Mystery Shopping Archives - Page 4 of 4 - BARE International Europe

Interview with a true expert – combining the love of cars with mystery shopping

Gábor started working for BARE International in 2012 in the Budapest office. He is very much dedicated towards the automotive projects, so it is no wonder he is dealing with a lot of projects from this industry.

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You work for a mystery shopping company – have you ever done any kind of mystery visits?

Before coming to work for BARE, I used to be an official mystery shopper, and by the time I joined the team, I had already learnt a few things about the industry. Actually I had always been asking the colleagues if they had any open positions, because I was more than interested to working for BARE.
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How about the automotive projects?

At that time, especially in Hungary there weren’t many automotive industry-related projects, but I could join in working on ones that were running in other countries. Since then, there have been a lot of changes in this region.
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During your mystery shopping career did you encounter any kind of interesting or disturbing situations?

As an employee of BARE International, I keep telling our Evaluators to try to avoid mistakes like the ones I did during my first visit. I walked into a dealership. It was a simple walk-in visit, with no need to ask for an appointment in advance from the consultant. So I arrived at the place, and the sales consultant just said to me that he was sorry but I had to come back on another day because there was an exhibition he needed to leave for.
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Could you finish the visit?

Yes I could, but the only question he asked me was: have you decided to buy the car or not? And I was facing with the very hard situation of not knowing what to do, because we had a 10 minutes’ conversation instead of an hour.
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What do you think about mystery visits in general?

It can be a very good training for you to see how you can act in different situations. It is not about being an enemy of the sales assistant or the brand as a mystery evaluator; instead, you are helping with the brand with your insights in order to provide an even better customer service.

I enjoy being there to learn and help, and I also like the challenge that I need to pay attention to lots of things at the same time. Then it is again to improve my skills. I also get feedback on my mistakes in the report. And last but not least, you can earn money with mystery shopping. So, why not?

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This is definitely a huge a benefit. Do you have a favourite role you particularly enjoyed playing?

Well, I’m not telling this because I work with automotive projects, but of course, these kinds of visits are my favourites. Why? Because you don’t buy a new car every day. It is a good thing that you can just act as if you were going to buy a car or get a whole fleet for your business. Trying out brand new cars, driving them, and learning about newer and newer tech solutions is really exciting. Besides I really enjoy roleplaying, which can make you act more confidently. And the cherry on the top is to earn money while doing so. Actually, I just did one yesterday.
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Oh, that’s why I couldn’t reach you! Nice! – Do you have any advice for our evaluators?

Yes, my first advice would be just to behave totally normally, there is no need to be stressed, you are in control; just be yourself. Act as if you wanted to buy the product or service. And of course the most important thing is to be truly familiar with the Guidelines, because without that, you will have no idea about the mission. It is not a good feeling if you for example need a proof of visit, but you just forgot to take a picture of the dealership on the spot and because of this, your report is not accepted. It is really frustrating, and I know the feeling.
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Author: Anita @AnitaKocsis910

Anita is an employee of Bare International. Besides her work, she loves doing yoga, dancing, running, travelling and reading – which is why she often wonders how would it be possible to fit one or two more hobbies into her schedule. Her love for the automotive industry came from the passion for innovations and technology. She has a master’s degree in International Economics and Business.
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Interested in becoming an Automotive Evaluator with BARE International?

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Want to be a guest blogger for BARE’s Automotive community We Are Cars?

Apply to: akocsis@bareinternational.com

October 13, 2016

Press Releases

Mystery Evaluator Meetup in Budapest

Bare International held a Mystery Evaluator Meetup in its Budapest office in May. Therefore we would like to thank all the Evaluators who participated, for taking the time to give us the opportunity to get to know you much better.

There are more important things in life than coffee. But not right now.

Let’s talk about one of the most important topics in the world. The very substance that will get you through your working day and back home again: coffee! More specifically, let me introduce to you the exclusive Swiss coffee brand that uses coffee capsules instead of coffee beans but still offers a great taste. Not yet convinced? Ask any coffee drinker or read my blog message below.

