One of the trickiest aspects of mystery shopping is getting the time aspect of your reporting correct. Almost every assignment has a different way of verifying the time on your report. So unless you pay particular attention to how the assignment wants you to report the time, you could end up being very frustrated when you sit down to complete your paperwork and find you didn’t keep proper track of the time when you were on-site.
Know Before You Go. First and foremost, to avoid any surprises at the assignment location, read the assignment requirements very carefully before you “go shopping.” Pay very close attention to the timing requirements. Some assignments merely ask for the time you entered and left the location. Others want to know how long you waited in line, how long it took one staff member (or multiple staff members) to help you, how long it took for your food to be served to you, and so on. So there may be multiple events you need to know the time of.
To make matters more complicated, some assignments ask you to keep track of the start and end times, and some assignments simply ask for the cumulative number of minutes you were in the store, waiting in line, and so forth. Perhaps one of the most frustrating requests for mystery shoppers is to keep track of time down to the exact second. With so many other things shoppers need to be paying attention to, it can be almost ridiculous to very inconspicuously determine the number of seconds you were waiting in line. Your event of waiting in line inevitably “stops” at the point the salesperson is helping you, which isn’t really a good time to add up the seconds or make a mental note to yourself! However, if you know the requirements before you go, you will be able to prepare for this event mentally and plan out your strategy.
Bring The Right Equipment. The different timing requirements can be satisfied most easily with different equipment. For instance, an assignment that merely wants you to make note of the hour and minute of entrance and exit can be handled quite easily and very inconspicuously with a simple cell phone or wrist watch.
If, however, you need to keep track of seconds – and most especially for the time down to the second of multiple events during one assignment, it may be best to get a stop watch. Many stop watches are designed for runners to keep split times, or their time for each lap they run around the track for instance. You can keep a stop watch with a split time feature tucked away in your purse or pocket and simple click on the split-time button at the appropriate points. Just be sure you are pressing the right button, as you most likely will not be able to physically look at it while you are on-site.
Keep Notes. There are points throughout many assignments when you can take notes on a paper or in a PDA without the staff becoming aware of what you are doing. For instance, if you need to check the bathrooms or the dressing room, simply break out a pen and paper when you are tucked away unseen for a minute or two. You can write down any notes you need to, including the time you entered the store, the number of minutes it took for someone to greet you, and so on. Then, when you emerge from the dressing room, restroom, or so on, you will be able to complete your shop with a blank slate to keep mental notes of the other items you need to remember.
While it may be more suspicious to break out the paper and pen in front of staff, you can certainly break out the PDA or even cell phone and start typing your notes away at almost any location in the store. Just be sure to act like you are texting a friend, or checking off items on your PDA shopping list, or some other activity that would otherwise be normal in a store or restaurant.
Timing on assignments can be tricky. But if you know the requirements before you go and plan ahead to strategically keep track of the time, you will be able to keep track of the time without any stress!
It can indeed be difficult to keep track of all the different timings. I have found that doing a voice recording while on the shop can be very helpful. As you approach the door state the date, time (most recorders keep track), and where you’re shopping. Once you get accustomed to the cues you decide to use (cough when you walk in the door, say “oh” when… clear your throat when… you get the idea), you’ll find recording can eliminate a lot of the pressure and make it possible for you to concentrate on the details of the job. Note: This recording is for your own use in reporting only and is not meant to invade anyone’s privacy. It’s probably best to delete the recording once you have culled the necessary information from it. And I think you’ll find that knowing you’ve got this crutch in your shopping arsenal, you’ll find that you will very rarely even need to listen to it except to verify critical timings.
I do a similar thing like JDB does. I hide a tape recorder in my purse. Sometimes I reach across using the arm my purse is on to scratch my shoulder and whisper something into the recorder. You can always do the timing when you get home right down to the second.
excellent article
I use a digital recorder with VOR when I have shops that require a lot of timings or remembering peoples names. I just turn it on when I’m ready to go in and state the time. It then picks up any conversations I have so if I’m shopping selling points I have the information available. I can state names as I walk down deserted aisles after a greeting and if anyone catches you talking they just think you’re talking to yourself. The digital wave device I use resembles a cell phone so no one even notices it. Just a word to the wise though. Don’t mention that you used a recorder when you do your report because some companies will invalidate your shop if they know you did.
Yes, I also use the digital recorder. It has been a life saver for remembering and accurately reporting.
I did not know that some companies would object until I stated that I had on recorder what happened. Uh oh, they said to not use it again. I am not sure why but I do and will continue. Sometimes I complete five to six shops a day.
I used to have it in my purse and then I tried my pocket of my pants. However, the best place to get the least background noise and the best reception has been under tucked in my bra, with the mike peeking out of the strap. If you wear the right blouse they cannot be detected and I get a great report with all the times I need accurately. When I need to time something I use my cell phone and use a cue as if I am talking to someone.
For you guys if you wear a shirt with a pocket they make some that are small enough to fit in your shirt pocket.
When I tried it out the first time in my pants pocket I picked up to much shhh shhh shhh shhh each time I took a step.
Go Mystery Shoppers !!!! Yeah!!!
Yes a recorder does help with details. If one is not used to using a split timer, it is good to practise using it before going shopping.
I will only get a cell phone with a good stop watch feature. I use split or lap times as needed plus cells have an accurate clock. PLUS cells are all over the place, no one pays attention any more.
I bought a digital recorder a month ago, but have yet to use it on a shop!! However, that is soon to change, since I’m beginning to tire writing discreet notes on store ad circulars. Thanks for another pertinent subject in the vast field of CSA!