The bar tender at the hotel I'm shopping mentioned I should comment what a great bar tender she is on my survey and she recognized me from several months ago because she remembered my name. I have a not common name so easy to remember. I assumed she meant a customer survey. Then I overheard her telling the manager "there's a secret shopper in the house". I'm worried about not getting reimbursed or otherwise penalized. Does anyone have experience with this?

I assume that you did not admit that you were a shopper. Once in a great while, I have been "accused" of being a mystery shopper. My response is that I don't think that I am mysterious at all, and I ask them why they think I am mysterious. Some of them just apologize, and some explain what a mystery shopper is.

I was only reported once to an MSC, by a pizza chain that was notorious about 10 years ago for reporting shoppers. I think that any place that suspects they are serving a mystery shopper should just go into "do everything correct mode" to earn high scores. All the pizza chain did was guarantee that someone new would order pizza the next month. I never went back on my dime.

I have a friend who was a waitress at a now-defunct restaurant chain. She claimed that they knew the rotating cast of mystery shoppers (never me) and just made sure that they did everything required for a perfect evaluation.

There was one teller at a bank where I shopped who I thought suspected me based on her actions. My solution was to go there even when I was out of rotation. It must have driven them crazy, but I got great service every time. It must baffled them to get reports when I was not there and to not get reports some of the time I was there. Eventually, they just treated me like everyone else.

Hey 1622, I wouldn’t worry about not being reimbursed and paid for that assignment, if the reason the company gives is that you were outed. That would be a really disappointing lesson to not perform any more assignments for that company.

It never ceases to amaze me the ridiculous scenarios (i.e. photos, questions, etc.) that the companies require but that may make staying covert really challenging.

It also never ceases to amaze me when employees are too stupid to just ensure that they do their jobs 100% correctly when they think they’ve spotted a mystery shopper. Instead some choose to let the evaluator and/or their coworkers know that they believe they are being evaluated. One of my favorites was hearing about an employee holding up his middle finger at the camera when he noticed an evaluator taking a required picture.

The bartender never knows my name. I pay cash. How did they know your name?

As long as you are not at fault, do all the requirements and submit the shop. Don't tell anyone. Get your reimbursemnt. Then, don't do that hotel any more.

Some advice, for what it is worth: Don't tell the MSC you may have been outed.

I also have the same question about the name. If you have an unusual name, unless a shop requires you to use your real name, you should be very careful not to reveal it. This may mean paying with cash or using a pre-paid card that does not have your name on it.

Avoid shopping that location...for more than several months.

The bartender probably got the name directly from the shopper while chatting or made a note of the name on the credit card from the last shop. Some people use the name on my card to thank me. Sometimes that name even appears on the receipt.

Some shops have restrictions on the method of payment and prohibit paying with cash or gift cards.

I agree with @DT and @myst4au that employees whom suspect that they are in the presence of a mystery shopper should do their jobs to get good marks for the location instead of going for that gotcha moment. There isn't a bounty for outing a mystery shopper.

One of the hamburger joints must know I am the shopper. They immediately come out and wipe the tables, sweep the floor, and bring me my order rather than just calling the number and having me go to the counter to pick it up. I try not to the shop very often since I am sure they know that I am a shopper. I do get great service and they get good grades. It is just part of the game. I guess.

"My solution was to go there even when I was out of rotation." I do this also, for a few locations that I like.

Shopper1622, fingers crossed that you’ll be paid. Going forward, you’ll probably be gun shy about shopping that bar again.

When an employee suspects a shopper, one would think they would take the opportunity to shine. However, some employees view outing a shopper as a sport. Knuckle-headed move, in my opinion.

Many years ago I shopped an Applebees and after a few shops, they realized I was the shopper. the manager came over to the table every time, made small talk, returned after each course to be sure I was happy- very obvious they knew who I was- got great food and service- went there once NOT on a shop and got the same service- I reported what happened and was always paid for the reports.

Never tell the company you were outed. You could lose other shops from them. Honesty is the worst policy with MSC's

I used to shop a high end beach front restaurant in a very pricey hotel in SWFL. Vey pricey and mostly hotel guests would eat there. It was off the beaten path and you needed to be a guest to park in the lot so town people would not go there just to eat. Every time we went for dinner NO ONE was there! literally my partner and I were the only guests. The dining room was always empty, An after dinner bar shop was required. Thankfully despite the empty dining room by the time we finished dinner a guest or two would come to the bar. The dining room servers sometimes changed BUT the bartender NEVER changed and it was an odd scenario as it required bar payment to be in cash. After payment was made and change returned. I had to count out a tip and then watch what the bartender did with it whether she placed it into a tip jar, into her pocket, etc. The bartender was always the same and very chatty as I think she was lonely given how few people came to the bar! I think paying in cash whereas most guests paid with credit cards was a red flag. She knew we were shoppers. Actually on two occasions remembered things I had said on the previous visit- down to saying you were here in March and you said you went shopping at the outlets and got a nice pair of shoes- have you gone there since? On another visit she said- I remember you- where have you been so many months- I missed you! She knew, I knew we all knew and never reported that I had been recognized.

