I used this footage in my current affairs piece for broadcast journalism. My story was on the way customers treat staff at retail stores. I used mystery shopper footage to get my message across that retail staff ARE SIMPLY TRYING TO HELP!!!
I wonder when corporate clients will get smart, and measure the correlation between the customer service index from the shop reports and the actual sales performance of the stores/ employees? The data is there. The entire mystery shop industry is just one spreadsheet away from being exposed as complete fraud.
You're absolutely right! It is well known that the shoppers come from the "do anything for $5 crowd", with thin skins and an axe to grind. Employers count on that to have a ready supply of "objective" issues with which to justify termination if when it suits their fancy. Employers also challenge these reports when it suits them. The deciding factor on whether to challenge, is when the report affects the employer's bonus pay.
I bet sales people love to have thier time wasted so they can be placed in a postion of having to defend thier jobs weeks later by anonymous idiots. The fee paid to shoppers averages 12 bucks. Your soul? priceless.
I wonder when corporate clients will get smart, and measure the correlation between the customer service index from the shop reports and the actual sales performance of the stores/ employees? The data is there. The entire mystery shop industry is just one spreadsheet away from being exposed as complete fraud.
sapien32 3 years ago
You're absolutely right! It is well known that the shoppers come from the "do anything for $5 crowd", with thin skins and an axe to grind. Employers count on that to have a ready supply of "objective" issues with which to justify termination if when it suits their fancy. Employers also challenge these reports when it suits them. The deciding factor on whether to challenge, is when the report affects the employer's bonus pay.
sapien32 3 years ago
I think Mystery Shoppers are a management scam!
Mystery Shoppers are hyper-critical of people.
If a salesperson approaches the customer too quickly, it is "pushy".
If the salesperson approaches the customer too slowly, it is "lazy".
Salespeople are often used as scape-goats, by management, for unsuccessful sales campaigns and shifts in customers' tastes etc.
Regards from OzzInter (ex-Retail Manager)
OzzInter 3 years ago
I bet sales people love to have thier time wasted so they can be placed in a postion of having to defend thier jobs weeks later by anonymous idiots. The fee paid to shoppers averages 12 bucks. Your soul? priceless.
seneca67 4 years ago