Mystery Shopping Hacks?

September 14, 2024 07:08PM

Do you have anything about your process that you consider to be a hack - or just a particularly efficient behavior? I always love the discussion threads here and get a kick out of reading them.

Maybe you have an app you like to use or a special way you set up spreadsheets. Maybe you use MS to offset other travel or expenses. Maybe you have a way of doing things that makes your life a little easier. Anything you feel like sharing about your way of doing things would be fun to read.

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September 14, 2024 08:01PM

I keep notes in "One Note" of my narratives at places that I go on a repeat basis. Sometimes, a little, copy, paste, and edit saves a lot of time

September 14, 2024 08:15PM

Neither of these are a actual hack, but for iPhone users, I set the new "action" button got open up my note taking app, and got a screen protector where you can only see what's on the screen if you are looking dead on at the phone. I feel like that limits the option for servers to peer over my shoulder and see what I am writing.

September 14, 2024 08:45PM

@SteveSoCal wrote:

Neither of these are a actual hack, but for iPhone users, I set the new "action" button got open up my note taking app, and got a screen protector where you can only see what's on the screen if you are looking dead on at the phone. I feel like that limits the option for servers to peer over my shoulder and see what I am writing.

Could you clarify what you mean about the action button?

Love the screen protector idea. I usually lower the brightness but still feel concerned sometimes.

September 14, 2024 09:02PM

None of mine are hacks either!

Some good habits I have are putting everything into a screenshot right away. I tend to use that kind of like my calendar. I have gotten lax on tracking payments on it but I also do that.

I'm still using the time keeper app but it's no longer supported. That has probably been the biggest help so far for me.

I started using voice dictation for some parts of narratives. I always have the timeline down but answering all the oddball questions like was the employee well groomed and not wearing sneakers, was the glassware free from defects, etc. I end up answering using dictation. If I remember, I'll also try to do that with the dishes for dining shops on the way home. I feel like that's just one less thing to do in the morning.

I also use the notes app or take screenshots to remind myself of photos or critical details I need to get. I also developed the habit of taking a photo when I arrive somewhere regardless if it's required just to set the time for the shop.

September 14, 2024 09:07PM

@olympia tennenbaum wrote:

Could you clarify what you mean about the action button?

I upgraded recently to the iPhone 16. It has a programmable "action" button on the side that defaults to ringer on/off, but you can set it to do a number of things. I have set it to open the notes app instead.

I also went completely paperless 6 or so years ago and have never looked back. Everything gets saved in organized folder groups, and that has really helped my workflow.

September 14, 2024 10:26PM

I don't know if this would be considered a hack, but I pretty much record audio for every shop I do. Helps with remembering things and getting timings accurate.

September 14, 2024 10:42PM

@shopnyc wrote:

I don't know if this would be considered a hack, but I pretty much record audio for every shop I do. Helps with remembering things and getting timings accurate.

I have wondered about this but then wondered about the legality of it. I did do it once for a long shop at kind of a health clinic. I had to be interacting with the practitioner the entire time so there was no way I could use my phone for notes. I did feel a little bad about it later but it really did help me get all the details.

September 14, 2024 11:17PM

Since I don't share the recording with anyone, use it just to help me remember, and delete it after the shop has been approved, I don't worry about the legality of it. I also state the mileage on my odometer at the beginning and end of each recording, to help myself keep track. It's solely for my own use and I don't mind being a little bit of an outlaw to make my life easier.
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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/14/2024 11:20PM by shopnyc.

September 15, 2024 12:01AM

my son covertly takes pics of the folks that he needs to remember for a description, and sometimes to get their name tag so that he can spell their name in a report. He never shares the pics without permission, and deletes them immediately when he's done, but most don't ever even know they've had their pics taken.

September 15, 2024 12:46AM

I often call someone by their name when I am unable (or unwilling) to take notes at the time. It helps a lot in remembering it later. This is mostly on revealed shops, where calling them by their name would not be as awkward.

September 15, 2024 02:24AM

@olympia tennenbaum wrote:

I have wondered about this but then wondered about the legality of it.

If you don't share the recording with anyone, no one would ever know or care that you recorded it.

September 15, 2024 05:38AM

@JimmyP wrote:

@olympia tennenbaum wrote:

I have wondered about this but then wondered about the legality of it.

If you don't share the recording with anyone, no one would ever know or care that you recorded it.

I see your point but that doesn’t change the legality of the recording. Laws differ state by state so it is not illegal everywhere.

