Many mystery shopping providers use a number rating system as a way to rate your services as a mystery shopper. While the rating system is not used uniformly by all mystery shopping providers, the majority of mystery shopping providers do use the number rating system. Your rating as a mystery shopper can go up or down with each assignment you complete, and is typically given on a scale of 1 through 10 with 10 being the highest. Generally speaking, you will qualify for more and better assignments with a higher rating, so it pays to keep your rating up. There are a few key things you can do to ensure you have the highest rating possible.
Do The Job Right. Your assignment guidelines may be several pages long or just a few paragraphs. Either way, someone has taken the time to write them out for you because they are what is important to the client (the retailer, restaurant, or other business that you are “shopping”). Before you head out for your site visit, make sure that you understand what tasks you need to complete during the site visit. Leave yourself enough time before your site visit to contact the scheduler if you have any questions on the requirements. It is far better to ask a question and get the job done right than to read something into the requirements and risk the possibility of doing the job incorrectly.
What’s The Question? After you have completed your site visit, you have only done half of the job. The second half of your assignment is to complete and submit your report. Your shopper rating can be dinged for not answering questions on the report fully or accurately, and for submitting your report late. So after you answer all of the questions, take a few minutes to read through both the questions and the answers. Make sure your answers address the question as it was asked and that the answers contain the right amount of detail. Then make sure your answer to one question does not contradict (or seem to contradict) what you said in another question. Although all of the questions may be answered truthfully, some answers may seem to go against what you said in another section of the report. You may need to add another sentence or two to clarify any gray areas.
Learn The Provider’s Quirks. Every mystery shopping provider likes things done just a little differently from the rest. Some providers will ding your mystery shopper rating if you use contractions in your report while others will ding you for including too much or too little detail. Perhaps your writing style is too conversational and not professional enough. There are numerous nuances that fluctuate between mystery shopping providers. Pay attention to these little nuances and even keep some notes on what each provider likes and dislikes so that you can give them exactly what you are looking for on future reports.
Taking the time to pay attention to these important areas will help you keep your mystery shopper rating as high as possible!
One final comment on ratings. I ended up in the hospital for four days being admitted through the emergency room. I didn’t have any of my contacts with me. As a result I had outstanding shops (waiting on my desk for submission just as I left them.) Some of these companies I did nearly 100 shops for. Those same companies didn’t care about my personal circumstance. They were more concerned with the fact they didn’t receive their reports on time and had to reschedule shops. My ratings went from 5 (for them that the highest) to a 3 and said I was a flake (even after I told them I would submit documentation of my hospitalization.)
I still get assignments from this company and I am still the shopper they call when last minute shops need to be completed (no matter the distance.) As of today my rating still isn’t back up to a “5”.
If people learn to do quality and accurate work, they shouldn,t be concerned about ratings or aquiring assignments
Yes, we shouldn’t be concerned about our rating but, when the company lets it affect our ability to receive a job, that’s when I draw the line. I had a company call me at least once a week with last minute shops to fill in when a flake cancelled last minute. Then one time they called and I said no thanks at that time, since I had other plans for that weekend. I haven’t been called since by that company. I still do shops for them, and my rating is as high as it can be. So, what happened to all the extra shops coming my way???
Since there is such a vast variety of requirements, styles, and personalities related with schedulers, companies, and shops, there are many variables out of one’s control. Fairness? What’s that? Trying to make sense of an irrational situation or always looking for an equitable resolution can result in serious discontent. Sometimes you have to just put a period and move on. You’re still better off than the newbie whose just getting their foot inn the door. Focusing on what you ‘can’ control pays better dividends.
I have yet to get a shopping assignment. I did something wrong in my initial sign up. I ha ear about assignments, but never get any. Rube La Vel Word