Mystery Shopping documentation

This document contains important information on mystery shopping

with Grass Roots.
Please read the following documentation carefully and answer the
questions on the test caster. You will be more likely to be assigned
mystery shops if you obtain a high score on the test caster.

Contents:
1. Introduction to mystery shopping
-

What is Mystery Shopping?

What is needed to be a good mystery shopper?
What will I do as a mystery shopper?
How will I know when mystery shops are available?
How will I apply for assignments?
Once accepted for a shop, how will I know what to do?
Do I need to complete a shop on a certain day/time?
How will I get paid?
Why wasnt I assigned a shop?
How can I increase my chances of being assigned a mystery shop?

2. Carrying out your mystery shop- what to do and what not

to do
3. Sample answers; good and bad comments

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Mystery Shopping documentation

Introduction to mystery shopping:

Frequently asked questions
1. What is mystery shopping?
It is a tool used by companies to measure their quality of service. A mystery shopper
poses as a typical customer and assesses the service they received when they entered a
store or spoke to a staff member over the phone.
Grass Roots do not employ mystery shoppers as spies; our aim is evaluate the
customer experience. If there is room for improvement we will improve it through
training and good service will be rewarded.

2. What is needed to be a good mystery shopper?

1. Be Objective report on what happened/ what was said and NOT on how you
felt about the visit (unless asked)
2. Have excellent written & spoken English
3. Be observant
4. Reliable
5. Honest
6. Timely: meet deadlines
7. Strong communication skills

3. What will I do as a mystery shopper?

A mystery shopper acts as a typical customer.
When you apply and are accepted for a visit(s) you will be given a questionnaire and
guidelines on what the visit entails.

Normal procedure after a shopper receives a confirmation email:

1. Guidelines and questionnaire (/Evaluation)
After receiving an acceptance email a shopper logs into their shop log where they read
and print guidelines and questionnaire
(link: www.grginspirations.ie and click on shopper log in)

2. Store visit
Shopper goes into the store and asks about a product (which we specify on the
guidelines)

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Mystery Shopping documentation

3. Shop Assessment
The shopper assesses staff performance, customer service and store tidiness and
cleanliness (questions on these topics will be included in the questionnaire)

4. Upon leaving the store

Shopper makes notes on their hard copy of the evaluation

5. Submitting the evaluation

On-line evaluation is submitted within 24hours of completing the visit from the
shoppers log.
6. Payment
Shopper gets paid within 2 weeks of the shop being reviewed. Payment is made by
cheque.

4. How will I know if Grass Roots have mystery shops available?

When mystery shops are available in your county we will send an email
This recruiting email will include details of:
- Start and deadline dates
- Type of mystery shop (retail/ financial / home ware etc)
- A brief synopsis on what the shop will entail
- Payment (and expenses amount if applicable)
OR
All available assignments will appear on the job board in your shop log. This may be
beneficial to check if you live near the border of another county or are travelling to
another part of Ireland. If shops outside your county of residence are convenient for
you to conduct then feel free to apply for those locations!
The job board icon appears at the top of your Shop log:

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Mystery Shopping documentation

5. How will I apply for a mystery shopping assignment(s)

There will be a list of locations at the bottom of the recruiting email.
Click on the locations you are interested and available in conducting within the time
scales allowed.
Only apply to those you can complete. For instance only apply for 5 if you are able
to complete all 5. If you only have time to complete 1 please only apply to one
location.

6. How will I know when the assignment needs to be done and

submitted?
The recruiting email will contain the following terminology:
Due Date: The final date the store can be visited
Submit Due Date: The Final date that the evaluation can be completed online. This is
usually 24 hours after the Due date.
Job start Date: First day the mystery shop can be started on.
Shoppers Pay: Fee we will pay per completed evaluation.
Expenses: Maximum expense that can be claimed (usually requires a purchase to be
made)

7. Once accepted for a mystery shop how will I know what to do?
Guidelines and an evaluation accompany all mystery shopping assignments. These
need to be read carefully as they detail what needs to be done when in the store. These
documents can be found on your shop log once you have received your acceptance
email.
The Grass Roots team is also on hand to answer any queries you may have.

8. Do I need to complete a mystery shop on a certain day/time?

Some clients require mystery shops to be conducted during their busy periods. We
will specify this in the recruiting email.
If you apply for the shop you are indicating that you can complete the shop on the
required day/ at a specific time and/or within the timescale allowed or on the day(s)
specified.
Failure to submit shops on or before the specified date can result in NONE or
REDUCED payment and/or deactivation from our system.
If you are unable to complete the shop within the timescale you need to notify
Grass Roots immediately and you wont be penalised.
We will then be able to reassign the shop.

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Mystery Shopping documentation

9. How will I get paid?

Once you have submitted your completed evaluation it is reviewed and finalized by
Grass Roots. We make payment twice a month by cheque. We send the cheque to the
address you supplied on your profile when you signed up to our on-line system.
You can view when payment has been made on your shop log. The paid date will
show alongside your completed evaluation(s)

10. I applied for a shop but wasnt assigned it, why not?
New shoppers: We allocate a percentage of new shoppers for every mystery shopping
project. Please be patient and we will endeavour to assign you a mystery shop.
Existing shoppers: Each project has limited mystery shops and unfortunately we can
not assign a mystery shop to everyone who applies. However by obtaining good
grades (8 or higher) and by completing work on time you will be more likely to be
assigned the shops that you apply for.

