At first glance, mystery shopping doesn’t appear to be a job that requires considerable skills. When you apply to work as a mystery shopper, some providers simply want to gather basic details such as your gender and age before allowing you to work for them. Others may have a short writing test that most people can easily pass. Because of this, almost anyone who wants to be a mystery shopper can become one. However, becoming a mystery shopper and being a truly successful, profitable mystery shopper are two different things. Factors such as how quickly you work and how well you complete assignment requirements come into play in determining your income potential. So how can you improve your mystery shopping skills and make more money at this job?
Better Understanding of Assignment Requirements
Not fully understanding assignment requirements can really slow you down. When you understand assignment requirements, you can breeze right through a site visit, and you can complete your reports without issue. Your reports are more likely to be accepted without the need for revisions, too. One of the best ways you can improve your performance in this area is by reading through the requirements thoroughly and as soon as possible. If you have any questions at all about the requirements, you should make an effort to ask your provider for clarification right away. This will allow you plenty of time to get the answers you need before the date of your site visit.
Improved Writing Skills
Writing comes naturally for some, but for others it is a real struggle. Every mystery shopping you do requires some writing, and many mystery shopping reports are quite length. Mystery shoppers who struggle with their writing skills often write slower, and they are more likely to have requests for revisions on their reports. So how can you improve your writing skills? It may help to simply proofread your work, but those who need more significant help may benefit from taking an English Composition class at a local community college.
Efficient Time Management
Mystery shoppers will find that by making an effort to better understand assignment requirements and improve writing skills, they may naturally improve their efficiency on the job. Improved efficiency means that you can get more done in less time. As a mystery shopper, this means that you will have time to work on more assignments and earn more money over the course of a day. While the above tips can help improve time management, there are other steps you can take as well. For instance, a better scheduling or calendar system may help you to identify periods of time during the day when you can take on extra assignments. You may also find that by picking up assignments during your commute or by running errands, you can make better use of your time.
The fact is that you don’t need many skills at all to be a mystery shopper. However, if you want to be a profitable and more successful mystery shopping, improving your skills in these areas can help.