Putting the Pieces Together – Planning Your Mystery Shopping Day

So, you’ve made the wise decision to start earning money working from home as an apartment mystery shopper! Depending on where in the country you live, such as Wyoming, Tennessee or California, you may have access to a multitude of available apartment shops. This means you may end up having several shops you want to try to complete in one day to maximize your income, so you’ll need to know how to plan your day to effectively accomplish this goal.

First, you’ll want to make sure you know where you’re going for each of your shops and, if possible, plan your route to minimize travel time. It’s also vital to review the requirements for each shop to note any limitations on the hours a shop can be completed. Each company has different requirements and you may not get paid if you do not adhere to the special instructions for each shop.

Another helpful tip is to make sure to have a notebook in the car so you can jot down notes about each shop while the details are still fresh in your mind. Keep in mind that you would want to be sure you’ve left the premises of the apartment before writing notes or compiling other data; don’t do it in the apartment parking lot! If you’ve made any special notes about the shops after having completed the telephone calls (such as reminders about your shopper story, etc.), it would be a good idea to review those before walking in for the on-site meeting.

Finally, make sure your phone is charged and has space for photos. You’ll need to take pictures of the business card and other documents you are provided during your visit to upload as backup for the shop. Taking those photos and uploading them to the shop once you’ve left the premises will help ensure that documents don’t get mixed up with shops or lost.

The more organized you can be when planning your shopping day, the more effectively you’ll be able to complete shops and make the most money!

Is Mystery Shopping Worthwhile?

is mystery shopping worth itIt sure is worth it. When I started mystery shopping, my main concern was am I going to get paid and was the money worth the work? Well after several months in the business I would have to say it is worth it. What I did was take the amount of time it took me to complete a job and write up the report and then divide that amount of time by the dollar amount of pay and if it amounted to more than what I was making, then I knew for certain that it was worth it.

Let me ask you a few questions? What would you rather do? …wake up early to get ready, to almost finish breakfast and then fight traffic just to arrive minutes before you’re late at work so that the boss can give you that look, and now you have 8 more hours to go until you have to fight the traffic all over again just to get home late for dinner? Now you ask yourself: Is it worth it?

I would say give mystery shopping a try and at least if you don’t like it, then you are not obligated to stay here but I will tell you this. Beware if you do try it, you will love it because you are in control.

If you can follow some simple directions like that, you can be part of our team today! So is it really worth it? You bet your dollar it is. Get started today.

Qualify For Mystery Shopping

do you qualifyI believe you would make a great mystery shopper because you love to shop. Don’t you? Have you worked in customer service before and over the age of 18? Do you love to talk to people and have a fun time doing it? If you can build rapport with people quickly then you have what it takes to become a mystery shopper. We would love to have you aboard our team today.

Are you worried if there are enough places to mystery shop? Well let me tell you that there are a ton of mystery shops that are available for you to do. All we need is you.

Having worked from home for the last 6 years, I find that being a reliable employee is not all it takes to get recognition. How many of you can say that your boss is excited and satisfied about you working for them. Let’s be successful and here you can be successful, feel good about what you do and make a living.

I am reliable in doing the work that is given to me and happy to do so every day. This is a wonderful and rewarding career. I want you to take out the time right now and make a decision on your future. The next 30 seconds will be the most critical timing in your life.
Understand that working as a mystery shopper means being dependable and doing what I say I will do, on time and doing the task correctly. Aren’t you that person? I know that you are and I know that you will do a great job.

Is Mystery Shopping Really Important?

is mystery shopping importantMystery shopping is really important because it allows companies to see how their employees are reacting in certain situations, whether it be with customer service, how they deal with returns, or perhaps how they deal with a difficult or persistent customer.

Now ask yourself are you the one who could report on a good or bad experience? Can you tell the truth so that the customer service experience for someone else is better and improves?

If you said yes to any of these then you are the right person for the job. In knowing this, companies may have a better idea of how to train their employees and to better understand the needs of customers and be better equipped to handle any situation!

