If you look at the mystery shopping message boards and social media groups, you’ll find a lot of people griping about the fees that are paid for mystery shops.
And you’ll find a lot of people not saying too much about them at all. They just happily go about their work and make the money.
So why the divide?
Just like everything else we do in life – no one can make everyone happy all the time. But it’s not about mystery shopping companies making mystery shoppers happy. It’s about three businesses partnering with one another so all accomplish their goals.
The Mystery Shop Process
Mystery shopping companies are the conduit between our client companies and our mystery shoppers.
Our primary purpose is to conduct market research for our client companies. The goal is to provide useful and informative data to these firms. Data that will help them make decisions about operations, human resources, training, marketing and budgeting.
We need mystery shoppers – real people – to do this type of research. The companies can hire you themselves – but we all know how labor intensive the entire process is – so that is why mystery shopping providers came to be the ‘middle man’.
Mystery shopping companies can recruit, screen, instruct and assign people – mystery shoppers – to these jobs. They can create forms and reports for the shoppers to fill out – and to present to the clients with the data about the shopping experience.
Mystery shoppers are individuals who care about the customer experience and service process, want to provide feedback for purposes of improvement and want to earn money while doing so.
So we’ve got this full circle….and for everyone – purpose aside – it all comes down to money.
3 Components of the Mystery Shopping Business
Clients want the most data at the lease expensive cost. Mystery shopping companies want to provide that data and payment to shoppers at a fair price. And mystery shoppers want to earn a decent fee for their hard work.
Three businesses trying to do what is best for the bottom line of their business.
All have to look at the long term effects of partnering together … or not.
Make it Work for You
To be successful at mystery shopping, you cannot work only for one company or do one type of shop. Successful mystery shoppers work for multiple companies, are active on job boards and social media groups, and understand that the lower paying shops can lead to higher paying opportunities.
Successful mystery shoppers also understand how to be effective and efficient. Taking multiple shops, perhaps some lower paying. along a traveled route. Or looking for vacation and entertainment opportunities. And understanding that a reimbursed meal can be very good pay.
Are there some shops that are under paid? Absolutely! And a smart business person knows when it makes sense to say no. Even mystery shopping companies say no to prospective clients if they can’t agree to the price we know should be paid in order to get the job done correctly – and with fair pay to our shoppers.
There should be no division between shoppers, mystery shopping companies and our clients. We are all on the same team – support of customer service and experiences! Let’s work together – and get paid together – to continue improving those experiences.
If you liked this article and want more information to help you become a better mystery shopper join the Market Viewpoint community by clicking here.
Click here if you want to join Market Viewpoint’s team of mystery shoppers.
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?