Mystery Shopping -A Mystery Method of Market Research
Mystery shopping sounds like a person will be going for shopping of anonymous product in a anonymous market. But in actual its not like that. It is a tool which is used by many reputed companies as a method of market research to keep eyes on their own organization and on the employees. This mostly focuses on gathering real time insights about completion, pricing and positioning. It can be simply said as tool of self-analyse for the quality of service and to take the real market information about the product and service. This helps the organization to catch the unethical practice that is been followed by the employs and to find the loop holes in the service provided for the betterment in the future. This is also an efficient tool of competitor analysis largely used by the retail sector and leading restaurant chains to analysis how better the competitors are. For common person this is one of the tool for earning money by helping any company and a way to make some extra cash. The only qualification they want is only the ability to go for shopping and evaluate how good or bad the experience is.
Steps for becoming a Mystery shopper
Step-1: Requirement for being a mystery shopper
All you need to have internet access on the eye for detail and little spare time. The shopper also need to be over the age of 18.
Step-2: Searching mystery shopper companies
The MSPA (Mystery Shopper Provider association) has a large database of reputed companies. One can register in various companies as a freelancer who provide mystery shopping solutions. whenever there are any requirements the companies will contact you or you can visit the company website to check if there are any mystery shopping requirements in your city.
Step-3: Understanding the role of mystery shopper
Now you are going to provide a valuable information about the customer service provided by the company. You have to understand what information the company actually expecting from you. Prepare yourself accordingly.
Step-4: Actual Performance
Go to the place where company ask you to go. You will then evaluate the business service, cleanliness, quality and efficiency in terms of an ideal consumer. It is very much to important for shopper to have excellent observation skills detail oriented. Only term and condition maintaining the secrecy of your identification and purpose.
Step-5: Feedback to company
Company will provide you a feedback form or a questioner in which you have to give rating for different service on the basis of the observation you have done.
Step-6: Payment
Company will provide you payment for it. Payment are broken in to two categories.
1. Payment: This type of payment is done when they ask you to evaluate a business. In this you do not have to purchase a product. E.g. Car dealers, real estate agents, bank etc. You would be paid for accessing the company.
2. Re-imbursement: This type of payment occurs when you evaluate a business. In this you have to purchase a product. E.g. retail stores, restaurants, coffee shops etc. This payment is occurred for purchasing the product as well as service integrity would reimburse the amount spent for completing a questioner.
By
Sushmita Patel
