Mystery shopping has become a great way for people to make a little extra money, perfect for stay-at-home moms, students, or those wanting to pad the Christmas fund or save for an upcoming vacation. The United States is known as the land of opportunity, which is why mystery shopping American style applies. This special type of shopping comes with an abundance of opportunity that includes restaurants, car maintenance, jewelry, sunglasses, clothing, and much more.
Although some mystery shopping jobs come from the actual company being shopped, most often, it is from a marketing research firm working with a retail company to help them measure the quality of service or product being sold. In other words, as a mystery shopper, American companies can determine ways of improving sales by understanding both weaknesses and strengths.
The way in which a mystery shopper is paid depends. In some cases, the shopper would be reimbursed for purchases made, which may or may not include an additional small fee. However, some mystery shopping jobs simply pay a fee ranging from $10 to $50 without the need to buy anything. Competition amongst companies is tough, each vying for the consumer’s business. By being able to understand and manage performances associated with the sale of products and/or services, companies are given a huge advantage over the competition.
As a mystery shopper, American companies will provide detailed instructions on how the shop should be performed. For example, if you were going to shop a restaurant, you would be advised of specific questions to ask, menu items to order, and information to gather. This might include obtaining the names of the hostess, server, and manager, taking note of the cleanliness of the restaurant, inside and outside, paying attention to the presentation and temperature of food ordered, and noting the process of receiving and paying for the check.
Being a mystery shopper, American companies expect a detailed report, which is then passed on to the company itself. From there, the information provided is analyzed and a plan for possible changes made. Using the restaurant shop as a prime example, if you had ordered a steak well done, but it came back rare, you would include this in the report. With this information, the restaurant owner or management team would have the chance to discuss the problem with the chef so future customers get exactly what they order. Being a mystery shopper American style actually helps companies in the United States provide a far more superior product and/or service.
This type of evaluation actually got started in the 1940s. Today, it has become a powerful tool used to measure the integrity of an employee, the quality of a product and/or service, and the overall performance of the business. Typically, when working as a mystery shopper, American companies have the ability to take information and then measure the value of what they offer to the public. Keep in mind that while this offers tremendous opportunities in this country, mystery shopping is also used around the globe with airlines, housing associations, churches, schools, and more.