They have been one of our longest and most cherished clients, and over the past few years we’ve indulged in all kinds of projects with them, ranging from recorded customer service calls to visits to their exclusive stores to big multimedia store visits. Their purpose has always been to evaluate the customer service; the friendliness, professionalism and knowledge of the coffee specialist regarding the brand and the coffee industry in general; as well as, in case of mystery visits in electronics stores, to analyse the visibility of the brand compared to its competitors.

Out of these three projects, let us have a look at our most popular channel, the calls, which can be grouped into two scenarios: New Member and Technical. Either the evaluator is asked to subscribe as a brand new member or the idea is to simulate a technical problem with the coffee machine, in order to find out how the coffee specialist would solve it.

Now let us have a look at what they have to offer their loyal customers. You will find that their arrangement of espressos, lungos and ristrettos has been ever-expanding, including various flavours, ranging from low to high intensity. A range of decaffeinated capsules ensures that you can even enjoy a cup of coffee in the evening, without having to lie awake in bed all night. Their limited editions range from all over the world, from Mexico to Peru to Rwanda. Doesn’t that sound lovely?

Several kinds of machines give the customer the opportunity to drink their coffee in any way they want, as some of them are equipped with a milk frother for a wide range of coffee recipes such as the old-time classic, the cappuccino, or a delicious macchiato.

Our mystery calls and shops are the ideal way to discover the wonderful world that is coffee. It might also be a good idea to have a coffee before setting out on a mystery adventure for any of our other clients, so that you won’t fall asleep. And it definitely beats having some beers or a bottle of wine before having a test drive at a car dealership.

Author: Gert

Gert specialties are any coffee-related projects as well as reports in Dutch, French and English. In his free time he writes novels, plays and poems, and performs spoken word all over Flanders and the Netherlands. He also loves travelling, listening to music and going to concerts. He has a Master in Applied Linguistics and one in Modern Literature.

Interested in becoming an Evaluator with BARE International?

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Want to be a guest blogger for BARE’s Mystery Evaluator’s Community?

Apply to: akocsis@bareinternational.com

June 2, 2016

Uncategorized

Rent a car and drive around in Azerbaijan

I have recently travelled to Azerbaijan for a week. There are not that many options to rent a car, you can find big international companies with small cars, medium sedans or SUVs or doubious local companies, with various cars in various shapes. It would have been possible to rent a Ferrari, but for our purposes (and budget) that was not the best option. We sticked to one of the big international companies and chose a small sedan.

Most of the cars in Azerbaijan are automatic, even the newer russian Ladas. That’s good in Baku, however not on the highways and other roads. Especially if you want to have more control, or some fun.

Our small sedan was automatic as well, had a not working radio, air-con and later on a puncture…. But after all we cannot complain, it has brought us to places, where we mostly saw SUVs on the roads. And he can’t complain either – no new scratches, only the bumpy roads.

The roads of the ’Country of fire’

The roads: that was my main worry beforehand. I was positively surprised by some, and not very happy with others. The highways differ hugely regarding their quality. On the other hand some ordinary roads are extremely smooth and beautiful to ride along. It was the joy of driving as far as possible with a small automatic sedan.

During your drive you have to be extremely careful with potholes, cows, sheep, chicken, other drivers, speed cameras (hopefully it worked) and policemen. No wonder, that 1200 kms in three days exhausts a driver. The beautiful landscape helps a lot – as far as not the outskisrts of Baku are concerned, where you can only find oil pumps everywhere.

Gas prices

Well, what do you expect in a country, where it comes right out of the earth? No. It was even cheaper than what you were just thinking. About 0.5 € / liter for 92, and about 0.6 € / liter for 95. So fuel economy is not really a concern – the situation in Baku shows this clearly. The city of traffic jams and huge cars.

Mystery visits in Azerbaijan

Hospitality visits are available in Baku, I myself almost performed one as well. The service is very kind generally, though suffers from some minor issues (neither English nor Russian is understood everywhere), but the locals really make up for those in friendliness.

All in all it was a nice holiday, for everyone, who’s budget is not that thight, I would still recommend to rent an SUV – preferably with a driver. It will make your holidays way more relaxed.

Author: Ákos

Ákos is a full-time employee of Bare International.
He works as a scheduler for Switzerland and is a member in the Social media team. He likes travelling, cars, and craft beers. He has a diploma in German Literature and a Master’s Degree in International Relations. Besides English and German, he is trying to master French and speaks Norwegian reasonably well.

