month with only an 8GB phone.

Eh well, I answered their questions which didn't ask about most of these things, just my own personal reflections from having been there and what I like as a customer.

polythenegirl

Boredupnorth wrote: »

I did a few of these and not one recommended the type of phone the company were lOoking for them too. Maybe says something about the product!

If its the one i'm thinking of that I done recently then I think its more to do with the product not being known in that capacity. Its still new to the market and there are a few market hoggers in that area

Personally I LOVE the product and i'll be investing in that as my next fone

yonk

marvellousaunt wrote: »

Mmm, be that as it may, he offered me insurance, which I refused and also refused a sale, I didn't give him any personal details and he didn't explain what I was signing, so I wouldn't be happy with that as a real customer.

I realise they are supposed to tell me facts for the phone (it was on the questionnaire), but they were dull as dishwater and telling me that a particular fruity company has more reserves than the Bank of England is not going to persuade me to buy one of their products. Would probably have the opposite effect in fact, I'd think - well I'm not giving them any more money then!

My beef was more that I had specifically asked him for a recommendation for a phone and he sat down with me and followed his piece of paper/brief/training without personalising it to my specific request - ie I don't know what phone I want, so don't sit me down and then say - so, what phone do you want?

It was a bit of a frustrating shop, I definitely wouldn't have bought anything and the manner in which he said 'Umm, let's say X minutes. Let's say this amount' didn't instill confidence that any of these tariffs were actually available, especially seeing as I've just checked a competitor and their 900 minute tarrif is £41 per month with only an 8GB phone.

Eh well, I answered their questions which didn't ask about most of these things, just my own personal reflections from having been there and what I like as a customer.

Sounds like he was mixing up what he needed a signature for. That particular report demands lots of how you "feel" answers so there you go, you did what they want.

yonk

If that's the case, fine but she mentioned lots of elements that are similar to the ones I've been doing and there did seem to be some confusion about why things were the way they were and I was hoping to help. I'll stick with my contention that the MOS is getting confused about sigs.

superliss

marvellousaunt wrote: »

I’ve just seen that the same shop with the same scenario that I did 20 days ago is on GFK again (the phones one) – was there something wrong with the one I did? I got paid fine and received no queries… just wondering why it’s on there again? Having an ‘inadequate’ moment! I followed the brief to the letter, but they obviously wanted a certain brand of phone recommended and the MOS didn’t mention that brand at all. Not the ones where you have to prompt if they don’t mention it.

Hope it was more to do with the fact the MOS was new (told me) and was reading off a piece of paper taped to the desk the ‘interesting facts’ about the phone, which he did his best to convince me was interesting, but really weren’t. He also then tried to get me to sign a piece of paper at the end of the enquiry when I told him clearly I wasn’t making a purchase. He said ‘No no it’s ok, I’ve ticked the box that says you don’t want insurance’ and I was like – why on earth do I have to sign then!? I’m not signing any piece of paper when I’m not making a purchase! Bizarre.

They actually rang me last week

'Would you be interested in doing a phone shop for us today or tomorrow?'

'Where is it?'

'.....'

'hmmm... seeing as I was in there asking the same question doing the same shop 2 weeks ago will it not look a little strange?'

'Yes, it probably will'

'Ok bye'