Mystery Shopping mistakes you should avoid at all costs
“Oh, sorry, I just lost my wig” – As a Mystery Evaluator, have you ever been in a situation like this? This story is about a guy called Sam, who is actually pretty nice, but needs to improve a bit. Obviously his name is fictional, but the scripts were written by Life.
The hilarious story of a Mystery Evaluator
Once upon a time there was a Mystery Evaluator who wanted to become the best of all. As you might think this wasn’t going so well at first. Let’s see some of our protagonist’s encounters.
The Mystery Visit – always check your job board and never reveal yourself
| Resource Mgr. | “Hello, Bare International, how can I help you?” |
| Sam | “Hi, this is Sam. I signed up last week and already did the mystery visit, but I can’t see it on my job board at all.” |
| Resource Mgr. | “Hi Sam. Sorry, I can’t see that job offer either. Did you get a notification email that we effectively assigned the visit to you?” |
| Sam | “Uh… no… yes! I think I got that.” |
| Resource Mgr. | “Are you sure? That’s funny, because I just gave that one to another Evaluator…” |
| Sam | “Wait, does that mean I don’t get paid?” |
| Resource Mgr. | “Well, in this case this job offer was never assigned to you, therefore we cannot pay you for something we didn’t ask you to do. So the answer is Yes.” |
| Sam | But I did everything perfectly; I even wore a wig!” |
| Resource Mgr. | Sorry for the misunderstanding… Hold on, you wore a wig? |
| Sam | Yes, a wig. Long. Black. Wig. |
| Resource Mgr. | Do you usually wear a wig? |
| Sam | Don’t misunderstand me I have my hair… probably that’s why the wig fell off. |
| Resource Mgr. | Was that before or after the visit? |
| Sam | During the visit. |
| Resource Mgr. | You lost your wig during a mystery evaluation? |
| Sam | But I was smart enough not to emphasise that I was a Mystery Evaluator. |
After the first shock, both the Resource Manager and Sam agreed to start over and properly assign another visit to him. Sam received the confirmation email this time and he performed his first, real, approved visit. Everything went well until one day the visit required a proof of some sort. In this case this was a photo that had to be taken inside the shop where the brand logo was visible – easy, right? What can possibly go wrong during a mystery visit?
| Resource Mgr. | Hi Sam, this is me, your favourite Resource Manager. I’m calling you because there is an issue with the photo you sent. |
| Sam | Hi. What problem? I sent you the picture… |
| Resource Mgr. | You sent us two pictures. One is with you and a shop assistant in the shop… |
| Sam | Yes, that was funny. |
| Resource Mgr. | Indeed, but we cannot see any logo in the picture – and it is not necessary to take a selfie with the staff, it sounds suspicious anyway. |
| Sam | Ok, but there is another picture, right? |
| Resource Mgr. | Now, that one is too small. We cannot see the logo or anything for that matter. Can you please send us another picture with a higher resolution? |
| Sam | Oh… I can’t. |
| Resource Mgr. | Why not? |
| Sam | I shot that picture with my laptop. |
| Resource Mgr. | Your laptop’s camera? With the one in the front? The little one? |
| Sam | Yes. |
| Resource Mgr. | Just for the sake of creativity? |
| Sam | By the time I finished the visit to take the picture of the logo, my phone’s battery died. But I still had my laptop with me. |
| Resource Mgr. | Hmm… next time just make sure your phone is charged. |
| Sam | So, next time should I take a picture before the visit? |
| Resource Mgr. | If you want to be revealed as a Mystery Evaluator then yes; in any other case just don’t. |
Poor Sam sometimes really felt that mystery shopping was not for him, but the bright side of the story is that he never gave up. Neither should you. This is the end of Sam’s story this time, but I’m sure that many more stories are about to come. Just remember: if you don’t need a wig on a daily basis, then leave it at home. It’s best for the wig, for you, and for your Resource Manager as well.
Author: Anita @AnitaKocsis910
Anita is an employee of Bare International. Besides her work
at the Social Media and Recruitment team, she loves doing yoga,
travelling and reading. Her love for the automotive industry came
from the passion for innovations and technology. She has a master’s
degree in International Economics and Business.
Interested in becoming an Evaluator with BARE International?
[maxbutton id=”20″]
Want to be a guest blogger for BARE’s Mystery Evaluator’s Community?
Apply to: akocsis@bareinternational.com