Interested in becoming an Automotive Evaluator with BARE International?

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Want to be a guest blogger for BARE’s Automotive community We Are Cars?

Apply to: akocsis@bareinternational.com

June 2, 2016

When shopping becomes a mystery

Many of us already had the experience of going out the door to do “some” shopping but ending up with half of the bank account empty. But did you now that some people are actually paid by a company to go shopping? In that case, they all of a sudden get the label of “Mystery Evaluator”. Of course there is more to it. These shoppers then become secret agents of what is called “Mystery Customer Research”.

Now, what exactly is this taboo called Mystery Customer Research? Mystery Customer Research is a simple act of shopping where everyday people with an eye for detail go shopping, go to a restaurant or take an airplane, while they actually get paid to do this! These “undercover shopaholics” then fill in a questionnaire evaluating the service they had been given. This way they help companies obtain valuable information concerning their own services, enabling them to improve customer satisfaction, and consequently increasing profits.

So what does Mystery Shopping exactly look like?

Tom Johnsson goes to a fast-food chain. On his way over, he pays attention to whether there are street signs guiding him to the restaurant he is looking for. Once he gets there:

He checks whether the restaurant and its employees are clean and not too smelly.
He also focuses on the time spent queuing.
Once he gets to order his meal, Tom observes whether the cashier is friendly and helpful.
When he takes his first bite, he must try not to lose himself in the delicious taste of his fast-food hamburger.
After he gets home he has to fill in his questionnaire with every single little detail of the visit.

However, Tom is happy to have his burger for free, and the fast-food chain will be pleased as well when the questionnaire is filled in correctly. This scenario will be repeated by many shoppers, in multiple restaurants of the chain, during a period that can vary depending on the desires of the brand in question. The overall evaluation will enable them to look for solutions as how to do better on both general and shop level.

It goes without saying that there is more than mystery shopping alone. Sometimes the evaluator is only asked

To make a phone call,
To act as future client, or
To give feedback to the salesperson after the mystery evaluation is performed.

But the aim of all this will remain the same: to improve customer satisfaction. Either you are a Mystery Evaluator or a normal person with no secret life, I’m sure you would like the extra spending money or getting nice products for free. If you simply want to enjoy the experience as a Mystery Evaluator, then this is your chance to try it out.

Author: Annelore

Annelore has been an employee of Bare International since September 2011 and is based in the Antwerp Office. She has a Master’s degree in English & Spanish literature & linguistics and a Master’s in Management. She likes discovering new places, travelling, reading and going out with friends to enjoy some very good (Belgian) beers.

Interested in becoming an Evaluator with BARE International?

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Want to be a guest blogger for BARE’s Mystery Evaluator’s Community?

Apply to: akocsis@bareinternational.com

May 17, 2016

Purchasing a new car – Allow us to help you

The purchase of a car can get pretty expensive if you’re not careful. So in order to avoid spending too much money, it might be worth spending some time to prepare properly.

What kind of car: New or Second-hand?

The first choice that needs to be made is whether you are looking to buy a brand new car, or are more interested in one that has already been used. The first category has the clear advantage of being still shining new and without any risk of improper use by previous owners – whereas a second-hand car will mainly benefit from a lower price to be paid. These can be vehicles that were used for a short while by a dealership or for an undefined time by companies or private buyers, but they can also be leased cars and so on.

As going through all the pros and cons of these subdivisions would take too much time and writing space, I will focus on the first category: What should you keep in mind when going for a brand new car?

Find out what the best time is to buy

No matter in which month you decide to visit your local dealership, there will always be a little extra that the salesperson can offer you to convince you of buying your car there. However, don’t just bite because they are throwing you a little fish, knowing that in other periods you might be able to reel in a whale. The best time to buy will be influenced by several factors, such as the end of the (financial) year or the launch of a new model, as bigger discounts are often offered then to reach the quota or to get rid of the older versions. So it’s worthwhile to pay attention to these periods. Another typical time of the year for more interesting discounts is the month in which a motor show is being organized – which leads us straight to the next point.

