Being a mystery shopper sounds fairly simple. You shop, you see, you write up a report.
To bring value as a mystery shopper, however, you must have a multitude of skills.
The top 5 would be:
- Scheduling
- Prioritizing
- Time-management
- Observation
- Writing
No one of these is most important, but each has their place in the daily routine of being a mystery shopper. There is one skill, however, which publicly reflects the work you perform as a mystery shopper.
Your ability to put into written word your observations and experiences when visiting with one of our clients is the skill that will truly make you stand out from other mystery shoppers.
And provide you with repeat requests to complete mystery shops.
Your Writing Skills are Your Voice
Although you may think of your reports as ‘spilling the info’ about what you observed, just hitting the keys on your keyboard with your thoughts doesn’t necessarily provide our clients with a comprehensible report.
No, you are not writing a novel or a book to be published, but your work is read by several individuals, and in some cases displayed on employee bulletin boards. And while you are not personally named as the author, think of how you would feel if you were the recipient of the that report.
Wouldn’t you like to know it was performed by someone who takes pride in their work?
Characteristics of Good Writing Skills
Here are some thoughts on characteristics of good writing:
- Good writing has a clearly defined purpose.
- It makes a definite point.
- It supports that point with specific information.
- The information is clearly connected and arranged.
- The words are appropriate, and the sentences are concise, emphatic, and correct.
The next time you complete a shop and are writing up your report, in addition to guidelines we suggest following for mystery shops, go over the list above to make sure your writing reflects work that you will be proud to share with others.
Do you have a method of review for your mystery shop reports? If so, please share so others can learn too!
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Do you know someone who would be a good mystery shopper? Please forward this post to them! You’ll be sharing the wealth and spreading happiness! And, after all, isn’t that what we all want?