What Makes a Good Mystery Shopper?
January 24, 2008 | 1 Comment
Mystery shopping can be both fun and rewarding. There are, however, a few traits which will help you land the best mystery shopping jobs. Here are a few:
- Must like to shop. If the thought of going to the mall doesn’t appeal to you, this probably isn’t the right job for you. Mystery shoppers need to be willing to shop and visit new stores and locations.
- Keen eye for detail. When you start a new assignment you’ll know before hand the things to look out for, in other words what the company is paying you to find out, you must remember to notice and observe all of these things during your “shop”.
- Must be accurate and timely in completing your shop and any related paperwork (survey/feedback forms, etc.). You’ll have to show good organization skills and complete your assignments in a timely manner. After finishing a job you’ll have to accurately fill in all the appropriate paperwork and follow the company’s instructions as to how and when to submit the paper work to them.
- Ability to be objective and honest (you cannot give your personal opinions about a company; you must only report the things that occurred while you were on assignment). You should always be honest and give only accurate feedback to the company you’re working for.
- You need to be reliable (many shopping companies will let shoppers go after one incomplete shop or cancellation). These companies rely on you to perform your assignments in a timely manner.
- Strong communication skills. In most cases you’ll be role playing and strong communication skills are very important. For example, you may be asked to go into a sporting goods store and ask about the different types of a specific piece of exercise equipment and several other questions. You may notice that the sales person seems impatient or abrupt; this shouldn’t stop you from completing your job. You’ll need to display the ability to communicate and not shy away from certain situations in order to do your job well.
Grab your Mom’s Talk Biz Guide to Become a Mystery Shopper - Step-by-step instructions, resources and inside information to help you profit from mystery shopping.
Demand For Mystery Shoppers
January 24, 2008 | Leave a Comment
Businesses know that in order to provide the best customer service possible, they need feedback from their customers on whether or not they are doing things to the customer’s satisfaction. The problem is many customers don’t always comment on how their visit to a place of business went, especially if it was a negative outcome. Statistics show that on average two out of three people who stop doing business with acompany do so because of bad customer service (Source: abc News Online)
Many times these people won’t actually give feedback to the company. Instead they never return to that particular business again and spread word to friends and family about the service they experienced. This is why the need for mystery shoppers is strong because it’s a way for companies to receive an honest review of how business is being conducted, without the staff knowing what’s occurring.
Mystery shoppers play a big role in the improvement of customer service and businesses heavily rely on them for feedback and constant improvement. As a mystery shopper you will be given a variety of assignments which involve anything from eating out at your favorite restaurant to watching the latest movie. You can also take pride in knowing you’re helping to improve customer service standards. Mystery shopping is easy, fun and flexible.
Valentine’s Gift Ideas for Teens
January 23, 2008 | Leave a Comment
By the time kids reach their teen years, so many things that parents do can seem sappy and dull. Gifts on Valentine’s Day can become one of those things. This year, give a gift that shows your teen that parental love is still a cool thing to have in their lives.
Teens these days are into vintage and eclectic things. This includes their clothes, shoes and gadgets. Think of a throwback gift that you can surprise your teen with that will get you a hug or at least a smile of gratitude. Remember the Rubik’s cube or the magic 8 ball? These gifts are especially fun for a girl.
When WE were teens, our walls were covered in posters of celebrity idols and movie scenes. Determine the favorite movies, music celebrities and games your teen likes and purchase a few posters. They’ll be surprised that you even know where to find those posters!
Girls and guys like jewelry. Surprise your daughter with a necklace and earring set in the color of her birthstone. Instead of choosing a piece of jewelry for your son, get a gift card to the jewelry store and let him pick out his own accessories.
A good way to choose gifts for Valentine’s Day for your teen is to look at what they didn’t receive on their Christmas list. If there was something that you couldn’t purchase at that time, Valentine’s Day may be the perfect time!
Gifts from the heart show that you are interested and care about their life and their passions. They may be interested in the guitar this week. Even though you have a sneaking suspicion that next week they will want to be an artist, give them a gift certificate for a few free guitar lessons. At least they will have a chance to try it out and see if they really want to play the guitar.
