This is the last article in a five part series that explores everything you need to know to get off to a fast and lucrative start in the world of mystery shopping. The first four articles explored finding providers to work with and signing up to work with them, finding and requesting assignments, what to expect from your first assignment, and strategies for filling up your schedule with assignments.
For many mystery shoppers, this may be all that you need to know to get started mystery shopping and to start earning a decent income. However, if you are looking at mystery shopping as a career with either part-time or full-time hours, you want to ensure a long-term source of income. Mystery shopping is just like any other job where you act as an independent contractor. Your income is not guaranteed by any means, so you must work constantly to nurture your business relationships. The fact is that mystery shoppers who have developed great working relationships with their mystery shopping providers enjoy many benefits ranging from preference over other mystery shoppers on many assignments to even privately being offered more lucrative jobs that aren’t even listed on the job boards. But how do you go about building relationships with your providers?
Build Trust. Your providers are counting on you to do a job well done each and every time. They work with plenty of flaky mystery shoppers who don’t show up for assignments or don’t fulfill the assignment requirements accurately. They deal with mystery shoppers who write bad reports with tons of grammatical errors and with personal opinions interspersed with factual data. They get irate phone calls and emails from mystery shoppers who are unhappy with slow payment for jobs already completed.
But when providers work on a steady basis with great mystery shoppers who show up on-time for assignments, complete the reports correctly and without the need for revisions, and who are friendly and professional to work with all the time, you definitely will stand out from the crowd. It may take a few weeks or even a few months for your providers to figure out that you are a mystery shopper they can count on. But when they figure this out, your name is one they will remember.
Go Out Of Your Way. You don’t have to be a mystery shopper for too long to figure out that there are some assignments other mystery shoppers just don’t want to touch. Perhaps they are difficult to do, are in a rural area that is far from where most mystery shoppers live, or have low pay. When you see that a provider is having trouble getting an assignment done, by all means off to help them out. Now, you don’t have to work for peanuts or drive five hours out of town without reimbursement. But definitely offer to do the job to get into the good graces of the provider. You can draft an email along the lines of, “I am happy to help you out of this job. However, it is X miles from home and there is some travel cost involved on my end…” If the provider is desperate to get the job done, you will likely get some extra pay for doing the assignment and come out looking like a hero at the same time!
Don’t Be A Nuisance. There is a pretty clear line between trying to prove yourself to be a good mystery shopping and just being bothersome. Providers are really busy, and the last thing they want is to have their time wasted. So avoid firing off email after email to your providers or filling their voice mailbox with messages just for the purpose of trying to get them to remember your name. After all, you don’t want them to remember your name for all the wrong reasons.
Mystery shopping is not a difficult job to get started working in, but it can be confusing if you don’t know what to expect. I hope this series of articles has enlightened you with knowledge and insight that will help making establishing yourself as a mystery shopper faster and easier!
Very good information! I have enjoyed all of these articles.I think they have been loaded with excellant information! Thank you very much. What about recruiting? Can we ask for a bonus for bringing family and friends into mystery shopping?
The best way that I have become valued by schedulers is by taking those last minute, end of the month shops for them (the ones that pay more.) Then they know who to call when they need a job filled in a pinch in my area. Also, I don’t flake out on shops.
Liz, some companies have a referral program, but it is usually insignificant unless you know someone in a certain area that a company is recruiting for. You don’t get anything unless they complete a shop, and even then, it is like $1. I just refer people to jobslinger if they’re interested and rely on karma to pay me back.
The articles are extremely informative and very useful to refer back to. They give an indepth insight into what is needed to become a efficient mystery shopper.
I have twenty five years experience working with people as an Insurance Adjuster.I feel that my backround is a major plus in the work described in this email.
Some websites have a link for referrals. Compensation often depends on a successful enrollment who completes a specific assignment, and varies from one company to another. Unless you have a enormous list, this is not a way to get rich.
Dependability is crucial. Sometimes in getting established, along the way as you learn the ropes, on occasion you have have to sustain a loss (if you have to redo a shop that requires a purchase), or extend yourself going a greater distance than usual or making yourself available on short notice. Schedulers notice this and appreciate it. Carefully reading each shop requirements will ensure success and top scores. Once your reputation is established more pay, travel costs, etc. will usually be offered even without asking, though it doesn’t hurt to ask. I would suggest not asking though until you make a name for yourself.
this is very good information,just going over this information makes me think that this is what i’d like to do.
Have had alot of experience with mysteru shopping. This 5 part article was very informative.
The five steps are very informative.
I found the five points to be very informative. Customer service seems to be a lost art today and mystery shopping is a good way to weed out some of the people that give businesses a bad mark. Employers and store owners need reliable and friendly staff to keep their shops looking good and being viable. Mystery shopping is certainly a good tool to use in these cases. I look forward to becoming a mystery shopper. I have been in retail for 30 years and know what it is like from the other side.
I haven’t started being a shopper just yet, but I am a college student and need to have more flexable hours. My current job can not provide me with this. I hope that I will have a lot better luck with this. This articale was a lot of help.
the first week i started looking for jobs to supplement my income, I was hired on by many providers. i completed the lower paying jobs to get my feet wet and once i understood how mystery shopping worked, I had some experience under my belt and was able to perform higher paying jobs, as my skills needed to be honed to perfection, during that time frame. I took everything I could get requardless of pay, to improve my observation skills and memory retention, as well as perfecting my writing skills. With a better understanding of what was required, I was able to get higher paying jobs as my skills were being fine tuned. I love people and customer service, so this gave me an o=pportunity to find people doing things right, as well as spend time with my family by going to movies and dinners and being compensated. When i was working full time I was never able to do things with my family as there wasn’t enought time. Now , I can bring them with me and I am reimbursed finanacially for the time i got to spend with my family! I found it to be more rewarding, as i was able to include my family in these events!
would love to do this, tried one… they want me to pay them.. or call it upgrading? Confused
Hello Maven: Thanks again for all of the valuable info you are sending me. Your explanations are easy to understand and I look forward to receiving more of your excellent advice.