Mystery Shopping Thread 22 *PLEASE READ THE OP FIRST**PLEASE NO CLIENT NAMES OR FEES*

elainec

Hi, Ive been dipping in and out for the past few weeks while ive been signing up for some other companies.
Not sure who updates the links on the first page.
I tried the link for esa on the first page but it seems to take you to an out of date application. I tried it and never heard back so was looking for contact details on their site and found another apply link that let me straight.
hope it helps!

sparklysaver

You'll find it gets easier with time. I can now do in a morning what took me a day when I was 4 months in.

I did 15 egg shops one day, plus a couple of other shops. By the end of it they had all merged into one. Thankfully the reports got passed ok and they didnt ask me for any more details about any of the shops. I really would have struggled to have remembered what happened where. Since then I've limited myself to how many I do, especially when it's the same scenario over and over.

Thanks both. I'll just keep persevering then.

DevilsAdvocate1

sparklysaver wrote: »

Hope you more experienced types don't mind me asking; does being able to do that many shops in a short time just come with practice, or did you find it relatively easy to do lots in a day when you started? I've been doing this part-time for about 4 months now, and although I've got a lot faster at writing the reports, I'm still finding that my head's buzzing after a few visits and I'm struggling to retain all the information I need to.

I did 7 shops today - 2 biggies with the full sales experience and 5 basic in and out tick-box ones - and I'm not entirely sure I could have done much more. Is that maybe just my personal limit?

It definitely gets easier. I usually find 12 visits a day is enough for me but I am limited as I usually can't do anything after 3pm. It also depends on the type of visit.

When I first started I used to waste loads of time trying to think of a question to approach a member of staff with. Now I have quite a few questions that I know work and will use these if there isn't a set question in the brief. This saves me loads of time!

lclose62

sparklysaver wrote: »

Hope you more experienced types don't mind me asking; does being able to do that many shops in a short time just come with practice, or did you find it relatively easy to do lots in a day when you started?.... Is that maybe just my personal limit?

Defo will get easier. I get the scenarios implanted in my head then just run on auto-pilot. I make key notes on my JobSlinger Ap on my phone, like left/right, in/out, names, and basically write a short paragraph about each shop including exactly what the MOS said, other customers, what other staff were doing etc etc, this way when I come to write the reports, I can take myself back and remember what happened.

the_cake wrote: »

Absolutely agree with you - excellent service, nice staff, no problems at all. The report is quick, sensible questions - mind you, that fee won't make us rich. And the baguettes are delicious .... thanks, ESA, nice to have a change from all those eggs!

It's not a bad fee if you have a nice circuit or two. 10 minutes in the store, less than 10 minutes for the report. Works out to a fair hourly rate if you work it out like that. Plus got me lots of nice goodies which get re-imbursed too!!
As for the Baguettes - Yum! In each store I had, I bought the baguette, and one random pizza topping. Made a whole batch of french bread pizzas tonight - wow! The whole family appreciated that!
:cool:

sparklysaver

It definitely gets easier.....When I first started I used to waste loads of time trying to think of a question to approach a member of staff with. Now I have quite a few questions that I know work and will use these if there isn't a set question in the brief. This saves me loads of time!

Defo will get easier. I get the scenarios implanted in my head then just run on auto-pilot. I make key notes on my JobSlinger Ap on my phone, like left/right, in/out, names, and basically write a short paragraph about each shop including exactly what the MOS said, other customers, what other staff were doing etc etc, this way when I come to write the reports, I can take myself back and remember what happened.

Thanks both. I've been making notes on my phone too and finding that helps loads, but probably need to be more thorough about it and follow a standard format like that. And yes, I do spend ages worrying about thinking up a question that sounds 'natural'. Dunno why I bother with some of them; the scenarios are so daft that they might as well send you an enormous 'I'm a Mystery Shopper' flashing badge. :rotfl:

whitelabel

lclose62 wrote: »

And relax. Hectic few days round Birmingham and the Black Country! Baguettes, travel, and frozen shops for ESA (45 ish in total). Just finished the reports for the final lot of frozen today. Very good service in the freezer shops, not a bad report amongst them. I've enjoyed them actually, nice easy jobs- staff definately knew they were being shopped though IMHO, very OTT with the "is there anything else I can help you with?" !!!! Everyone had fun the past couple of days?

ahh that will be why i saw no baguettes then...:cool:

lclose62

sparklysaver wrote: »

And yes, I do spend ages worrying about thinking up a question that sounds 'natural'. Dunno why I bother with some of them; the scenarios are so daft that they might as well send you an enormous 'I'm a Mystery Shopper' flashing badge. :rotfl:

I wouldn't worry about it, some of the set scenarios are crazy, and do scream Mystery Shopper, but at the end of the day, you aren't going to be in the shop for long, who cares if they have spotted you, you'll be out of there in no time. As long as you don't purpously do anything to reveal yourself, if the client wants you to ask such a daft question, so be it! As for the non-set scenarios where you can ask anything you like, I worked in retail for 9 years, and there is nothing that could be asked that would surprise me! You are one of probably 200 people who ask that MOS a question a day, so chances are, you wouldn't stand out! :cool:

N.I.M

lclose62 wrote: »

Defo will get easier. I get the scenarios implanted in my head then just run on auto-pilot. I make key notes on my JobSlinger Ap on my phone, like left/right, in/out, names, and basically write a short paragraph about each shop including exactly what the MOS said, other customers, what other staff were doing etc etc, this way when I come to write the reports, I can take myself back and remember what happened.

I'm the exact same.

lclose62 wrote: »

It's not a bad fee if you have a nice circuit or two. 10 minutes in the store, less than 10 minutes for the report. Works out to a fair hourly rate if you work it out like that. Plus got me lots of nice goodies which get re-imbursed too!!
As for the Baguettes - Yum! In each store I had, I bought the baguette, and one random pizza topping. Made a whole batch of french bread pizzas tonight - wow! The whole family appreciated that!
:cool:

Aye, I like when I can do the entire 10 visits in one day. Thinking I'm going to need a tablet by the next time these come around as I would love to be able to fill them in there and then but the netbook is just pants atm.

lclose62

whitelabel wrote: »

ahh that will be why i saw no baguettes then...:cool:

lol - I think I was lucky tbh, logged on at just the right time, got a nice circuit pretty close to home. Same with the freezers.

What part of the Midlands are you then whitelabel?

:cool:

lclose62

N.I.M wrote: »

Aye, I like when I can do the entire 10 visits in one day. Thinking I'm going to need a tablet by the next time these come around as I would love to be able to fill them in there and then but the netbook is just pants atm.

I tried doing one report on my iPhone. I found out my fingers were too fat and kept pressing the wrong thing! :rotfl:

A tablet would be awesome......... hmmmmmm!