retail intelligence (somewhat long)

[Broomjockey]

Why do people think we don't have the intelligence to work anywhere else? 99.9% of the people on this board have more intelligence in their little finger then the people we have to deal with on any given day.

Yeah, and how many people are in retail trying to put themselves through school? And how many (are naive enough? ) to just like working with the public? Heck, stupid people don't last too long in retail. They usually end up somewhere that it doesn't matter, like mail delivery at the dead letter office.

[blas]

Maybe when people go to apply for a secret shopper type job, they should take the same cheesy tests that Wal-Mart, K-Mart and the like require potential employees to take. If they fail, they can't secret shop. 99% of them would fail. Because 99% of them fail as humans.

[Cyphr]

I worked at a local mom and pop game store once and was on good terms with the owner. If someone like that wandered in while i was on duty i would have said in the nicest tone i could manage "Ma'am I'm going to need to ask you to leave for insulting me just because i tried to greet you."

[king4aday]

I actually seriously considered kicking her out of the store. But...honestly...the mall has been slow and we need the revenue so I decided a little grief was worth the money (that and I got my revenge by keeping the receipt...shes out money because she cant return those items without a receipt...at any of our stores to get her cash back...she would only receive store credit...so we keep the money regardless )

I guess the part that pissed me off the worst was insinuating that I have no intelligence because I work retail. I have an associate's degree and a bachelors degree in retail management, and a bachelors in marketing and business education. sure...I could have gone into teaching and made a miniscule more in salary than I am making right now..but I happen to love retail and decided to take that route with my life.

[blas]

I'd argue that. You need to have more intelligence and common sense than most people to work retail. To deal with bitching, screaming, kicking, temper tantrums, to catch shoplifters, the common sense and the gumption to deal with scamming scum and idiots.....

[Jules Of All Trades]

Maybe when people go to apply for a secret shopper type job, they should take the same cheesy tests that Wal-Mart, K-Mart and the like require potential employees to take. If they fail, they can't secret shop. 99% of them would fail. Because 99% of them fail as humans.

I'd like to think I fall into the 1% that doesn't fail as a human.

When my boys were little I picked up extra money (and quite a bit of "free" stuff) working as a Mystery Shopper for 3 different companies. I shopped restaurants, coffee shops, stores, museums, and the local zoo.

I did take a test for all 3 companies, and it wasn't necessarily easy. I even had to do a trial shop for one of the companies before they trusted my ability to be impartial and fair with the places I went.

If I remember correctly only one place ever failed a shop, and it was because they simply didn't offer me certain things corporate was pushing at the time. The signage was incorrect and they didn't attempt to upsell me whatever it was they were looking for. I felt really bad for the store, because when they pass I got to give out prizes. Some restaurants I would take a picture of the server who I shopped and then they would get a cash or gift card prize. Other places the whole team on duty got prizes, anything from t-shirts to disposable cameras to tickets for local sporting events.

To the OP - it's unfortunate that your shopper sucked so bad, it sounds like she didn't take any of it seriously. Just remember that there are good ones out there....

[Terry]

Um, what the hell is a MYSTERY SHOPPER making a statement like "You work in retail because you dont have the intelligence to do anything else". I'm sure as a MYSTERY SHOPPER, she's making WAY more than you are.

[king4aday]

Jules...how do you get a job as a mystery shopper? I have always thought that might be an interesting secondary job

[blas]

Jules, just you stating that you had to "prove" you were trustworthy to be a secret shopper gives me faith that you were just fine. That may have sounded bad, but wherever you were working for must have only required GOOD secret shoppers. Most of us are under the impression anyone can secret shop and just do whatever the hell they want, no matter who gets written up or fired in the process.

[Jules Of All Trades]

King, I found the companies by searching online, probably Google since it's my fav.

Be wary though, when I was first looking I actually fell for a scam and paid money for a "membership" to get the inside track on good mystery shopping jobs. For my membership fee I got absolutely nothing that I couldn't have found just by reading more of the hits that Google got me for free. Of course I hadn't read the "no refund" fine print until after I realized how useless the membership was and was taught an $89 dollar lesson.

I'll look through some of my archived email and PM you the names of the good companies I know of.

I really liked the work, giving out prizes for a job well done was definitely my favorite part. It was also nice because hubby and I were able to eat at several restaurants that we wouldn't have been able to easily afford otherwise.

Anyone need a Coca Cola t-shirt? I have about 20 XXL that the company let me keep at the end of a particular promotion, it wasn't worth the cost of shipping to send them back. They're super comfy nightshirts!

[HALFHUMANHALFZOMBIE]

A SECRET SHOPPER? I find that hard to believe. Did you tell the manager about her saying to you that you don't have the intelligence to do anything else. They are supposed to look like professional shoppers. I feel very sorry for you that this doesn't feel like reality!

[rerant]

Jules...how do you get a job as a mystery shopper? I have always thought that might be an interesting secondary job

I did a couple mystery shops with a friend at a restaurant, since the shop required two people.
The first one we messed up (ordered dessert when we were supposed to order coffee) so it wasn't comped, which sucked, but I hope they got our wonderful feedback nonetheless. Most importantly: COOK your chicken, since I've never been a fan of eating near raw poultry.
E-coli just isn't my thing.

But I digress.
She found the shops online. The exact site I don't remember, but I'm sure a Google search for "mystery shop jobs" + your city and state/province would bring up a few results.

Oh and from what I remember her telling me it doesn't really pay enough to be a secondary income because of a couple things:
1. They just flat out don't pay too fantastically.
2. Your work is dependent on what stores or restaurants haven't had mystery shops in a while, and therefore are due for one, meaning it's not eactly steady work by any means.

But this could all vary depending on the company.
But hey, out of the two mystery shops we did at the same restaurant (our favourite, btw, in spite of the chicken incident, which has only forced me to stick to their delicious steaks ) we got at least one free meal out of it.

[king4aday]

A SECRET SHOPPER? I find that hard to believe. Did you tell the manager about her saying to you that you don't have the intelligence to do anything else. They are supposed to look like professional shoppers. I feel very sorry for you that this doesn't feel like reality!

Yes I did tell my manager about her, and my co-associate manager was there and witnessed the entire thing and backed me up on it. I immediately called my GM before I even knew she was a secret shopper. My district manager then called him (he had the day off today) and then she called me to talk to me about it. She thought it was rather strange because we usually get around a 90% on secret shops...this one was a 12%.

anytime I have negative experience with customers I let my GM know immediately so he isnt surprised later.

[Imogene]

They are supposed to look like professional shoppers.

Er? That would kind of ruin the whole idea of a secret shopper. They're not supposed to be recognizable. If you were outed as a secret shopper, according to my dad, you weren't able to SS that company ever again. Because they'd start playing up to you.

[Bagga]

So the mystery shopper said: "You work in retail because you dont have the intelligence to do anything else"

Erm. If you are a mystery shopper, don't you also work in retail?