Tuesday, July 01, 2008

Top Tips for Choosing Mystery Shopping Companies

By Ethan Hunter

Mystery shopping is a unique service through which companies of all types can analyze a business' performance. Although mystery shopping is nothing new, it has evolved over the years, becoming a valuable tool used by companies around the world. If you would like to become a mystery shopper or are interested in having your company shopped, the first thing you need to do is find reputable, mystery shopping companies. However, not all of these companies are created equal. Therefore, it is important that you do your homework to identify the right mystery shopping companies, those that will give you good shopping assignments, ones that pay well, and companies provide in-depth reporting on the performance of an organization.

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.

First, while some reputable mystery shopping companies require a small fee to become a shopper or client, most are free. Therefore, if you find a company asking for a large fee, beware. When choosing from mystery shopping companies, you want an organization that believes in and provides a much-needed service to businesses but also one that finds value in the services provided by the shopper. This means locating shopper companies that have the best interest of the client and the shopper in mind.

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.

Then, you should research a number of mystery shopping companies, reading company history carefully. Typically, you would have the opportunity to learn about the length the business has been in existence, the number of clients they provide services to, type of industries serviced, payment terms, reporting expectations, and so on. A good company will have a customer service team of professionals available to answer questions, as well. This process may require a little bit of time but this investigation is important3.

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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