The Mystery Shop Maven

Many shops require you to remember minute details, such as names of everyone who helped you, exact times you entered and left a department, and the specifics of each conversation you had during your shop. There’s so much to remember on some shops that even the most experienced shoppers have forgotten a detail or two.

Missing a few details, though, can get your shop pay cut. Or worse, it could get your entire shop rejected. There are things you can do to improve your memory and avoid these issues.

First, try association. Basically, take something that you need to remember during a shop such as the salesperson’s name. Let’s say it’s Barbara. With association, your mind would try to recall someone you know named Barbara.

For instance, “Oh, that’s my mother’s name!” If you can’t recall anyone named Barbara, then try to think of a celebrity such as Barbara Streisand. It may even help you to have a brief conversation with the salesperson about their name, especially if it’s a unique name. “Esperanza is such a beautiful name. What does it mean?” Remembering this name means hope will point you in the right direction when it’s time to recall the name for your report.

This doesn’t just work with names. You can associate anything at all with anything else in your life. Taking that one specific thing you need to remember and making a personal connection between that and something in your life will help you recall it later.

Visualization is a great memory trick also. If your shop instructions include photos of displays you are supposed to remember, spend some time studying those photos before you walk in to the shop.

Try to look at the photos in a certain way, for instance go counterclockwise starting at the top, or twelve o’clock. Or left to right, or top to bottom. Spend a few minutes studying each item, even try to use some association for remembering each item if necessary.

Once you’re in the shop in front of a display, again start at twelve o’clock (or at the left, depending on how you studied the pictures). Then move your eyes systematically through the display, just as you studied the photos.

Visualization works great for other things, too. For instance, if you are first supposed to shop at the front of the store until someone greats you, and then move to the back, spend a few minutes in the shoe department, and then swing by the children’s department, really spend some time visualizing yourself in each of these areas before you start the shop.

Walk through the shop in your mind before you actually get to the shop. This will help you to remember which order you are supposed to do things, as well as what you’re supposed to do in each department.

Remember to give yourself time to form the memory! Don’t rush through displays or the various departments you’re supposed to visit. Don’t rush through conversations and purchases just to get the shop done with.

Spend some time actually soaking in the information. Make mental notes to yourself, such as “Yes, the floor is clean and the clothes are neatly folded on the shelves.”

A common sense approach to your health will pay off for your memory also. Eating well prior to the shop will allow you to be more alert and relaxed, and therefore more able to focus on and remember those details. Also, a regular exercise routine promotes proper blood flow to the brain, which will also aid your memory.

We all have trouble remembering a detail here or there. With a little forethought and effort, you can improve your memory, get your shops approved, and maybe even score a ’10’ on that report.