PRINTABLE CHECKLIST for Completing Mystery Shop Survey Forms
Once you have completed the report for your mystery shop, it is sent to our expert 'Quality Control' team. Who check it over, to make sure everything is as it should be before it is sent off to the client. Given their extensive experience, the team have compiled a checklist of things to make sure you have done in order to produce an excellent mystery shop report.
Before doing the mystery shop, have you?
- Read the instructions very carefully, these must be followed exactly or the ‘shop’ may have to be re-done by someone else.
- Read the questionnaire carefully so that you know what you are looking for and that you do not give away any information the staff are meant to ask for.
- Created your ‘identities’ and back story – ensure you do NOT use the same details if visiting a brand you have visited before, they often have linked systems.
- Checked times / days that each element of mystery shop can be done.
The phone call – can you say ‘yes’ to them all?
- The recording has been listened to at least once.
- All yes / no answers are 100% accurate as per the call recording
- The call comments have been written out in full and relate precisely to the yes / no answers.
The survey – can you say ‘yes’ to them all?
- The date and time at top of form is the same as for your visit, if there is one.
- Staff descriptions use ONLY physical attributes, NOT personality and clothes, NOT skin colour, race, size. Nothing is said that could be misconstrued or upsetting –you have stuck to hair colour / style / length, glasses, tattoos etc.
- Attachments are the correct ones and none are missing.
- The appropriate time has been waited for all email responses and follow up calls.
- All staff are referred to by name (except where told not to, or ‘he’ and ‘she’.
The comments boxes – can you say ‘yes’ to the following?
- I have written enough - as much useful information as I can, including the details in the points below, and above the minimum character / sentence count. As a guide there are around 60 characters in every line of typing. In reality you will write more than the minimum.
- My spelling is correct – please use spellcheck! - tools like 'Grammarly' are excellent for this.
- My Grammar is correct – if necessary ask someone else to read your comments. Think about Proper sentences / capital letters / full stops
- I have justified ‘no’ responses where it is appropriate to do so. Please always justify your yes / no responses in the comment boxes.
- My comments ONLY relate to the section I am commenting on (as per section title).
- I have NOT: a – Used abbreviations (like ‘info’)
b - Missed out small words like ‘I’, ‘the’ and ‘a’
c - Used a small ‘I’ at any point when describing myself (I have used ’I”)
d - Written any comments about other centres / mystery shops / brands, I
have focused solely on the shop in question.
e - Repeated myself in comments boxes (unless very relevant).
f - Written out the yes /no questions again in the comments (they speak for
themselves).
g – Commented on things staff can’t alter – size of gym, layout etc.
h – Told the client what they already know – e.g. the layout of the centre
7. Every comments box contains the following: A little about what happened / where and with whom, what was good / not so good, ideas for improvements if you have any, a justification of ‘no’ responses (as above), details of how you are treated as a customer and how that makes you feel.
Although there is a lot of information above, adhering to it is what is needed to write up a good mystery shop report. This will not only ensure that you are paid on time for your work, it will also increase your 'Shopper STARS' rating, which will help you obtain the assignments that you want in the future.
Have you read the ARTICLE - Shopper STARS - Our Shopper Grading System?
Click here to check it out: ARTICLE - Shopper STARS - Our Shopper Grading System
You can also view other more top tips, FAQs and how-to guides in our Shopper Academy.
Log in to your Open Opportunities page here to view available mystery shop assignments near you.
If, after viewing the Shopper Academy you still need support please contact your Regional Programme Coordinator at shopper@proinsight.org or call 0203 0954954. We'd also love to know if this article was helpful or could do with some work so please do use the thumbs up/down buttons below!
Make sure you stay up to date by following us on social media. You'll be the first to know about new opportunities, tips, info on clients and what is going on in the Proinsight team world.
Click the links below to head to our social pages.