If you feel like you have fallen into a deep, mundane rut with your mystery shopping assignments, you are not alone. It seems kind of ironic that a job that so many people say is exciting and engaging when starting out turns into a job that many say is rather dull after a few months or years on the job. The fact is that while each of your assignments may feel new and exciting at first, the assignments can more or less starting feeling like you are doing the same old thing for each of them. Sure, there are some minor deviations here and there, and every once in awhile you may have a big drama that adds some spice (and no doubt a headache) to your job. However, largely the assignments are pretty much the same. So how can you take your mystery shopping job to the next level?
Go the Extra Mile. You likely know that when you go the extra mile and do little favors here and there for your providers, like taking on an assignment at the last minute that they really need you to do that you can develop great relationships with your providers. While these little favors are great for lining your pocket with some extra cash and helping you to develop positive working relationships with providers, they also have the bonus of giving you a level of job satisfaction that you otherwise will be hard-pressed to find and enjoy.
Choose Great Assignments. It’s easy to hop on the job boards and choose assignments without too much thinking. Many mystery shoppers do find some level of enjoyment in picking and choosing assignments that simply sound fun or easy to them. You certainly shouldn’t give up on these fun, exciting, and easy assignments, and yet you will want to strategize about your choice of assignments if you want to really advance your career as a mystery shopper. When you always do the same assignments, or the same type of assignments, even if they were once fun, you will definitely fall into a boring rut. To advance your career, you will want to become a well-rounded mystery shopper who performs a variety of assignments for experience, and you will also want to choose assignments with their income potential in mind. You are, after all, shopping for a paycheck!
Shop With a Buddy. If you are starting to get bored with spending long hours at retail stores, restaurants, and more all by your lonesome self and running through a lengthy list of requirements at each location, you should absolutely bring along a buddy to share the moments with. You likely will see the assignments through fresh eyes when you answer your buddy’s inevitable questions about your job. Chances are, though, that you will also see some areas where you can improve on your job when you see the job through fresh eyes.
Mystery shopping can get a little dull after a little while, but it doesn’t have to be that way. Follow some of these tips to fall in love with mystery shopping all over again – and maybe in the process you will become a better mystery shopper, too!
There are not very many jobs that you can take a buddy with according to MSP.s
The only time that you can take a friend on an assignment is when you are doing restaurant visits, going bowling or to a baseball game. Then its depends on whether the person is available or not for the dates that the shop has to be done.
I tend to find it easier to do these visits on my own. Then I can go and get the assignment done when it fits my schedule with my other mystery shopping assignments. Some friends like doing the visits with me while others will go because I need someone to do it with. Most dinner shops require another person while a lunch or fast food can be done alone. I pick assignments based on whether I want to take another person or not.
Many shops do get repetitious esp if you are doing more than one at a time. I have done a series of bank shops for several months. They all have the same guidelines. So you know the senerios by heart. You have to be careful about going to the same locations as they will remember you if you get the same banker or there is only one that handles the job that you are rating the customer service for. I have stopped doing them for a while. Yet they call me all the time to take last minute shops or to sign up for shops in my area. They are further out for me to go. I do not do them because they will not give extra pay for mileage. They do give bonuses if done at last minute or that day.
I find several good companies that have the kind of shops I enjoy like insurance, apartments and seminars to name a few.
I get to know the recruiters and in some instances the owners. I will take all last minute jobs which pays me a bonus, plus I will request as many shops as they will give me. And of course take last minute assignments.
I just started a new company. I don’t like what they pay but I found a job that was a $20.00 pay but because no-one would take it, they payed $70.00 so I took the job. Now I get tons of emails from them which normally, being new, I would not have had their attention.
Another company I have worked with for awhile will call me regularly with jobs.
If you prove yourself a good shipper you can ask them to pay your gas and and for extra pay. I always get extra pay.
The trick is to find the companies. which is the hardest, but once you do make yourself known as a top shopper to call, and don’t be afraid to ask for more money.
I take friends on a lot of shops. It depends on what kind of shops you are doing.
I do not continue with a company if they don’t pay me for my knowledge and loyalty.