- Thought process while shopping and not- I recently did a shop for a sports bar and I saw the bartender making herself drinks and drinking while she was working behind the bar. If I was just there under normal circumstances, I’d think ‘Ha, ok. Not my circus not my Monkeys’, but since I was shopping my first thought was ‘Wow, you’re doing that, in front of customers!”.
- Frozen Yogurt is bad for my thighs- Frozen yogurt shops have introduced me to Matcha yogurt and I will possibly need a support group.
- Oh please help me say something good about this? - I have found myself almost forcibly smiling at bad-tempered servers. I think this is because when it becomes apparent that I’ll be writing unfavorable comments, at least I can hopefully say ‘the server smiled’ or ‘server retained good eye contact’.
- It’s cold in Alberta- I have often found businesses to be cold: movie theaters and restaurants being to the most noticeable. I assumed the powers-that-be care more about their heating bill than happy customers. In seeing the recurring questions about comfortable temperature settings in establishments I am assuming, and hopeful, that I was wrong.
- I thought myself detailed oriented- Nope. I was delusional about my great observational skills, but I’m learning
- Question limit - The most important thing I have learned is my own patience limit. Initially I was excited about free food but after a few shops with over 100 narrative questions, I now know that these make me cranky and they’re just not worth it.
I was wondering what other new shoppers have learned, in addition to mystery shopping?

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/04/2014 08:52PM by xityaahl.

Had to laugh at needing a support group for the yoghurt! I've never tried that yoghurt but it must be very good!

I have learned how to be more passive.

I mean not first saying things like, Hello, Good Morning, Thank You, but waiting for the employee to make the first move and then responding.

I have also learned about some good products and services that I might not have experienced otherwise.

vlade5394 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I have learned how to be more passive.
>
> I mean not first saying things like, Hello, Good
> Morning, Thank You, but waiting for the employee
> to make the first move and then responding.
>
> I have also learned about some good products and
> services that I might not have experienced
> otherwise.


That's very true! I have struggled with that. Start to say something and remind myself to close my mouth, smile and wait.

I have learned so much, but the most noticeable for me is that my memory has greatly improved. The other night, I was getting ready to type a report and realized I had left my notes in the car, but I was too lazy to get them. I surprised myself when I remembered names, times, etc.

You know, I bet if peopple did a study, they'd find that mystery shopping prevented Alzheimer's. Now, it'd be difficult to decide which was the cause, and which the effect, but it ought to do as well as any silly games.

Actually, I have an assisted living shop today. My scenario for this assignment involves a loved one with Alzheimer's. The material I studied online to prepare for the shop talks about "exercising" the brain which aids in slowing down memory loss. I don't know about mystery shopping preventing Alzheimer's; I just know that I am getting better at recalling small details. Or, maybe I am paying more attention to what is going on around me. Now, if only I could do an extra five-eight shops a day, I'd be really happy. I can't seem to do more than four a day. I see shoppers on here who claim to do upwards of 15 shops a day. I would like to know their secrets :-)

You can bet they are not doing 15 senior living shops, or new cars requiring a test drive, or any other narrative heavy shops with long interactions. Think short mystery shops and/or audits with equally short reports.

I can tell you that the day that I did 3 assisted living videos, each approaching 2 hours duration, I was babbling by the end of the day. They were all for the same chain so three totally different aliases, loved ones, etc.

Walesmaven, I can't imagine having to do three assisted living videos in one day - I bet you were exhausted. Question: What are the reports like for these type of video shops? Do you have to provide a lot of detail on the reports even though there is video? Just curious.

I had my first recorded onsite assisted living shop today. Ninety minutes later, I 'm thinking, oh boy, this report is going to be brutal - I wish she would stop talking! I was a little nervous knowing the entire interaction was being recorded, but it actually turned out just fine. Now, I have to listen to the recording and work on the report -**SIGH** Reporting is not my favorite part of mystery shopping.

I would like mystery shopping SOO much better if we didn't have to do the report parts. Just be like, oh yeah, they did good, lol.

I get irritated with the redundancy in reports. For instance, how were you greeted? - explain. Were you greeted in a sincere manner? -explain. What exactly did the representative say when you were greeted? So irritating...

I have done video and audio recorded assisted living shops for at least a half dozen clients and more MSCs than that. The reports vary from very simple to as detailed as a non-recorded shop. With a little practice, you will find that you can write the report with little or no reference to the recording. BUT, that is not the case when you have done 3 in a day!

bgriffin Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I would like mystery shopping SOO much better if
> we didn't have to do the report parts. Just be
> like, oh yeah, they did good, lol.


hahaha. i think everybody would do it then.

I have learned to always ask for a receipt when I'm not shopping for an MSC. Maybe it will throw them off that I'm not a shopper thereby clearing the way when the "real" shopper comes in!