Sunday, June 22, 2008

Tips for Choosing Mystery Shopping Companies

By Ethan Hunter

Mystery shopping companies offer a business the opportunity to look deeply into their current processes, namely their customer's experience. It is not a new concept, yet many businesses as well as consumers are unaware of its existence and its benefits. If you are looking to earn extra income and would be interested in learning more about becoming a mystery shopper, the first thing that you need to do is to locate reputable mystery shopping companies. Not all mystery shopping companies will offer the same services to their clients, the same training or the same compensation programs. It is important that you research the available companies in an effort to select the best match for you.

In this article, we wanted to provide you with some helpful tips on choosing from various, mystery shopping companies. After all, more than 400 of these companies exist in the United States alone, meaning your choices are incredible. Unfortunately, we have seen an increase in fraudulent companies cropping up. A new problem has to do with fraudulent cashier's checks paid to shoppers. Additionally, some of these companies require a substantial fee be paid to become a shopper or client. However, once the shop is completed, reimbursement for services provided or promised reporting never comes. The good news is that most mystery shopping companies are legitimate, organizations that work with top quality shoppers and companies, those that are free to join, and companies that take this type of service seriously.

There are occasionally mystery shopping companies that will look to charge a small fee to join, however most companies are free to participate in their programs. Be sure to pay particular attention to companies that require a fee to join, as they may be fraudulent. The best step to take when searching for mystery shopping companies is to consider those that put their clients first and those that truly believe in the benefits that they provide to a given business.

If you are still looking for mystery shopping companies, consider reading online blogs for information. Blogs are a great way to find information out about mystery shopping companies from actual program participants, rather than just what you will find on a corporate website. This type of communication is often more honest, giving you a truly real look inside of the life of a mystery shopper within their company.

When you choose to research mystery shopping companies on your own, one tip is to read through their company's history. That allows you to see how long they have bee running and how many clients they currently work for. You will learn literally everything you need to know about the company through their history and that can help you to make a more informed decision of whether to work for them or not. Ideally good companies will offer you customer service who will answer any questions which you may have.

The last thing to consider before you make your final selection is the type of customer feedback that the company has gotten, as this information will tell you how they interact with clients, the most important part of the mystery shopping industry. Ask for references and search online for available feedback. All of the information that you have now complied together will help you to be able to make an informed decision for your part time employment income.

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