Visit a motor show

Visiting a motor show will not only give you the opportunity to discover the discounts offered by the different brands, the variety of cars can also give you extra ideas and will show you the newest options. There is always the chance that you see a car that you hadn’t taken into account before, and even if that isn’t the case, then certainly you will notice some interesting options / accessories that you would like to have in your future vehicle, too.

Visit a dealership

Even if the brand itself already offers a national discount, this doesn’t necessarily mean that this is the bottom price. Local dealerships can often offer an additional discount. Talk to the sales advisors; see what they can offer you, and listen to what they can recommend you (obviously it is up to you to decide whether you actually need those recommendations). Also, when you are interested in a specific car, ask if you can take it for a test drive. Buying something of this price range shouldn’t be a strictly rational decision, you should also find out what feelings it gives you. Looks and numbers surely play their part, but to have a really good match, your newest conquest should also be able to put a smile on your face – even after a long day in the office or when fighting that hangover from the night before.

Do some mystery shopping

Absolutely. I can also recommend a fair bit of mystery shopping!

Purchasing a new car is something that most people don’t do very frequently, so a bit of mystery shopping practice will make sure that you don’t get too rusty (+ it will put some extra money on your bank account, which is not bad either). And, as a matter of fact, BARE International offers mystery shops for various car brands, in a nice variety of scenarios. You can:

Visit a dealership to achieve the best possible offer for a specific model.
Ask the sales advisor during a visit whether a type of car can be sold to you as new or pre-owned only.
Observe how you are offered assistance at your local dealership, while inquiring about a specific car model (and possibly taking the car of your dreams for a test drive while you’re at it).
Call / email / chat with the customer service, asking for more information with regards to specific car terms, engine types, warranty, etc.
Call a dealership to evaluate the assistance while scheduling an appointment for a periodic check-up.
Find out how quickly you are helped when requesting a test drive online.
… (To be continued, as new scenarios pop up frequently).

Final checklist

So, when you are planning on purchasing a new car, be sure to do it properly: Do some research on when you would get the best value for your money. Expand your view and stay up-to-date by checking the websites of all the car brands you know; or easier, try to visit a motor show. Pay a visit to a dealership in your neighbourhood, or – preferably – to dealerships of different brands. Find out what each of them has to offer you, and don’t be afraid to share this information with the sales advisors of the competing brands. If they notice that you are looking around, they might try to make their offer even more interesting to you.

And yes, practice makes perfect: If you are looking for some bonus money to have that satellite navigation or those fancy decorations installed in your car, or just want to find out what CVT means, which engine type you should go for and what the average discount is that dealerships can offer, then be sure to have a good look at your Job Board and check out the available car evaluations.

Well, now that you are ready to go, there’s only one advice left: Have fun!

Author: Davy

Davy is active in the BARE International office in Antwerp. He has a Master’s degree in Multilingual Communication, and can get himself understood properly in 5 languages. Professionally he’s mostly busy with cars and wireless speakers, topics he’s fond of in his private life as well – apart from other hobbies, such as travelling, cooking, cycling and football.

Interested in becoming an Automotive Evaluator with BARE International?

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Want to be a guest blogger for BARE’s Automotive community We Are Cars?

Apply to: akocsis@bareinternational.com

April 21, 2016

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Automotive projects in Switzerland

Being a bit of a petrolhead myself, I really enjoy getting deeper into our automotive projects in Switzerland and working with the Social Media team on improving the “We Are Cars” site.

’The dealer gave me such a good price on the car that I seriously thought about buying it. But because of the birth of my granddaughter I knew I would need a 5-seater, so I decided against it, eventually’ – said a Bare Evaluator during the Evaluator Day in 2014, in Geneva. He referred to a luxury saloon.

‘We loved that project… when does it return?’ – echoed another comment.

Being my first project – and probably the most challenging one ever since – I can still very well remember the details.

In some other cases, we sent Evaluators to the most beautiful parts of Switzerland – just driving there must be fun already. In addition, we also paid a travel fee for those locations.

Why do we ask certain questions in our system?

When a project gets posted on the job board, we ask questions – like: “When could you perform this visit? / Do you have a driving license? / Do you have a certain type of car? “

We ask these questions (just like the ones in the Extended Evaluator Profile) in order to tailor our offers to you. By answering these, you give us the opportunity to get to know you better.