11. How can I increase my chances of being assigned mystery shops?

A) Complete the test caster and ESP (extended shopper profile). [The ESP flashed on
your shop log if it hasnt been filled out]
B) Obtain good marks (8 and higher)
C) Follow the guidelines supplied with every shop.
D) Meet deadlines

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Mystery Shopping documentation

2. Carrying out your mystery shop- what to do and what not

to do

Dos & Donts

Applying:
1. Apply for jobs you can conduct within the timescale permitted
2. Apply for scenarios you can fulfil (e.g. If the recruiting email specifies that
you need to have experience placing a bet then please do NOT apply for the
shop unless you know how to place a bet in a bookmakers.)
3. Apply for the locations you can complete. Do not apply for 4 locations if, in
reality, you can only complete one visit.
Before making the visit:
1. Confirm that you can do the shop by clicking on confirm button in your
shop log or replying to our acceptance email.
2. Print & Read the guidelines and evaluation
3. Ensure you know where you will be going- check the address.
4. If you are known to the store/ are friendly with a staff member please DO
NOT conduct the visit and DO contact Grass Roots immediately to let us
know
5. Get in touch with Grass Roots if you have any questions or need anything
clarified. DO NOT complete a visit if you dont understand it.
6. Remember that the information we give you is CONFIDENTIAL do not
discuss this with family, friends etc.
Visiting the store/location:
1. Bring a printed version of the evaluation with you but DO NOT have it on
show. Keep it in your bag/car- out of sight of staff
2. Act natural & interested throughout your visit. The main reason shoppers get
spotted is because they rush the query and/or seem disinterested
3. Never disclose that you are a mystery shopper. If you are ever asked just ask
the assistant what they mean and let Grass Roots know immediately.
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4. Follow the guidelines precisely and DO NOT over prompt.

5. Leave plenty of time to conduct the visit- DO NOT rush (or take too long).
6. Make notes when you leave the store, AWAY from staff & premises, this is
especially important if you have more than one shop to complete.
7. Note the name of the staff you spoke to, if you werent able to obtain it make
a note of their description.

Writing the evaluation on-line:

1. If you have more than one mystery shop to complete please ensure you are
filling up the correct evaluation: read the address on your shop log and
company name.
2. Save your work every 30minutes so you dont lose it.
3. It is VERY important that evaluations are completed objectively i.e. report on
fact rather than opinion.
4. Be honest but not opinionated. Evaluations are built around the clients ethos
it is NOT our job to tell them what we thought was right or wrong or should
have been done. The mystery shopper reports on what happens, not what they
thought about it.
5. DO NOT let a negative aspect of the visit impinge on every other aspect of
the visit. Read each question and answer it accordingly.
Example: often if shoppers arent acknowledged at the beginning of their visit,
or if staff are talking amongst themselves, this can be repeatedly commented
on throughout the evaluation. Do not over emphasise the point. Each section
deals with different issues and answers & comments should reflect this.
6. Do spell check comments and read over the evaluation before submitting it.
Ensure grammar, punctuation etc are correct.
Do not write all comments in CAPITALS.
7. Do write in the past tense.
8. Please keep your notes for at least 2 months in case clients come back with to
us with queries.

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3. Sample Comments: Good & Bad

Example 1
Q. What did the assistant say when they greeted you?
X Bad:
She greeted me casually which I thought wasnt friendly, i rather when staff say
hello and are polite. They should smile
Reason:
1. Does not tell us what the assistant said. Casually is open to interpretation
2. Opinionated the shopper tells us what they think should happen
3. Grammar no full stops/ comma when there should be full stop. Small i
instead of I
3 Good:

The assistant greeted me with eye contact in a polite and friendly manner. She
said hello and asked how she could help.
Reason:
1. Information is given on how the shopper was greeted and what was said.
2. Its written in Third party
3. Its not a direct quote, which is usually best.

Example 2
Q. Were staff well groomed and neatly presented?
X Bad:
No, one staff member was scuffy looking and her hair needed a brush. The colours
she was wearing clashed badly and would put anyone off shopping in this clothes
shop.
Reason:
1. The above comment does not stick to the facts.
2. It refers to one staff member only.
3 Good:
Most staff embers were well presented in shirts and trousers. However, the staff
member that dealt with me was not very neatly dressed. He was wearing black
trousers but his shirt was rather creased and the back was not tucked in.

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Example 3
Q. What did the assistant say in relation to the products?
X Bad:
The assistant didnt say a whole lot. He showed me one or two brands but didnt
say much about them. He didnt know much. I asked him what proce it was and he
had to check

Reason:
1. It is not informative
2. Does not stick to fact i.e. does not report what was said/done. The assistant
didnt say a whole lot: it would be better if the shopper included comments
on what information they were given rather than summarizing it.
3. We dont know what information was given. Therefore the client wont be
able to tell if it was correct or incorrect.
4. Comments were not spell checked.
3 Good:

I was told that X brand was the best as it would last longer than Y brand. There
was no other information forthcoming so I asked him how much they cost. He was
unable to tell me but sought the information from a colleague. He returned
promptly and informed me they were 15.99 and 24.99

Example 4
Q. Were you thanked at the end of the transaction?
X Bad:
No, I was not thanked at the end of the sale.
Reason:
1. It is not informative
2. Repeats back the question
3 Good:

The staff member didnt thank me. I was handed my change and receipt and the
transaction ended without an acknowledgement.

Confidential: for registered Grassroots mystery shoppers only