Shopping interactions
I’m pretty sure everybody played shopping in their childhood. I myself certainly enjoyed it: I had a cash register, some toy money, I drew price labels, even had my shop’s name; my family and my dolls were the customers and I sold as many things as I could. When my little brother became older, he joined me and I finally could play the part of the customer (until then, nobody had been allowed to play the part
of the vendor, only me of course). As I remember, this was my favourite game (along with playing archaeologist). The most important thing in playing a seller was that I could ask my customers what they needed, and then I could get them what they asked for. When they had questions, I answered them and helped them – actually this was the most satisfying part.
This urge to help others has always played an important part in my everyday life, and has been an integral part of my personality – although it always appeared in some other way. For instance soon after I started to study about ancient languages and cultures, I became a member of the Student’s Union helping the students and worked for them for 3 years. Later I had 3 jobs at Call Centers of different companies, and the best thing was that I could solve other people’s problems and in this way I could improve their lives a bit.
I know it’s not like giving food and shelter to those in need, or cure people,
but I think everybody can find their way to help people around them. If you find a way to change your life for the better, then you can also have an impact on other people’s lives. Lead with example: evaluate, make changes and enjoy the results. This is exactly how mystery shopping works: you can have an impact on customer experience, which can then bring an additional plus into other people’s lives.
Let’s take shopping for example. If you are a customer and there is a situation, it’s not enough to ask the shop assistant for help. When he/she solved your problem, you can give them feedback: either positive or negative (if you are not satisfied with the service). This way the assistant (and the manager) will know whether they did a good job or not. Feedback is important – so don’t be afraid to use the Guestbook; don’t be afraid to communicate your disappointment or to say thank you for the help you got, either!
Such an attitude can be useful in many situations:
- when you have to call a customer service
- when you are having a repairman in your home
- with the waiter, taxi driver
- at PTA meetings with your kid’s school teacher
- when you have an appointment with your doctor
- with the delivery guy or the website you ordered your stuff from
- even at your workplace with your colleagues/employees/superiors
- or if somebody does a favour for you.
On the other hand, when you are an assistant and a customer comes to you asking for help: after you solved their problem and helped them, you can ask for their feedback, too – either directly or indirectly. This way, the customer will be even more satisfied with the service, and your boss will be more satisfied with your work as well. ;)
By getting used to giving feedback, we can implement mystery shopping in our everyday lives even if it’s about such tiny little things. After all, everybody is an Evaluator in some way. :)
Author: Adrienne 
Adrienne is a guest blogger of BARE International. She is interested in many things: from playing music, riding horses, to reading ancient texts in their originally written languages. Basically she never gets bored.
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