My life as a mystery shopper is a varied one, one minute I can be buying a flash new top of the range car or fitted kitchen, the next looking for the cheapest deal in a furniture shop or even going to a pawnbroker. No day is really the same and it is never totally predictable. They always tell you this when you start and to be honest that was part of the appeal to me. Plus I am my own boss - as long as I get the work done by the deadlines, I can please myself as to when I work.
To give you an idea of what it’s like this is what I did yesterday: There was a bit of travel to do as I had to go to a couple of different towns but I don’t mind that.
08:00Test and put on my hidden camera and leave my house. I have spent half an hour planning my day and reading the briefs the night before so I know exactly what I am doing.
09:15 Arrive at first job; a Mobile Phone retailer. A fairly standard job. Generally I can give my opening line and then follow it with a couple of questions to keep the conversation flowing and give the salesperson the best opportunity, and then they will do the rest. Easy peasy!
09:45 Time to check all has recorded OK – yes, great. First job done, onto the next!
10:20 2nd job was a bit trickier; buying a car! Well, enquiring about one at least. This is a bit more involved as I will likely be asked for my contact details. I’ve been given an address and phone number to use so I spend some time memorising these before I go in. I get in there and it is all nicely laid out. I am greeted by a sales executive who does a great job and I even get to go on a test drive – I love that bit! These car jobs take a little bit longer but I enjoy them more and they pay better too.
11:20 My new car visit is over and I’m heading to my next visit.
11:45 3rd job is a super easy one; a petrol station! I need petrol to get around and will get paid to buy it, plus it will be done in less than 10 minutes. Win win!
12:00 Time for a spot of lunch. Good job I’ve got this Pizza place to mystery shop near the petrol station I’ve just been to. Great staff apart from the miserable member of staff who greeted me – he wouldn’t have encouraged a real customer to go back!
13:00 Out in time for my next job. A serious one this; a bank job enquiring about a mortgage. They don’t start you on these kinds of visits straight away as they can be complex, but where I have been doing it for some time, I am now experienced enough. My appointment is at 1.30, so I’m just going to catch up by re-reading the brief and memorising my details.
13:20 In we go!
14:15 Back at the car. That advisor knew her stuff, but luckily so did I. Plus this is my most lucrative job of the day. Kerching! Only one more to go today, a furniture store.
14:45 My last job of the day is enquiring about a new sofa. I have to find a particular product range as the brief is specific to that. The store is lacking in signage but as I am looking around, looking bewildered, a friendly member of staff greets me and I am able to ask him to point me in the right direction. He’s new to the job but he does OK once we eventually find the right sofa, talking me through all the features. I’m sure he’ll be even better when the next mystery shopper pays him a visit.
15:30 Time to head home and back to my own sofa!
16:15 Homesweet home! I still have some work to do as I have to upload all my video footage from today to the mystery shopping company I work for. I also have to answer a couple of questions about my visits online too. Luckily, where I do video mystery shopping, it’s all recorded so the questionnaires are a lot shorter.
Be a Mystery Shopper!
Due to an influx in programme activity and new clients joining Performance in People, we are on a huge recruitment hunt for mystery shoppers to join our nationwide team. It couldn’t be easier to sign-up and get started, simply fill in our online application form:
Apply Here
Have a question?
If you want to know more about what’s involved, head to our ‘Be a Mystery Shopper’ page for more information. Alternatively, contact one of our friendly team at Head Office who will be more than happy to help and answer any questions you might have:
