A mystery shopper is a person who evaluates a salesperson’s performance, sales and service skills. A mystery shopper acts like a regular customer, but at the same time follows a certain scenario and captures all the details of interaction with the company. The purpose of the mystery shopper is to identify the strengths and weaknesses of the service, as well as give recommendations for its improvement..

Responsibilities and Skills of a Mystery Shopper
A mystery shopper can work both on a permanent and temporary basis. His duties may include:
- Studying the verification scenario and customer requirements
- Visiting a store or calling a call center
- Performing specified actions (for example, viewing the assortment, consulting with the seller, buying or returning goods, etc.)
- Evaluation of the quality of service according to various criteria (for example, courtesy, competence, speed, activity, etc.)
- Filling out a report on the result of the check
- Provision of evidence (such as receipts, photographs, audio or video recordings)
The following skills are required to work as a mystery shopper:
- Attention to detail and ability to analyze information
- Communication skills and the ability to behave naturally
- Responsibility and performance
- Neutrality and objectivity
- Literacy and ability to write reports
Why do you need a mystery shopper
A mystery shopper is an effective tool for monitoring and improving the quality of service in a company. With it, you can:
- Assess the level of customer satisfaction and loyalty
- Identify problems and shortcomings in the work of employees
- Check compliance with service standards and regulations
- Compare your service with competitors
- Motivate and train staff
- Increase company sales and profits
Mystery shopping algorithm
The work of a mystery shopper consists of several stages:
- Preparing for verification. At this stage, the Mystery Shopper receives a verification script from the customer, which contains the goal, objectives, evaluation criteria, and other details. Also, a mystery shopper studies information about the company, its products or services, in order to be ready for any questions.
- Conducting a check. At this stage, the mystery shopper visits the outlet or calls the call center and performs the specified actions in accordance with the scenario. At the same time, he tries not to give out his role and behave like an ordinary client. It also captures all the details of interaction with the company (for example, waiting time, the name of the seller, the progress of the conversation, etc.)
- Report formatting. At this stage, the mystery shopper fills out a special report form, where he indicates his assessment according to various criteria, as well as comments and recommendations for improving the service. He also attaches evidence (for example, checks, photographs, audio or video recordings) to support his words.
- Providing a report to the customer. At this stage, the mystery shopper sends his report to the customer for analysis and decision making.
How to find a mystery shopper
A mystery shopper tries not to draw too much attention to himself and not to violate the rules of behavior of ordinary customers. However, there are some signs that can give away its role:
- Unnatural behavior or speech (for example, excessive interest or indifference, strange questions or answers)
- Use of hidden technology (such as headphones, watches or camera glasses)
- Delay in payment or selection of goods (for example, to fill out a report or receive instructions)
- Please provide the name of the seller or other data (for example, to indicate in the report)
- Repeated visit to the outlet or a call to the call center (for example, to conduct a control check)
However, it is worth remembering that not all customers with such signs are mystery shoppers. Some of them may just be curious or indecisive. Therefore, it is better not to make hasty conclusions and serve each client at the highest level.
Mystery Shopper is a useful assistant for companies that care about the quality of their service and want to increase the loyalty of their customers. A mystery shopper helps to identify problems and shortcomings in the work of employees, and also gives recommendations for improving the service.
To work as a mystery shopper, you need to be attentive, sociable, responsible and objective. You also need to be able to follow the verification script and write reports.
The work of a mystery shopper can be both a primary and secondary employment. There are special agencies and websites that offer such vacancies. Salary depends on the complexity of the task, the time it takes to complete and the requirement.