Wednesday 9 March 2016

The accuracy of your preparation determines the accuracy of your report

I have a series of mystery shops over the next few days and they highlight one of the major issues that comes with mystery shopping. It relates to the clarity of what you do.

All three of my mystery shops over the next three days are in restaurants. All three of my mystery shops over the next three days have similar remits.

This is where things can get difficult if you are underprepared with your paperwork and your organisation. Let me explain.

1st job
This is to a local pub that serves food. It is to order one starter, 2 main courses, 1 dessert and 1 drink. The focus is on the service at the order point and the quality of the food. There is a requirement to take a photo of the main meal before starting to eat it. I find this requirement difficult to remember because so many other things are going through my head at the same time.


2nd job
This is another pub and another set of requirements. I have to order one of a set list of meals and two drinks from another set list. The focus here is totally on the service received with an eye on the food and drink quality. It is different to the first job in subtle ways so this is when it gets diffucult to remember exact details.

3rd job
This is a hot meal and drink order in the cafe of a garden centre. The ficus here is in speed of service and quality of the food and drink. Again it is important to remember how each job is different.

How to get this right is a matter of making sure your paperwork is in order and being organised.

Print out your job notes and questionnaire and read them thoroughly before you go. Make any notes you need as you condo you have a full understandings of what you need to do. Fill out the questionnaire as soon as you can after the visit to ensure you capture all the right details.

Having a few mystery shops in a short space of time is a good thing but you need to make sure that you get the reports correct so you get paid.

If you are thinking about mystery shopping as a way of enhancing your income or working part-time then a great place to start id my book-