Stupidest Secret Shopper Ever

[CrazedClerk]

I recently got written up because of a secret shopper that I didn't even do the sale for!

This person claimed they'd been in the store for SEVEN minutes before anyone greeted them, which I'm almost certain is a lie. My suspicion is I did greet them and they didn't hear me.

Anyway this happened right as I was leaving on break so my coworker did the actual sale. He got 40% on it.

The next day I did the return that was the second part of the shop, I got 13/15 on it.

But myself, my coworker AND my ASM all got written up because this person apparently didn't get their "Hello".

Nevermind I'd been working for over 10 hours at this point (I was pulling a double that day) and wanted badly to go home.

[ladodger34]

But myself, my coworker AND my ASM all got written up because this person apparently didn't get their "Hello".

I'm not in the business, but I would think that secret shops should be taken with a grain of salt. They should looked at as a very small part of a larger puzzle.

Let's just say that a store does 1,000 transactions a day. One report out based on one transaction out of 1,000 is an extremely small sample size. I wonder if a more scientific approach to secret shops wouldn't be a better idea. I know business folks aren't science majors (neither am I), but they need to learn that small sample sizes don't make for good results.

OTOH, I'm sure that an exec would argue that each customer is an independent event and should be looked at as such.

[huckster]

I love it when we get a secret shopper that never even came to the store. They always use common names that none of the associates have and give us 100s.

[batmoody]

I'm not in the business, but I would think that secret shops should be taken with a grain of salt. They should looked at as a very small part of a larger puzzle.

I agree they should be. But corporate and management does not. People have been fired & written up because of these. Like I said, its their word against yours and when should that ever stand up? Show me some video, some recording. Let me tell my side. Maybe the SS didn't hear me. Maybe they got my name wrong. All I know is whenever it is mentioned that we got a shop in, its instant anxiety, until I know I wasn't on it.

[symposes]

I was the victum of a fake SS once.
The SSer had put down that i had been very helpful, taking the time to describe our pet rewards club to them.
I turned to my manager when i saw this thing and said. "We have a pet rewards club?"

I kid you not. I didnt know about this program til the sser said i had told them about it.

[Gurndigarn]

Some secret shoppers are like a marketing "research" firm friend of mine worked for until he got tired of their lies and hypocricy.

To make a long story short, they were more than happy to extrapolate from limited data to finish their surveys on time and (extremely) under budget. And weren't above making up data entirely from the ether.

And this is data that large corporations are basing policy and product decisions on, mind you.

[RecoveringKinkoid]

We had one SS complain that there were employees out in self serve not in uniform and not being helpful.

Hmm....maybe I ought to post this to the "I don't work here!" thread.

Boneheads.

[Banrion]

From reading this thread, it sounds like the administration of the secret shop programs makes a HUGE difference. AT the movie theatre we had a secret shopper program, but the secret shoppers were employed full-time by my company, and they spent their days going from theatre to theatre in the area. They also had to personally hand the report to the manager on duty and review it before leaving the premises.

Our program was also a positive rewards program, as the secret shopper would give the employees that passed a $50.00 voucher with their name on it to have the bonus put into their paycheck. Failing a secret shop once would get you a talk with the manager about what you did wrong, and twice would get you a write up, but there was really no reason for a shopper to lie since they get paid the same either way, and the one's I encountered really enjoyed coming back to give you the $50.00. Also, they are corporate, so lying and failing someone makes the co look bad.

[Imogene]

I very vaguely remember a particular secret shopper, apparently held on me. The only way we figured it out was because the report mentioned the 6'7" associate, with red hair.
Okay, now I'll admit to being 6'5", but I look taller, particularly when I'm behind a desk so you can't get a good comparison against your own height. However, there is no way my hair has ever been even close to red, though I do have a little patch of red in my sideburns, if I grow them out. I'm a natural dirty blonde.
The only other person even close to my height also had dirty blonde hair, until he dyed it black.
Ah well, I passed the shop.

[ladodger34]

Failing a secret shop once would get you a talk with the manager about what you did wrong, and twice would get you a write up, but there was really no reason for a shopper to lie since they get paid the same either way, and the one's I encountered really enjoyed coming back to give you the $50.00. Also, they are corporate, so lying and failing someone makes the co look bad.

It would be even cooler if these folks came up through the ranks. Someone who has "been there, done that" with the job knows the important aspects of the job.

[Banrion]

Most of them had done at least low level management, if not starting from the very bottom.

[Customer Beating Robot]

It would be even cooler if these folks came up through the ranks. Someone who has "been there, done that" with the job knows the important aspects of the job.

Exactly, someone who can understand that when the store is full, maybe you don't have time to run around to every customer every few minutes. I just can't stand the idea of a complete stranger, with no prior experience, passing judgement on how well someone does their job from one business transaction.

It is completely ridiculous. Do you think the secret shopper mentions how hard you were working or how packed the store was, as they are writing you up for not offering to carry something for them? Of course not. The entire process is slap in the face to hard working employees.

(No, I have never worked some place where they use SS. Or at least, I was never aware of the practice and certainly was never written up for anything.)

[georgiab]

Okay here's my opinion on secret shoppers...Most of them if not damn near all have NOT worked in any type of retail if they had they would understand that there are times when you are 1) short staffed 2) extremely busy and are not able to give them 100% and 3) need to get a real job and quit undermining those who do have one!

[friendofjimmyk]

I see ads in the paper all the time, my brother actually sent them the $60 for "training fees", I think he did it a few times, but if he still does he never speaks of it, apparently though $60 US and a few hours online training is all you need

I checked into those ads too...never really wanted to pay the money in order to have a job

[air914]

Exactly, someone who can understand that when the store is full, maybe you don't have time to run around to every customer every few minutes. I just can't stand the idea of a complete stranger, with no prior experience, passing judgement on how well someone does their job from one business transaction.

It is completely ridiculous. Do you think the secret shopper mentions how hard you were working or how packed the store was, as they are writing you up for not offering to carry something for them? Of course not. The entire process is slap in the face to hard working employees.

(No, I have never worked some place where they use SS. Or at least, I was never aware of the practice and certainly was never written up for anything.)

I TOTALLY AGREE!!! and why not? Why not put someone in there who understands how things work? That way the experience will be more accurate.... it always drove me nuts how people didn't adhere to the cleaning rules at a store I worked in (I'm sorry but some things were really nasty and I know I wouldn't want to eat stuff from there if I knew about what was going on...) - and I could point out all of them! AND we always had a district manager that would come in and point out everything that was wrong w/out asking us how anything had been going that day - like we'd be slammed for 3 hours straight and THEN she would come in and yell at us that the seating area was a mess - um DUH???

I always thought secret shopping would be fun though. I just don't know how you find a reputable company.....