Mystery Shopper: The Rebuttal

[Lace Neil Singer]

I was thinking about this the other day; what if there was a Mystery Staff Member, to rebutt the Mystery Customer? Cuz a lot of Mystery Shoppers tend to be very meanspirited, as tho they are actively trying to mark the store down. -.-

Note: I am asking for suggestions for the form; I know that this probably wouldn't fly in real life, however, I can dream, can't I? XD

Basically, each one could start with a round score of say, 50 points, and get points added or subtracted depending on their reaction to various points. There'd also be a results card, which would go as follows:

Stella Customer
Good Customer
OK Customer
Average Customer
So-So Customer
Bad Customer
Sucky Customer
Uber Sucky Customer

If a customer scored Bad or below three times, they'd be barred from the store. XD Anyone scoring as a Stella Customer however could be given a certificate and gift voucher. XD It wouldn't happen that often. As for the aforementioned questions regarding customer conduct, I came up with one:

1. The staff member greets the customer and smiles. Which is the customer's reaction?

a) Returns greeting and smiles. Is pleasant and goes above and beyond to respond to the staff member. +10
b) Returns greeting and smiles. Is chatty and nice. +5
c) Grunts in response and doesn't smile. 0
d) Returns greeting in a suggestive manner, and is extremely lechy. -5
e) Ignores staff member, due to chatting on mobile/talking to SO/staring into space. -5
f) Responds in a rude and obnoxious manner. -10


Now, all I need from everyone else is suggestions, improvements to points already made and of course, more questions.

[Wingates_Hellsing]

I guess my score would take a hit there, tend to have a bit of a problem spacing out at random moments

It's an interesting idea, not practical IMO, but interesting...
Would like to see it tried though

[bainsidhe]

Mystery shoppers aren't consistent. I know they serve a purpose, but I remember during my Media Play days that our shopper was very strict whereas fellow stores had someone like Paula Abdul that would grade people in a loving and do-no-wrong sort of way. And our shopper ALWAYS went to someone who wasn't normally a cashier. They'd arrive when we were busy and had to call up floor staff (who hated register and did the bare minimum up front), yet would always ALWAYS go through one of these registers. Never the main registers. I'm sure it was a test, because I'd be working most evenings when the shopper would show up, yet I never had a mystery shopper at my own register during the two years I worked there. ~shrugs~

[JoitheArtist]

One time, my dad was a mystery shopper...for Long John Silver's! Boy oh boy, did I enjoy that! (and yes, we gave them fair marks--they usually did fine)

[Mister]

Hmm, how about:

Wants to see the manager -5
Goes to see the manager +2
Tells employee to get manager -2
Tries to pay with money not suited for purchase (bag of coins, huge denomination bill) -10
Tries to order employee to do things -15
Asks for discount in non-negotiable shop -10
Demands discount in non-negotiable shop -15
Raises voice -5
Rips open box to [ ] instead of reading text on box -10
Lies about what corporate or main-office said -10
Lies about what co-worker said -15
Tries to return items without receipt -7
Tries to return items after stated period -6
Tries to return items without original packing -10
Refuses down payment on order -10 (don't trust us with 10%, we don't trust you)
Finds coupon in purse after purchase -10
Complains about quality long after warranty period -15
Tries to enter exit 5 minutes before closing because entrance is shut -15
Tries to pick up order after closing -10
Asking a cashier to call a coworker to help at a particular department and not going there him/herself -10
Asking own kids to take of shoes before jumping on beds -20
Telling own kids to behave properly +30
Complaining about Disney-items being more expensive compared to generic items -1 (they really are expensive)
Big guy asking little coworker to carry his purchase to the cashier -15
Making really dumb jokes -10 (the price tag fell off, so is it free?)
Asking vague things over telephone -5
Needing things instead of wanting things -10
Thanking people (no sarcasm) +10
Emptying car before picking up order +10
Leaving extended family at home while picking up order +10
Picking up order within 24 hours after notification +10

Cheers.

[PepperElf]

and... tells the manager how wonderful employees are +20
same thing but mentions employee by name +30

[Velfarre2001]

Intersting ideas, although....

Ignores staff member, due to chatting on mobile/talking to SO/staring into space. -5
Bad. I space out easily as do at least 2 people I know, also they may have to concentrate on what they are saying if they are distracted by something. Marking someone down for that is excessive. Grunts and doesn't smile should be worth less.