In the summer of 2019, a female was shopping, then paying for her purchase in my store. While doing so, she mentioned I looked familiar. I do not recall my comment, but she inquired as to my first name being Bob and then if I drove a red Miata. She shared that the district manager for a payday loan company I shopped, had distributed my name, description and the car I drove. As that type of business was outlawed in Ohio either before or soon after, she no longer worked for the company.

an unsolicited tip - even if you are given opportunity to return to a hotel after a few months, don’t. you should not return to a hotel until 12 months have passed at a minimum. my experience is that some luxury hotels have lesd turnover.

in our desire to return to a hotel, it can backfire and now it makes impossible to go back to this place.

Most of the time a business will not report you even if they would be able to prove you are the shopper. It makes it easier for them to get the grade they need or want, just because they know who you are. But never straight out admit to why you are there.

It's only happened to me once and when mentioned, I asked them what a mystery shopper was and they dropped it just like that. .....I will say that sometimes when I've eaten at the bar at TR, I know they suspect when they ask if I want to buy a giftcard lol....I think they only ask that question to people they suspect are shopping hahahaha.

My teenage daughter worked at a chain restaurant that was heavily secret shopped. I waited to drive her home her in the kitchen area while she did her evening side work. In the manager’s area were security video screenshots of customers with “SECRET SHOPPERS” on a Post-It note. If they want to, they’ll figure out who you are.

@ColoKate63 wrote:

My teenage daughter worked at a chain restaurant that was heavily secret shopped. I waited to drive her home her in the kitchen area while she did her evening side work. In the manager’s area were security video screenshots of customers with “SECRET SHOPPERS” on a Post-It note. If they want to, they’ll figure out who you are.

I’ve often wondered why companies continue to use shops. With CCTV, systematic reporting and manager observations that should be enough to figure out what’s going on at a particular location.

I worked at a company that did just that. The managers did observations, corrected in the moment and used company reporting to see if we were adding on etc.

What’s interesting to note is that companies like IPSOS are heavily involved in market research, providing data to companies and industries. MS is a small portion of their overall business and I am sure once they figure out how to use AI in this capacity, shops will deminish.

@Capurato wrote:

What’s interesting to note is that companies like IPSOS are heavily involved in market research, providing data to companies and industries. MS is a small portion of their overall business and I am sure once they figure out how to use AI in this capacity, shops will diminish.

I have the exact same thinking. This is precisely why I strongly discourage shoppers not to use AI to write reports. I realize it seems easier, but in the long run you are only proving to MSCs that AI can provide "good enough" data to replace human input. What AI is lacking now, won't be the case 2, 3, 4 years from now.

People get upset about there being too many shoppers taking jobs at base fees. I have news for those folks. Your biggest competition, the greatest risk for your work opportunities, isn't other shoppers, it is AI. The sooner you realize that (and the sooner we realize it collectively), the better. AI needs to work to your advantage, not the MSCs. Every time you allow AI to write your report, even if you edit it so it is a hybrid, you are giving an edge to the machine.

As this is business, the astute shopper must consider the risk:reward of hotel shops. The risks, to me, are that any error can possibly nullify your efforts and cancel pay + reimbursement. To those who would counter my statement with "Oh, they would not do that." I reply they could. Just a single missed observation, a faulty pic and/or confusion concerning the guidelines.

The rewards are working for hours to meet the requirements.

As the old adage goes, "whatever floats your boat."

@ServiceAward wrote:

@Capurato wrote:

What’s interesting to note is that companies like IPSOS are heavily involved in market research, providing data to companies and industries. MS is a small portion of their overall business and I am sure once they figure out how to use AI in this capacity, shops will diminish.

I have the exact same thinking. This is precisely why I strongly discourage shoppers not to use AI to write reports. I realize it seems easier, but in the long run you are only proving to MSCs that AI can provide "good enough" data to replace human input. What AI is lacking now, won't be the case 2, 3, 4 years from now.

People get upset about there being too many shoppers taking jobs at base fees. I have news for those folks. Your biggest competition, the greatest risk for your work opportunities, isn't other shoppers, it is AI. The sooner you realize that (and the sooner we realize it collectively), the better. AI needs to work to your advantage, not the MSCs. Every time you allow AI to write your report, even if you edit it so it is a hybrid, you are giving an edge to the machine.

