So after eight delightful mystery shopping experiences, I was starting to think I was either being too nice or the agents all knew I was mystery shopping them. Then, I signed up to shop a guy named ‘Max’ Something.
The phone shop was a train wreck. When he answered, I thought I’d accidentally dialed a tow truck company instead of an apartment community based on the apathetic attitude of the guy on the other end. But, being the nice person that I am, I chalked it up to the possibility that the leasing agent was just having a bad day.
Then, I met him.
He still acted like someone had just shot his dog. Calling his attitude unenthusiastic would be an understatement. I tried with all my might to help him a little by being overly excited, but his attitude didn’t budge. When the conversation took a moderately decent turn, I started to worry that he was onto me as a mystery shopper, so I went into this lengthy story about how I was moving because my boyfriend and I broke up and a bunch other minutia… which by the way ended up ‘biting me’ later.
When I got back to my office, I wrote up the mystery shopping report, and I actually spent a good five minutes agonizing over whether or not I should send it in because I genuinely felt bad that I was giving someone such a bad review. But at one point he literally described the pool as “run-of-the-mill” and he let me in the model and just waited outside while I walked around. I knew his management company needed to know this was how guest traffic was being handled at this community or at least by this particular leasing professional. My four year old could have done better!
So I closed my eyes and pressed send on the report. Not three seconds later, I checked my Facebook account, and there in black and white, was a message from ‘Max’ Something – aka Skeeter. He had managed to stalk me on Facebook, and mustered the confidence to message me from his personal account. With no more charm than he had already proven capable – not to mention a string of typos – Skeeter was asking me on a date!
My takeaway – other than the obvious laughter every time I think back on my interaction with Skeeter – is what a great actor I am when I am mystery shopping. Me, just a regular gal, putting on a performance worthy of an Oscar apparently.
*All names have been changed to protect the innocent (or not so innocent – haha!).
Ever had anything like this happen to you when you were mystery shopping? I would love to hear your story!
-Lindley K