September 15, 2024 10:39AM

I use sheet cheats for shops i do repeatedly such as gas station brands and USPS. They help to zip through the shops w/o missing anything. I add/delete info as shop guidelines get updated.

*****************************************************************************
The more I learn about people...the more I like my dog..

Mark Twain

September 15, 2024 10:43AM

I also love the beach which is about 50 miles away one way. I schedule around $100 worth of quick jobs on my way there and home and relax on beach for 3-6 hours sometimes doing reports on my phone while there. I call it my work and play day.

*****************************************************************************
The more I learn about people...the more I like my dog..

Mark Twain

September 15, 2024 01:29PM

@Morledzep wrote:

my son covertly takes pics of the folks that he needs to remember for a description, and sometimes to get their name tag so that he can spell their name in a report. He never shares the pics without permission, and deletes them immediately when he's done, but most don't ever even know they've had their pics taken.

September 15, 2024 01:30PM

I do the same thing

September 15, 2024 01:49PM

For payment tracking:

I track all of my completed shops on a Schedule C Excel worksheet. As payments are received, I enter them throughout the month. I have a calendar reminder every month to look at the shop from three months prior to that one to see if all the payments were received.
Each calendar year gets a new sheet. It helps at tax time.

September 15, 2024 01:57PM

@MMMM wrote:

For payment tracking:

I track all of my completed shops on a Schedule C Excel worksheet. As payments are received, I enter them throughout the month. I have a calendar reminder every month to look at the shop from three months prior to that one to see if all the payments were received.
Each calendar year gets a new sheet. It helps at tax time.

That's smart. I have several income streams and this year I starting tracking all income as it comes in, month by month. It helps me see where I am for my targets but I really did it for tax planning. I include financial income too like interest and dividends. With ACA healthcare and taxes I feel like l need a bigger picture to do some planning. Hopefully it'll help the end of the year and tax time be less stressful.

September 15, 2024 02:17PM

@Nikki21 wrote:

I do the same thing

I often try to as well. Or if it's a dining shops, I'll try to assign that to my guest. Sometimes the guest will seem to forget it's a shop (surprising since it's the same guest for years!) and just want to chat the whole time. I have to remind them that I also need to take notes and get some critical timings and info.

Just a note to insert my pet peeve of having to report every individual for dining shops. I'm sitting there thinking are they are runner, busser, both? I'll realize I just saw a guy with short black hair and glasses and then another guy with short black hair and glasses. Anyway, those are the thoughts swirling through my head while also wondering why the entree I'm eating costs $78 lol.

September 15, 2024 09:52PM

I attempt to audio record my shops but have limited success. I hear myself on the playback, but the subject of my MS often gets lost in the ambient noise, such as music, PA announcements, etc.

I keep my smartphone in my hand (not my pocket) with the bottom of my phone (where the mic is) pointed in the direction of my subject.

The other hiccup is that the audio gets paused when you take a picture and you have to remember to manually resume recording.

Is anyone getting decent enough audio quality to review later and use it on the report?

September 16, 2024 12:21AM

Yes. One shop I do occasionally has to be audio recorded and uploaded. Taking pics does not interrupted the recording. I keep the phone in airplane mode during the shop, in my hand, with the mic in the direction of the target. The background noise is minimal. There might be a setting in some recorders for that.

September 16, 2024 12:42AM

Thanks sestrahelena, I found a couple of parameters in my voice recorder app setting that I look forward to trying out.

September 16, 2024 11:59AM

I'm hardly as seasoned as many of the wiser sages here but, I always always keep my voice recorder *on* on my phone. Five Guys, Kia, Mattress, whatever I just keep it on. Costs nothing and.....in the odd even I forget a rep's name, or I'm a bit fuzzy on whether the Kia dude talked about the tech features ...I like to refer back to it so I know I'm not missing something OR i'n not dinging a good worker without precise info. Also, I feel it sort of covers my bum bum. Once the Kia dude said nothing .(what some know as a Covid salesperson. Got into the business post internet and during Covid when no selling talent was needed. Just have a pulse tattoos, and know how to look at your phone) ) as in not even a cough during test drive and not a word during the product presentation. NOT a word. Shop was short. So I reported it honestly and the MSC asked me to clarify. I emailed back and attached the recording.....shop was paid and 10 rating.

September 16, 2024 12:52PM

I found recording very useful when starting out. But after a certain point you find you are spending too much time going back and listening to the recordings and spending way more time than the shop pays. You either learn to do the shops without the recordings, or avoid those types of shops when possible.

September 16, 2024 01:27PM

Agree. I've used the recording perhaps twice in 60 shops. But - those two times I'm glad I had it.

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