I'm glad I read your comment, because I just starting using AI to write my reports, thinking I was doing something innovative and easy. I'll continue to write my own reports for now on and not use AI.

@SueW70 wrote:

Many years ago I shopped an Applebees and after a few shops, they realized I was the shopper. the manager came over to the table every time, made small talk, returned after each course to be sure I was happy- very obvious they knew who I was- got great food and service- went there once NOT on a shop and got the same service- I reported what happened and was always paid for the reports.

Hmmm...

Maybe I should pretend like I'm a mystery shopper when I go places so, if I go back, I will get that sort of service. Always use whatever you find on the battlefield to your advantage.

I do recall Restaurant Cops (shows how old I am)...they paid by check that said..."Restaurant Cops". So there I am cashing my check one day in a lobby. And the teller asks, "What is Restaurant Cops" or something like that. I told her it was mystery shopping. We talked for a few seconds about what happens on these shops...then I say, "I could be doing one right now..." She sort of giggled...then she didn't.

I could have gotten a new toaster out of the deal! (Also shows how old I am).

@Capurato wrote:

@ColoKate63 wrote:

My teenage daughter worked at a chain restaurant that was heavily secret shopped. I waited to drive her home her in the kitchen area while she did her evening side work. In the manager’s area were security video screenshots of customers with “SECRET SHOPPERS” on a Post-It note. If they want to, they’ll figure out who you are.

I’ve often wondered why companies continue to use shops. With CCTV, systematic reporting and manager observations that should be enough to figure out what’s going on at a particular location.

I really think that some companies use it as a way to drive sales for the franchisees when it comes to fast food. The franchisee makes a sale (part of which is kicked back to the RBDI (red button drive in), for example), the home office gets to make sure that the location is adhering to standards (assuming RBDI has any LOL).

@Capurato wrote:

I worked at a company that did just that. The managers did observations, corrected in the moment and used company reporting to see if we were adding on etc.

What’s interesting to note is that companies like IPSOS are heavily involved in market research, providing data to companies and industries. MS is a small portion of their overall business and I am sure once they figure out how to use AI in this capacity, shops will deminish.

I don't know about that in terms of the cause and effect. Human behavior is pretty easy to predict when you have folks who are motivated and/or folks who care. When it comes to low paid grunt work; I'm not sure the outcomes are so predictable. I think what you'll see eventually is the RBDI start mandating fewer and fewer opportunities for shoppers

I'm on my way to a place the msc asks me to do every few months and I visit there privately as well. I expressed a little concern to the scheduler about anonymity, but she said they have so many employees and turnover, not to worry but also that I'd hopefully get great service lol

@metro25782 wrote:

I really think that some companies use it as a way to drive sales for the franchisees when it comes to fast food.

I really don't understand how comments like this keep appearing in the forum from time to time. Do you really think that the $100-$200+ shop fee per shop the client pays somehow makes it a worthwhile expenditure to 'drive sales' to the franchisee or for corporate-owned locations? (with net income margins of maybe 5%, or getting a whopping 2% of sales franchise fee) And that 1-4 shops per month (depending on the company) amounts to anything even noticeable among the 1,000-3,000+ orders per month the location sees?

She asked for my id

Interesting topic, thanks for sharing. To add on, something that has happened to me recently at sit-down restaurants, where I've had weird interactions are the ones where it requires a lot of items to be ordered and a bar visit. The manager will monitor what is being ordered and ask for specific real-time feedback that require open-ended answers. I've learned to only give general, short, and vague responses. They will also ask for my name. After doing more of these type of shops, I now use a pseudonym.

I had another instance where I didn't catch on at first, but it wasn't until a couple of visits later that I noticed something. The restaurant would seat my guest and I at a very specific table. I won't go in to too much detail, but I noticed later that the way this table is positioned relative to its surroundings, someone can watch everything that happens at that table from a certain angle without the guests being able to look back at the people watching.

Also, shops that require a pre-visit call can be a dead giveaway if done wrong.

I've always thought the hotel shops were really the most difficult in terms of trying to stay covert. You are staying at a hotel for maybe 48 hours and they require so many touch points between phone calls and desk interactions that you are interacting with the same employees during their shifts. In the first day alone, I probably talk to the same phone operator or desk employee 5x in the first few hours after check in. (check in, then complain about something in the room, request maintenance, order room service, ask for directions) Either they know you are a secret shopper or putting in the guest notes that you're extremely high maintenance..

I always keep this in the back of my mind... never be memorable because it will come back to bite you on the butt. If you're overly friendly, if you have a memorable story or you have a lot in common then people will remember you.