Isn’t it great to see the bulbs and buds peeping through, hear the songs of the birds, smell the lilacs and early spring flowers, and feel the warmth of the breeze as it passes by?
All those wonderful things to see, hear, smell and feel. Spring is a complete immersion in sensory perception.
Making Sense of Your Senses
Scientifically, sensory perception is the neurophysiological processing of stimuli in one’s environment.
In simple terms, it is being aware of what is around you by use of all your senses. Taste, sight, hearing, touch, and smell.
When you use all, or as many of, your senses during your mystery shop, you immerse yourself in the experience. It is then easier to recall what happened during your shop. And then you can more quickly write your report with a lot more detail.
For a long, involved shop, there may seem like a lot to remember, but there are triggers you can use to help you remember the details.
Mystery Shopping: A Sensory Experience
In a world of distraction, it takes a bit of focus to make a mystery shop a ‘sensory’ experience. We can all use a reminder to slow down a bit. The suggestions below will help you not only with your mystery shops, but may also help you to appreciate many other experiences in life.
- Understand why and what you are there for. When you pull up to a store, restaurant or mystery shop location, don’t just jump out of your car. Stop for a moment and recall what you read in the instructions and form. Take a deep breath and bring the purpose to the front of your mind.
- Step out of the car and look around. “See” the building, parking lot, entrance, etc. Really look. Close your eyes and picture it. Breathe in and listen to the sounds. This will help to recall what you saw later.
- As you enter a mystery shop location, pause for a moment to take it all in. What you see, what you smell, what you hear. In your mind, say “I see.., I hear…, I smell…” Again, printing this image into your mind as you are experiencing it will help bring it back to your memory later.
- Do the same as you interact with the staff members. Pause for a moment to reflect on the experience. Listen, watch, smell and hear what is happening during your conversation.
- Rely on your memory – but use the tools! Use your phone to make notes or takes pictures (where permitted) of specific things you are to remember as the opportunity allows.
These ideas will not only help you to remember what you observed, but will also help you to enjoy the experience that much more.
Following these suggestions in your personal life could enhance those interactions too! And who doesn’t want to enjoy life?
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