Wants to see the manager -5 Goes to see the manager +2 Tells employee to get manager -2

These confuse me, what is wrong with needing a manager at times? What is wrong in said case with asking for one? Why would I go hunting for someone I don't know who or where they are? How is wanting to do it worse then telling them to? Please clarify.

[Boozy]

There should be an entire section on payment methods.

1. Has credit card/cash/debit card at the ready: +10

2. Seems to be caught off-guard that cashier is asking for payment, spends 5 minutes looking for wallet: -10

3. Can't figure out how to swipe card: -2

4. Can't figure out how to swipe card, blames the store's system: -5

5. Can't figure out how to swipe card, blames the cashier personally: -10

6. Decides to pay in exact change, holds up line digging around for it: -5

7. After receiving change/receipt, spends 5 minutes putting everything back into exactly the right purse compartment, holding up the line: -5

8. Credit card is declined, blames the store: -5

9. Credit card is declined, blames the cashier: -10

I could go on and on...

[Boozy]

Ignores staff member, due to chatting on mobile/talking to SO/staring into space. -5
Bad. I space out easily as do at least 2 people I know, also they may have to concentrate on what they are saying if they are distracted by something. Marking someone down for that is excessive. Grunts and doesn't smile should be worth less.

I think this is supposed to be a funny, light-hearted thread. I wouldn't worry too much about the points being out of scale. They aren't real points.

Second, although we all space out sometimes, I don't think it's unrealistic for a cashier to expect that their customer will at least try to focus on the business at hand. That means no cell phones, no other conversations.

[Lace Neil Singer]

Intersting ideas, although....

Ignores staff member, due to chatting on mobile/talking to SO/staring into space. -5
Bad. I space out easily as do at least 2 people I know, also they may have to concentrate on what they are saying if they are distracted by something. Marking someone down for that is excessive. Grunts and doesn't smile should be worth less.

Trust me, I can tell the difference between someone spacing out and being distracted, and someone who is just ignoring me cuz they're concentrating on the girl on the forecourt pumping petrol in hotpants. So I think that marking them down for that is certainly not excessive; maybe change it to /staring at pretty girls/boys. Cuz believe me, it is irrititating when someone prefers gawping at boobies and bums to actually taking notice of the cashier who's trying to serve them.

I think this is supposed to be a funny, light-hearted thread. I wouldn't worry too much about the points being out of scale. They aren't real points.

Second, although we all space out sometimes, I don't think it's unrealistic for a cashier to expect that their customer will at least try to focus on the business at hand. That means no cell phones, no other conversations.

This. And yeah, it is mostly meant to be lighthearted, kinda to cheer oneself up. XD That's why I asked for contributions. I like the one so far. XD

[Red_Dazes]

Snapping to get your attention like a dog -30
responding in any series of grunts -5
Making gross references to "bathroom behavior" -20
Not washing hands -5
Hitting on Employees -10
deciding AFTER transaction is completed, to pay for it in 2 parts -15 (for sheer annoyance)
Taking ten minutes to fill out a check (seen it happen) while the line has no less than 10 people in it -20

Hanging the clothes back up upon exiting the FR +10
Hanging them up inside out -5
Not hanging them up at all -10
Not hanging them up and shoving a pile of tangled clothes and hangers into employees face -15


........yep.... I think I like this system

[Mister]

Intersting ideas, although....


Wants to see the manager -5 Goes to see the manager +2 Tells employee to get manager -2

These confuse me, what is wrong with needing a manager at times? What is wrong in said case with asking for one? Why would I go hunting for someone I don't know who or where they are? How is wanting to do it worse then telling them to? Please clarify.

Sorry, I had some spaces typed but the board ignored them. Just about all customers who "want to speak to the manager" are being denied something by the staff, which might be extra discount, free delivery, buying the show model etc. not taking your word, minus 5. If a customer goes to find the manager after "The manager is upstairs, you are welcome to ask him", the customer redeems 2 points. If the customer believes I should make the manager come to them, they lose an extra 2 points.

[Lace Neil Singer]

-10 points if the manager is on a day off or on holiday, and the customer demands that you ring them up or give them the manager's personal number. O.o

[Rapscallion]

*ponder* Would this be better in GWC?

Rapscallion

[Lace Neil Singer]

Maybe; I wasn't sure about where to put it when I posted it, but I think it might be better in Work Chat rather than Off Topic, cuz it is, kind of, on topic.