Create some cards that they can redeem for free services around the house. If your teen is on the younger side, they might appreciate getting to stay up an extra half hour, a free movie, or a sleepover with friends. Older teens would surely appreciate an extra half hour or hour out with friends on the weekends or extra driving time in the family car.
Valentine’s Day affections don’t need to be lost on your teen. Think of a gift or activity that would interest them and act on it. They may act annoyed by it, but deep down they will cherish the sentiment long after Valentine’s Day has come and gone.
Valentine Gift Ideas for Kids
January 22, 2008 | Leave a Comment
Kids love any occasion where they get presents. Valentine’s Day is no different. Let them know about the meaning of this particular day through the gifts that you give to them. Here are a few ideas for Valentine’s Day gifts for kids.
Kids usually don’t get to spend nearly enough time with mom and dad. When both parents are busy, precious family time can be lost. More than one child in the house reduces that time even further. Kids like one-on-one time with parents so that they can feel special.
This Valentine’s Day, award them with that special time. Clear your schedule for the entire day so that nothing will interrupt the bonding time. When planning a special day like this, don’t forget to consider what your child would like to do, even if it is something that you are not particularly interested in. As a parent, you get to be the one trying a new thing this time. Spend the day at the arcade playing video games, fishing, reading, or whatever else your child enjoys doing, so long as you are doing it together.
Take them to the store for a new outfit. They may want a new pair of pants, shoes, or a dress. At Christmas we give them clothes that they need, but on Valentine’s Day they can get something that they want. No matter how outrageous it seems, let them be in control of their wardrobe for one day.
Not only to kids like to receive gifts, but they also like to participate in gift giving. They can give fun, quirky valentines to the other children in their class. Let them know that these valentines are not about romantic love but friendships. Valentine’s Day is about celebrating love for one another which includes more than romantic love. Parent-to-child and friend-to-friend relationships are also important to highlight on this day.
Kids are thrilled about any occasion that they get to celebrate something. Teach them about showing love on Valentine’s Day through the gifts that you give.
Valentine’s Gift Ideas for Husband
January 21, 2008 | Leave a Comment
Valentine’s Day is an occasion for people to show their love for one another. For husbands and wives, it is a time to go above and beyond for the person that we have pledged to love as long as we live. Here are some ideas for Valentine’s Day gifts that your husband is sure to love.
The first rule of gift giving is to give a gift that the receiver will cherish. Erroneously, we often choose a gift that we would like to receive and give it to someone else. We shouldn’t wonder why they are less than head over heels about the gift. On Valentine’s Day this rule is very important since the name of the game is demonstrating our love for another.
With that said, let’s move on to the special man in your life. All romantic gifts do not need to be serious in nature. Men are most surprised by humorous gifts. Why not send him a pantygram! He’ll laugh when he opens the gift and finds a pair of panties that are obviously not meant for him to wear. Give it to him in the morning before work so that he’ll be distracted by what is to come later on that evening.
What activities does your husband enjoy? It may be golf, basketball, fishing, reading, or one of a hundred other things. Don’t be afraid to get him the latest book by his favorite author or a new set of fishing lures. Boxes of chocolate and roses may be what women would like to recieve, but not their husbands. Sure, it’s a nice thought, but a pair of tickets to the basketball game or a weekend trip to his favorite golf course would really show him that you put some thought into his gift.
Husband and wives become so busy at times that they miss out on time spent together. Sometimes, the most precious gift you can give is not something that you can buy. Make up your own coupon book for your husband this Valentine’s Day.
Use a theme for the coupon book such as time, romance or sports. A suggestion for a coupon would be something like, “This coupon is good for three hours of free time on Saturday.” Sure, Saturdays are supposed to be relaxing days, yet we often request the hubby to repair everything that has been broken all week on Saturdays! These coupons give him what he most wants — time alone.
Let him know all day long how much you care with heart messages. Heart messages are written on pink, red or white paper hearts and left in places where he is sure to find them. Stuff one in the pocket of the jacket he will wear that day. Slip another in his shoe, briefcase or his lunch bag. The messages should express something about him that you love and appreciate.
Valentine’s Day gifts should be an expression of your love for your husband. Think of something that he wants and present it to him in the most creative way that you can.
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