The Mystery Shopping Club

Mystery Shopping
FAQs

Answers to frequently asked questions
Including Examples of Some Restaurant / Bar Questions For Mystery Shoppers

Question: - How do you know so much about Mystery Shopping?
Answer: - Our team has over 35 years experience in the UK Mystery Shopping industry, both in a fieldwork and supervisory capacity. In the name of Mystery Shopping we have been on several holidays, stayed overnight in many hotels, watched dozens of movies and assessed 100's of restaurants and countless bars. We've also spent thousands of pounds in shops and supermarkets - of which a significant amount of the purchases we were able to keep for free.

Question: - What is a Mystery Shopper?
Answer: - Whilst acting as a typical customer, a mystery shopper or diner visits a location and performs specific tasks such as ordering goods or services whilst observing sales and service techniques. The shopper then leaves the premises without revealing who they are and completes and returns a questionnaire. Mystery shops can also be carried out by telephone, e-mail or over the Internet.

Question: - Why is Mystery Shopping performed?
Answer: - It raises the quality of the service and the goods on offer. Customers complain less than you might think, they often just stop using a particular shop or service and take their business elsewhere. Companies and organisations gain an excellent insight as to how their companies perform in the eyes of their customers. This helps reduce complaints and stops customers converting to their competitors.

Question: - Would I make a suitable Mystery Shopper?
Answer: - Mystery Shopping companies need all different types of people to reflect the types of customer that normally use their services. That said, if you already work 40 plus hours a week, are on a strict schedule or have a big young family with limited child care arrangements, Mystery Shopping probably isn't for you as flexibility is sometimes required. Most Mystery Shopping companies are currently looking for new recruits, but not all applicants will be accepted. You'll need to be motivated, good at keeping records, be professional in your communication and possess a good command of the English language. If for instance you misspell on your application, you would likely be rejected. You must have a computer, a printer, an internet connection and an email address as most jobs are booked out by email or online.

Question: - How much will I get paid?
Answer: - Fees per visit vary between Mystery Shopping companies, but are usually between £6.00 and £30.00. Some jobs do command £100 plus, but these are for longer, more complicated assignments such as staying at a holiday park or buying a pair of prescription glasses. Most pay travel and petrol expenses, and if you make a purchase you will be reimbursed. You will often be allowed to keep what you bought, and yes, that does mean that your food and drink is included (and often that of your partner) when you Mystery Shop a restaurant.

Question: - How long does a Mystery Shop visit take?
Answer: - Evaluations can take 1 minute or an hour depending on the type of information required. Picking up a brochure from a travel agent may just take one minute while an eye test and spectacle purchase can take up to an hour.

Question: - What type of Mystery Shopping jobs will I get offered?
Answer: - You'll be working for the well known clients of Mystery Shopping agencies who are normally national or international retail, leisure, restaurant, pub or entertainment chains. Have a look down your local High Street or your nearby retail parks and you will typically see all of the outlets you will be asked to mystery shop. These might include a cinema, steak house, fast food outlet, clothes shops, the bookie, supermarket, department store, pubs or even a hotel. You may also be asked to mystery shop the client’s competitors for comparison.

Question: - Am I free to choose what Mystery Shopping assignments to do?
Answer: - You've the option of turning down the offered visit if you feel it's unsuitable for you. For instance, if you have never visited a betting office before you may not be the ideal candidate to assess the service there. You can also turn down work if you are too busy.

Question: - Is there Mystery Shopping work in my area?
Answer: - Thousands of Mystery Shopping visits take place across the country every day in all areas of the UK, including Northern Ireland. Some Mystery Shopping agencies who are local to you may not necessarily have work in your area at this time (but most should) and some companies that are some distance away will have local work. Most companies recruit shoppers all over the UK because if they have a contract for, say, Harvester or Beefeater, they will need local shoppers to visit all of these company's restaurants. Not only that, if a restaurant is assessed twice a month, and the shopper is only allowed to revisit that branch once every three months to reduce the risk of being spotted, six shoppers are needed for just the one location. Mystery Shopping agencies will also often require extra shoppers per outlet not only for rotation purposes, but also for availability and holiday reasons.

Question: - Will I get work if I live in the countryside?
Answer: - There are definitely more Mystery Shopping assignments available in the major towns and cities, but of course there will always be more shoppers competing for them. It is sometimes the case where you will find your services in great demand if you live in a sparsely populated area. Mystery Shopping companies sometimes find it difficult to recruit shoppers in such areas.

Question: - Can I carry out Mystery Shopping full-time?
Answer: - Mystery shopping is casual work and therefore would not normally be regarded as a source of regular income. That said, many established Mystery Shoppers (and very often other family members as well) are in the fortunate position of working as many hours as they can manage, because they are so popular with the supervisors. However, most take on just enough to suit their existing schedules - including evenings and weekends. Even full-time workers (with a bit of flexibility) take on a bit of occasional Mystery Shopping!

Question: - But what if I get spotted?
Answer: - This happens extremely rarely indeed, and even if you are spotted, employees are advised not to confront you about it. In the very unlikely event that you were questioned whether you are a Mystery Shopper, simply say no and report the incident to your Mystery Shopping supervisor.

Question: - What does a Mystery Shopping questionnaire look like?
Answer: - Mystery Shopping questionnaires vary from company to company and assignment to assignment. They may contain yes or no questions or may ask for marks out of ten for various criteria. Some may ask you to write comments about what you have experienced.

Examples of some Restaurant / Bar questions for Mystery Shoppers:

• Was the exterior clean and tidy?
• Was the interior clean and tidy?
• Did the staff member who served you make eye contact?
• Were you greeted?
• Were you served in a friendly manner?
• Were you served within two minutes of entry?
• Were you offered ice with your drink, if appropriate?
• Were you offered starters, side items, desserts or coffee?
• Was your food served within 15 minutes?
• Was your table cleared within five minutes of completion?
• Was the music appropriate for the type of venue?

The Mystery Shopping Club,
Green View, Brook End Road North,
Chelmsford, Essex CM2 6NW

home | media | tell a friend