"Shopping" when not shopping?

Guessing I'm not the only one.

Do you find yourself assessing shop criteria at places when you are not working?

As gas stations are currently my specialty, I'm always aware of customer service interactions and conditions wherever I gas up.

Prior to becoming a shopper I was not familiar with the concept of servers auctioning dishes, but after doing my first fine dining shop I am now keenly aware of it when it happens.

Have synthesizers, will travel...

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When I'm driving with someone else and pass by some gas station with a partially lit price sign I tend to shout out, "POINTS OFF!!!"

Re: auctioning dishes. I've worked in places where it was prohibited and places where nobody cared what we did, short of tossing the food directly at customers. Good times.
Husband, who does not mystery shop, will make comments about cleanliness or service wherever we are. Both of us cant seem to exit any restroom without commenting on messiness.
haha I have visited a few places that I'm like "Good thing I'm not mystery shopping because this report would be a nightmare."
I've also wished that I was mystery shopping a place where I've received bad service OR where I saw a customer mistreating an an associate and the associate handled it extremely well!
I always seem to get bad service when I am NOT shopping!!! Although my last TRH did not go well for that server. Yes, I am always looking at things now.
Yes when I go grocery shopping I often gave to remind myself that it is not a shop! Lol

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/16/2024 10:38PM by OldmanJames.
"Servers auctioning dishes?" WTF? I worked for 12 years in the restaurant industry and never heard of this!
Auctioning dishes: The server returns with a tray of plated orders and announces, "Okay, who ordered the chicken and ribs combo? CHICKEN AND RIBS COMBO??? Yours? Okay sir, here you are. Who ordered the barbecue bacon burger with zucchini fries? Yours? Thank you. The shrimp salad and lobster bisque? Yours? No? Yours? Going once! Going twice! SHRIMP SALAD AND LOB... Oops, this one's for another table... Sorry folks. Enjoy your meal!

At well-managed restaurants, the servers have the layouts of their tables numbered and memorized. They keep this layout in mind as they take the order. They know who ordered what at each of their tables. No need to auction the food.
@joanna81 I've had that sentiment several times.

You can throw it all away. When things break, things shatter. Keep it written on your face, the little details matter.
After no longer doing the Kroger shops, the first time I entered one for a quick purchase, it was surreal (sorry for being overdramatic). I had done a ton of shops over the years. For whatever reason, unconsciously I was making my way around the store and doing the observations, and it took me a while to realize why I was there and what I needed to purchase.

Every blue moon, when I go through a drive-thru, I do think about the JIB shops. I felt the same way with Sonic shops. Unfortunately, there's really no reason or incentive to do Sonic shops now.

When I enter other similar places, I don't necessarily find myself assessing shop criteria at these places, but I do remember old shops. Now going to other grocery stores and markets, not Kroger, and rarely through a drive-through, it does bring back a weird feeling (I don't know how to describe it) because I very seldom go to a Kroger or drive-through now.

Well, now that I think about, when I add up all of the time and shops I've done with these three specific clients, maybe that's why I have a stronger attachment and memory of these shops.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/18/2024 03:14PM by Okie.
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