What automotive projects are going on in Switzerland?

There are usually plenty of choices, from premium / luxury car visits to utility vehicles. It varies from project to project if a test drive is required – that’s a great opportunity for car lovers to try magnificent cars and earn money while having some fun. Of course it’s not always about expensive cars, but nevertheless you have the chance to experience the newest gimmicks in brand new cars. Don’t hesitate to contact me, in case you want to know more!

What if I don’t like cars or don’t have a driving license?

For some of the automotive projects, no license is required. I mean the mystery visits without a test drive in general.

Furthermore we have many different projects going on in different parts of the country, in different industries, such as cosmetics, jewellery, fashion, design – and many more. You can find out more via your job board or by contacting me. Of course in case of other countries, you have other schedulers, many of them much more experienced than me.

What are the most problematic points?

Always read the Guidelines – everything is included. If not, or you need further information then give us a call, or Skype us. You can also write an email. We are here to make your lives easier. It’s always better to ask beforehand than risk making a mistake – we reach out to you and even go those extra miles, but we are not able to do miracles. We’re trying hard to acquire that talent, but have yet to succeed.

In some cases, there is a specific model you need to ask for, or a given configuration. Always stick to these, if not stated otherwise.

Show genuine interest, and be open towards the suggestions of salesperson – you are about to pay lots of money for a vehicle (at least according to your role) – you need to show you’re taking it seriously. Never mind that it’s only a roleplay. Enjoy the smell of a brand new car, listen to the roar of the engine and feel the freedom. You are, after all, our Secret Agent out on a mission.

Is BARE International reliable?

Yes. We try to sort out all upcoming issues as soon as possible – even if sometimes Resource Managers are less almighty than you might think. Still, we always try our best to help you. So don’t hesitate to become and Evaluator and gain new experiences!

Author: Ákos

Ákos is a full-time employee of Bare International.
He works as a scheduler for Switzerland and is a member in the Social media team. He likes travelling, cars, and craft beers. He has a diploma in German Literature and a Master’s Degree in International Relations. Besides English and German, he is trying to master French and speaks Norwegian reasonably well.

Interested in becoming an Automotive Evaluator with BARE International?

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Want to be a guest blogger for BARE’s Automotive community We Are Cars?

Apply to: akocsis@bareinternational.com

April 8, 2016

Blog Europe

Mystery Shopping mistakes you should avoid at all costs

“Oh, sorry, I just lost my wig” – As a Mystery Evaluator, have you ever been in a situation like this? This story is about a guy called Sam, who is actually pretty nice, but needs to improve a bit. Obviously his name is fictional, but the scripts were written by Life.

The hilarious story of a Mystery Evaluator

Once upon a time there was a Mystery Evaluator who wanted to become the best of all. As you might think this wasn’t going so well at first. Let’s see some of our protagonist’s encounters.

The Mystery Visit – always check your job board and never reveal yourself

Resource Mgr.	“Hello, Bare International, how can I help you?”
Sam	“Hi, this is Sam. I signed up last week and already did the mystery visit, but I can’t see it on my job board at all.”
Resource Mgr.	“Hi Sam. Sorry, I can’t see that job offer either. Did you get a notification email that we effectively assigned the visit to you?”
Sam	“Uh… no… yes! I think I got that.”
Resource Mgr.	“Are you sure? That’s funny, because I just gave that one to another Evaluator…”
Sam	“Wait, does that mean I don’t get paid?”
Resource Mgr.	“Well, in this case this job offer was never assigned to you, therefore we cannot pay you for something we didn’t ask you to do. So the answer is Yes.”
Sam	But I did everything perfectly; I even wore a wig!”
Resource Mgr.	Sorry for the misunderstanding… Hold on, you wore a wig?
Sam	Yes, a wig. Long. Black. Wig.
Resource Mgr.	Do you usually wear a wig?
Sam	Don’t misunderstand me I have my hair… probably that’s why the wig fell off.
Resource Mgr.	Was that before or after the visit?
Sam	During the visit.
Resource Mgr.	You lost your wig during a mystery evaluation?
Sam	But I was smart enough not to emphasise that I was a Mystery Evaluator.

