When it comes to mystery shopping, many people keep their job a closely guarded secret. This may even involve lying to friends and family from time to time about where you are going or how extra spending money is earned. Other people opt to be open and honest about their job, and some will even voluntarily offer the information before their profession is asked about. The fact is that there are pros and cons associated with telling people a mystery shopper. Before you start talking, here are some points to consider.
The Honest Route
The fact is that most people really do not enjoy lying to others, and they may be incredibly uncomfortable lying to people who are close to them. Being honest, however, does not necessarily mean telling people the entire truth and disclosing all of the nitty gritty details about your job. While you may choose to disclose all of the details about your job to some people, you may consider holding your tongue with others for a few good reasons.
Job Competition
If mystery shopping sounded like an appealing job to you before you signed up with a provider and started working, you can rest assured that it also sounds appealing to others. There are only so many assignments available on any given day within your geographic area, and the more mystery shoppers that sign up to work in your area, the greater the competition will be for those assignments. Keep in mind that if you tell one person about your job, he or she may tell several others. While you may not think that telling one or two people about your job will hurt you, the fact is that it very well may.
Your Cover
There are so many situations in life where you may think, “Wow, it’s a small world.” You realize that your co-workers are friends with your neighbors, that your best friend knows your jogging partner or that other people have different connections. While this may seem interesting to you at certain times, as a mystery shopper, it can be dangerous. When many people may know about your mystery shopping job, you run a greater risk of being identified by someone who knows who you are. Keep in mind that even those who don’t know you personally may hear about your profession and may know your face through the grapevine or through social media websites.
When it comes to mystery shopping, you may be excited about your job and eager to tell everyone about your job, you may be wiser to keep your job closer to the vest. Consider developing a cover story for your job, such as that you work in retail administration as a contractor. Such a job description may be accurate and forthright, but it lacks the element of intrigue that will make other peoples talk. Once you mention your job description, their eyes will likely glaze over, and they will soon forget what it is you do for a living.
Mystery shopping should only be divulged on a need to know basis.
My wife needs to know. Really, who else?
Jim
I just tell people that I evaluate customer service and let it go at that.
People are inquisitive. Some want to know simply what you are doing; others ask questions because they are just downright nosy. I have a sister who is just downright nosey and ask questions about the people I know and she doesn’t. She ask more questions than I have ever asked about anyone since living. I will sit and talk with her and really wonder where do sll the questions come from. I get tired of her asking me the zillion questions she ask about a people I know.
I say that to say this; “There are some people who are just inquisitive by nature. There is no ryhme or reason for it. They have no motive behind asking the many questions they ask. It’s just something in their character that makes them ‘inquisitive.’
Then, there are others who ask questions because there is a reason and a motive—underhanded—behind the question. Their intent is to obtain the information to use it. Sometimes it will be used underhandedly to harm or even kill. Some will use it to prevent a person from prospering.
When becoming a secret shopper, one of the conditions we agree to and sign off on is that we are not to disclose our identity. I would think this is to never disclose your identity as a shopper. You may think it is okay to disclose it to a friend. However as Jim stated, his wife needs to know and no one else. A friend does not need to know. That friend has a friend and a friend and another friend. At some point, you may encounter an assignment in the presence of the friends, friend. Your identity has then been compromised.
I have to agree. Only the spouse needs to know. And because I work in law enforcement, my boss has to know, but only the bare minimums. I live in a small town area and telling anyone else would cut into my share of the shops… and I’m greedy.
I can see both sides to this question. I do not want to tell anyone that may become a Shopper and take the assignments that I want. I have told my family and i usually ask that they do not tell anyone else. I do say I am a customer service evaluator if asked. I NV I had to work for a Private Investigator to be a shopper, so some times I just said I am an investigator.
Some of the jobs I do require 2 people. In order to concentrate on what I need to remember I have found that it is very helpful to let my friend know so she can help me remember some of the things. I only do this on jobs where 2 people are required or if it a job I no longer want to do so I share to give someone else an opportunity to join that company and do the job.