Secret Shopper

Businesses across the country have discovered that people who are dissatisfied with their goods or services are not very likely to give a formal complaint. If someone dislikes the way they are treated, if the lines were way too long and the store was disorganized, the customer is more likely to simply go somewhere else the next time.

The businesses never receive a complaint, so they have no idea why they are losing business.

The secret shopper is a freelance position in which the employee visits businesses posing as a regular everyday customer. Most of the businesses have a strong need for good customer service in order to be truly successful. A secret shopper will visit businesses like restaurants, retails stores and even movie theaters to name a few.

The visit is supposed to be as natural as possible and the employee should remain completely objective. The secret shopper completes a report after interacting with the business. The report should reflect the actual events as they occur. These reports need to center on observable behavior rather than what is inferred.

For example, the person filling out the report would write that the clerk rolled his eyes when he was asked to help the secret shopper find a particular item in the store. An inappropriate entry in this report would be to state that the clerk didn’t like his job or that the clerk was annoyed. The focus is on the actual behavior, not the emotion behind the behavior. This keeps the report objective and not quite so personal.

This may sound like a dream job for many of us. In fact, I thought it would be the best thing for me considering how much I like to shop. However, there are a few things to consider before filling out an application in hopes of becoming a secret shopper.

There are a lot of scams floating around out there, so be careful. Try to avoid any place that requires a fee. This is usually a red flag. There is a fee if you want to be a certified secret shopper, but it isn’t mandatory. Nevertheless, some companies won’t give you a second look if you don’t get certification.

When my employer drastically reduced my working hours a few months ago, I started having financial difficulties. I knew I would need a second income stream, so I began looking around for a job that I could do in my spare time. However, I wasn't so desperate that I was forced to take the first thing that came up. Even though I needed the money, I still wanted to do something I enjoyed. That's why I decided to check into some secret shopper jobs.

You've probably heard of secret shopper jobs. Secret shoppers are people who pose as regular customers and make purchases at stores, eat at restaurants, stay at hotels, etc. Then they write up detailed reports about their experiences so that the retail, restaurant, or hotel chain can identify customer service areas that need improvement. Companies in the service industry derive many benefits from this kind of feedback, which is why they offer so many secret shopper jobs to begin with.

Even though I had never seen any classified ads for secret shopper jobs, I knew they existed. I would just have to do a bit of research to find out where. I soon discovered that there are many services out there that help set people up with secret shopper jobs. These services are basically the "middlemen," meaning that they are the ones contracted by the stores to provide mystery visitors. The secret shopper job services then farm out the work to people like you and me.

Although there are plenty of services out there offering legitimate secret shopper jobs, there are a lot of scam operations to beware of as well. These are services that typically charge high registration or administrative fees, and then never follow through with any actual secret shopper jobs for you. Don't let your desire for secret shopper jobs get in the way of your good judgment and common sense. If an offer sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

So what kind of compensation can you expect to earn from a secret shopper job? This depends on a number of variables, so it's difficult to give you an exact figure. But in general, you'll either receive cash for submitting your shopping report, and/or you'll be reimbursed for any money you spend on your outing. In the cases of restaurant and hotel visits, this of course means you'll have enjoyed a good meal or hotel stay for free. In other instances, you'll be given spending money up front, and you'll be allowed to keep the merchandise that you purchase. Again, all secret shopper jobs compensate a bit differently, so be sure you find out the payment details before you accept an assignment.

If you're looking for a fantastic way to earn a second income or receive free merchandise, then I recommend registering for secret shopper jobs in your area. There's nothing better than getting paid to shop at your favorite stores!

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