Mystery shopping (sometimes called secret shopping) is an excellent
way to make extra money. It is very easy to do, you need no previous
experience, no special knowledge and no expensive equipment. Mystery
shopping can be performed by anyone who is able to go shopping. The
mystery shopping companies employ men and women of all ages and
descriptions as secret shoppers in order to obtain feedback from a wide
range of different people on a wide range of services. Some mystery
shopping assignments have to be undertaken by people who are
accompanied by children in order to report back on specific facilities
in places such as theme parks or family restaurants. (If you don't have
children of your own in the right age group, don't worry: you are
allowed to borrow them from relatives or friends.) If you enjoy
shopping, mystery shopping will be a fun way for you to make extra
money.
Mystery shopping consists of getting paid to go into a business (eg a
shop or restaurant), without the employees knowing that you are
anything other than an ordinary shopper, and reporting back to the
mystery shopping company. A focus group is when you get paid to sit
down with other people who are also getting paid and discuss new
products or services, many focus groups are actually held online, so
you don't even have to leave home for carry out the assignment.
The reason mystery shopping companies and survey companies exist is to
provide companies with impartial feedback on their employees, products
and services. That way they can see where there might be problems and
make the necessary changes to improve things.
Mystery shopping companies will pay you to shop, eat at restaurants,
have a drink at a bar, visit the cinema, take a trip and take part in
focus groups. If you are sent out to do mystery shopping, you might be
required to visit a particular shop and just make enquiries about an
article to test the staff's customer service level but, if you are
instructed to make a purchase, you are allowed to keep the articles and
will be reimbursed for the cost. If you are sent to do mystery shopping
at a restaurant or bar, you will be given a budget figure to spend on
your food and drink and that money will be reimbursed to you by the
mystery shopping company on top of your fee for the assignment. You
might be asked to sample new products and these items will be sent to
you free of charge. As part of your mystery shopping, you might find
yourself receiving free samples to test of anything from detergent to
chocolate. (This can also happen if you join survey companies.)
Mystery shopping jobs are obviously easier to find if you live in or
near a fair sized town where there are a large number of shops,
restaurants etc but, if you live in a rural area, you can still earn
money taking part in online focus groups which can be found through
online paid survey companies.
After you do a mystery shopping assignment you answer some questions on
a form provided by the mystery shopping company and file your report
with them. These reports are usually set up as a series of questions
with a box for you to add any relevant details the company might
request. The reports can usually be completed very quickly and it is
best to complete your report straight after you finish your mystery
shopping so that you don't forget any detail. Some mystery shopping
companies require you to report to them by phone immediately after you
have completed the mystery shopping assignment but, generally, the
companies expect you to submit a written report by post or email.
The way to approach mystery shopping is to remember that basically you
are like a reporter. You must never add your feelings or
recommendations to a mystery shopping report. Your job is to just
answer the questions, report the facts and describe what actually
happened during your mystery shopping expedition.
If you accept a mystery shopping assignment but then are unable to
complete it, make sure you immediately notify the mystery shopping
company so that they can make alternative arrangements to avoid letting
down their client.
When you start doing mystery shopping, make sure you accept all
suitable assignments including last minute jobs and any less than
glamorous assignments you might be offered. The top class assignments
will be offered to reliable mystery shoppers so you will need to prove
yourself and build up a good reputation by making a good job of the
lower quality assignments and getting your report in on time. At the
start, you might find yourself being asked to do mystery shopping a the
local fast food outlet or department store. Once you build up a
reputation as a reliable mystery shopper, you can look forward to
assignments where you are paid to visit expensive restaurants and
designer shops. You might even be lucky enough to get a free trip and
hotel accommodation as a mystery shopper.
Always keep in mind that, although mystery shopping is a fun and easy
way for your to make extra money, it is a business and you need to
behave in a businesslike manner when carrying out your mystery shopping
assignments and reporting the results to the mystery shopping company.
Your mystery shopping reports will be helping to shape the future of
the businesses you visit and you have the chance to make a positive
impact on decisions relating to improvements to services and facilities
which will be of benefit to you.
Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - Mystery Shopping - An Excellent Way To Make Extra Money