After the first shock, both the Resource Manager and Sam agreed to start over and properly assign another visit to him. Sam received the confirmation email this time and he performed his first, real, approved visit. Everything went well until one day the visit required a proof of some sort. In this case this was a photo that had to be taken inside the shop where the brand logo was visible – easy, right? What can possibly go wrong during a mystery visit?

Resource Mgr.	Hi Sam, this is me, your favourite Resource Manager. I’m calling you because there is an issue with the photo you sent.
Sam	Hi. What problem? I sent you the picture…
Resource Mgr.	You sent us two pictures. One is with you and a shop assistant in the shop…
Sam	Yes, that was funny.
Resource Mgr.	Indeed, but we cannot see any logo in the picture – and it is not necessary to take a selfie with the staff, it sounds suspicious anyway.
Sam	Ok, but there is another picture, right?
Resource Mgr.	Now, that one is too small. We cannot see the logo or anything for that matter. Can you please send us another picture with a higher resolution?
Sam	Oh… I can’t.
Resource Mgr.	Why not?
Sam	I shot that picture with my laptop.
Resource Mgr.	Your laptop’s camera? With the one in the front? The little one?
Sam	Yes.
Resource Mgr.	Just for the sake of creativity?
Sam	By the time I finished the visit to take the picture of the logo, my phone’s battery died. But I still had my laptop with me.
Resource Mgr.	Hmm… next time just make sure your phone is charged.
Sam	So, next time should I take a picture before the visit?
Resource Mgr.	If you want to be revealed as a Mystery Evaluator then yes; in any other case just don’t.

Poor Sam sometimes really felt that mystery shopping was not for him, but the bright side of the story is that he never gave up. Neither should you. This is the end of Sam’s story this time, but I’m sure that many more stories are about to come. Just remember: if you don’t need a wig on a daily basis, then leave it at home. It’s best for the wig, for you, and for your Resource Manager as well.

Author: Anita @AnitaKocsis910

Anita is an employee of Bare International. Besides her work
at the Social Media and Recruitment team, she loves doing yoga,
travelling and reading. Her love for the automotive industry came
from the passion for innovations and technology. She has a master’s
degree in International Economics and Business.

Interested in becoming an Evaluator with BARE International?

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Want to be a guest blogger for BARE’s Mystery Evaluator’s Community?

Apply to: akocsis@bareinternational.com

April 7, 2016

Blog Europe

How I became a Mystery Evaluator

A few years ago I was surfing on the internet when I saw the ad: „Get paid for shopping.”
Hahaha! Could it sound more like a scam? I am not falling for this. Or am I?

It somehow still made me thinking… Well, I heard about this guy who does mystery shopping and he never complained. Checking out the company’s website won’t hurt. I started exploring the page…
I saw logos of prestigious clients, I even discovered some brands I liked. I remembered, last time I went to that shop, the salesperson was really rude and I had the feeling I was ruining her life by asking for a smaller size of that shirt. How funny it would be to go to that very same shop and leave feedback about her. I will register.

What? Why on earth do they have to know how tall I am?
Later a friend told me that her boyfriend had registered for a mystery shopping company. They called him to offer him a mystery visit including a test drive with one of the world’s smallest car. They asked him how tall he was. After he said he was 1.92, the agent kindly apologized for having called him. He would not even fit in the tiny car.

And also my bank account number?
OK, they have to pay me somehow. I guess if it is only the account number, not the credit card number and my PIN, it is pretty safe. After I registered, I was checking my job-board regularly, but there were mostly visits which required owning a car, so I didn’t apply for any of them. As a funny twist in life, I came across another mystery shopping company when I was looking for a job. BARE International hired me as a recruiter. My job is to look for people in several countries, who are interested in doing mystery visits. I thought it would be beneficial to try mystery shopping, so that I can answer the people’s question and I know exactly what I am offering them

Mystery shopping, here I come! But how is it all done?
How could I learn it? I am so confused…oh, there is an online training! Sounds good. I went through the slides and the test, I have to admit it took a lot of time and I wanted to give up at some point. But I remembered, every time we start something new, we have to invest time and energy into learning it.

