On the face of it, mystery shopping providers make mystery shopping programmes seem deceptively easy to run. But to get accurate, reliable information that you are able to use, requires seamless coordination, individual accuracy, and military like planning. The larger the programme the more arduous it can be to manage.

Here are some pointers to help avoid any mistakes

Start with the end in mind.
To get the very best from your mystery shoppers you will need to thoroughly think through the quality of the data you want to extract and then work backwards from the endpoint to set the questionnaire. Lack of clarification upfront can result in reports and submissions being rejected and as a result, not only is it a fruitless exercise, but mystery shoppers are left feeling frustrated and out of pocket.

Devil is in the detail.
The more thorough the brief the more likely the mystery shoppers will get it right. Be as precise as you can about the product they need to purchase and inform them whether a substitute is acceptable or not. Outline the criteria of do’s and don’t’s. Above all, be specific.

Keep it simple.
Keep the questions they will need to ask as straight forward as possible. Avoid opinion based questions; structure questions to require ‘yes’ or ‘no’ answers, or to be or fact based. The questions also need to be simple enough so that note taking is not required if the shopping is done in person. Make sure that there are not too many questions posed which could give away the shopper’s identity and compromise their anonymity.

Profiles
The mystery shoppers selected should be an accurate representation of the intended consumer. Not all shoppers are suited to all tasks. Ensure that the shoppers profile is taken into consideration and matched to the intended clientele target group.

Timings
Shoppers should be encouraged or incentivised to submit their reports in a timely manner. This can be done by using, for example, a rating system for shoppers or a long term reward scheme.

The aim of Mystery Shopping Providers is to measure the adherence of each retail location to a brand’s standard. Although the aggregated data is of interest to get a general overview of brand performance, location based data is where the true value of such programmes can be derived. Consistency and accuracy are vital at the micro level so as not to skew findings.

FMI are experts at running national mystery shopping campaigns for our clients. Our teams are skilled at crafting bespoke programmes that are designed to help you gain awareness of areas that require improvement in order to help you to achieve your business objectives.If you need an honest, objective assessment of your brand, get in touch today.