I visited my job-board and found some mystery calls.
Before the visit I had to read the long guidelines but at least I was confident on what to do while on the phone. When I finally dialed the call center, my knees were shaking like jelly and I thought they knew instantly that I was a mystery shopper. I was shivering and stuttering. It took at least 5 minutes to feel normal again. I will never forget that rush of adrenalin in my body. Fortunately, the customer service representative on a the other end of the line was doing a very decent job and I was happy to leave a feedback about him in the online questionnaire. I hope his boss will read it and he will get promoted! Since then I have done several mystery calls. Sometimes it was a pleasant experience.

Yet, other times I received terrible customer service.
First I felt very bad reporting about it in the questionnaire. I felt like I betrayed the customer service representative. But I developed this theory, that if they do not have the necessary communication skills and inner motivation to behave recpectfully with the customers, they should change jobs and do something they really like.

I can say that including the good and bad aspects, I became a fan of mystery shopping.
I like the adrenaline rush, when I start an assignment. I appreciate working in such a „green industry”. There is no production, no printing, everything goes online. Last but not least I like the moment when I receive the notification that my shop fee was transferred to my account. Some say the payment is low, but usually it’s enough to cover a good dinner in a restaurant. Money best spent.

Author: Szintia

Szintia is an employee of Bare International.
Besides her work in the Social Media and Recruitment team, she loves sports, travelling, and she is learning her 6^th language. She is a Couchsurfer. She has a master’s degree in Strategic HR Management and she is a professional pastry chef.

Interested in becoming an Evaluator with BARE International?

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Want to be a guest blogger for BARE’s Mystery Evaluator’s Community?

Apply to: akocsis@bareinternational.com

February 16, 2016

How can Mystery Shopping change the way you look at life?

I started working in the mystery shopping industry for BARE International in 2015.
BARE International is one of the market-leading companies providing mystery customer research and auditing services at a national and global level. A mystery evaluator is a freelancer who goes to specific shops pretending to be a regular customer whilst keeping an eye on all details, because after the store visit they have to answer questions about the customer service.

As a newcomer at the company I wanted to learn as much as possible.
I was curiously asking my colleagues about their positions and responsibilities. One key account manager told me that she was the main point of contact for the clients: she mapped their needs; she helped them set up the group of questions that mystery customers would have to answer, and reported the results to the clients.

Some clients need help in setting up the questions?
It fully surprised me. I have to admit I have full respect for our clients: they realized the importance of customer satisfaction, they are ready to get feedback and they are even paying for it.
But how can one ask for feedback if one is not even sure what he or she wants to know? It made me think…

There can be a parallel drawn between customer satisfaction and life satisfaction.
I work in an industry where we sell feedback to clients who ask for it. These companies have a healthy level of self-criticism to hear an honest opinion about the customer service they provide. They are ready to hear it. They are keen on improving.

Are we ready to receive a detailed feedback about our lives?
We don’t necessarily have to ask others to provide it in the first place. Mystery evaluation made me realize that the most important thing is to be able to set up our questionnaire and to be aware of what the most crucial things are for us to be satisfied. I think my questions would be: Do I spend enough time with the ones I love? Do I keep travelling? Is there enough music and sport in my life? Am I in a good mood on Monday mornings? Can I be proud of my professional and private life achievements when I look back to past years? The list is much longer of course, and will be changing constantly during the course of my life.

What questions would you ask yourself?
Have you thought about them yet?
Are you ready to give yourself feedback?

Author: Szintia

Szintia is an employee of Bare International.
Besides her work in the Social Media and Recruitment team, she loves sports, travelling, and she is learning her 6^th language. She is a Couchsurfer. She has a master’s degree in Strategic HR Management and she is a professional pastry chef.

Interested in becoming an Evaluator with BARE International?

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Apply to: akocsis@bareinternational.com

February 4, 2016

Tag Archive for: Mystery Shopping

Interview with a true expert – combining the love of cars with mystery shopping

Mystery Evaluator Meetup in Budapest

There are more important things in life than coffee. But not right now.

Rent a car and drive around in Azerbaijan

When shopping becomes a mystery

Purchasing a new car – Allow us to help you

Automotive projects in Switzerland

Mystery Shopping mistakes you should avoid at all costs

How I became a Mystery Evaluator

How can Mystery Shopping change the way you look at life?

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