For those employees who are already doing an excellent job, mystery shopping can serve as a positive reinforcement and implement raises in employee salaries. Many employees may get rewarded by their company for the excellent customer service that they provide.

So do you want to help employees improve their evaluations and make more money? Well by serving as a mystery shopper you can do just that. Get ready for a new ride or vacation somewhere far.

Listen up let’s start making money now . Get started today. Fill out the application which is so easy and begin your new task. Are you ready to get started? Do you have what it takes? I believe in you so do you believe in yourself? Get started today!

Try Mystery Shopping. You will Like It!

try mystery shoppingMystery shopping is probably the most powerful and impactful way to gain data for business owners of many types in order to be able to make recommendations and improvements on their existing business so that they can keep and gain market share. Relatively speaking the idea is not anything new however it is now become a mainstream career for people like myself who have either lost their job or are in transition for another path of life. For many that path of life has been closed since the economy almost dropped in December of 2008.

Look around! When was the last time someone came knocking at your door to talk to you about an opportunity that you can do any day all day at almost any time that would allow you some freedom? You don’t even know right? Well I didn’t either until I found Mystery Shopping. For the last past 6 months I have had the pleasure of mystery shopping and I just love it. I am having a wonderful time and enjoying the free time that I have in between to spend with my children.

I can’t think of a better opportunity. If you are thinking about mystery shopping and the benefits of having the freedom that it gives; then you should try it. It will work wonders and you will never be happier than you are now.

So can I count on you today to start? Can I count on you to begin reaching your goals and dreams? Can I count on you to begin a new journey through life? If nothing at all utilize mystery shopping as a backup plan to reach your income goals.

Shop Pay Differential

shop pay differentialIt’s Monday morning and I open my email to discover I have over 20 job notifications posted there. I open the first and discover ABC Company has need of a shopper to check out and report on the registration process of a new home builder in Any Town, USA. Good! That’s just the kind of job I like. The details say the visit should not last more than 15 minutes. When I look closer I find the written report has about 25 questions and requires each answer is noted in the lengthy step by step narrative. Also, I need to provide an alias name and email address so I can track follow up. Well, the pay is $35. If it weren’t for the time involved in the travel to Any Town my hourly wage would be okay. I’ll keep this one in mind.

After checking a few other emails, some with jobs that pay as low as $3 for a phone call, I open the next and find XYZ Company is offering a new house shop, also in Any Town, USA. On this one I have to provide my alias information to XYZ Company before hand. They will assign me an alias phone number but they will track phone follow up while I will track email follow up. The details for the onsite portion are pretty much the same except I have a target and specific day to shop. The report consists of 10 questions, two of which require a short comment. NO NARRATIVE! The pay for this is only $30… but they offer a $15 travel allowance.

I shop frequently for each of these companies. Because I enjoy this type of role playing I will continue to work for each of them. However the difference in pay gives me cause to wonder. Does one charge the client more?
New home shops are not the only type shop where I find a substantial variation in payment for similar work. The pay for similar scenario bank shops varies widely as does shopping for new cars and apartments.

I also I also wonder why report requirements differ so much when shops I am doing, while for different agencies, are for the same client. I’ll save that discussion for another time.

How To Write Better Reports

How to Write Better ReportsWriting a great report for your mystery shop is critical for the client. A well written report should be clear, organized and a virtual replay of your experience. The client for which you are writing the report is relying upon this accuracy of information so that they can further provide training and feedback to their staff. The information you share about your experience is used to provide coaching, reward employees and enhance their performance on the job. In addition, the quality of work you provide in your report ensures your successful assignment for future assignments. Often schedulers are specifically looking for great shoppers to do that last minute urgent assignment and being able to depend on you and your writing creates a win-win solution for both you and the client.

There are many tips you might want to consider when writing your reports. When asked a yes or no question, always follow up by providing an explanation to your answer. Go beyond just stating yes or no. Offer the reader an explanation about why you responded yes/no. For example, if the question asked you whether or not you were thanked for visiting, answer such question with “yes, the sales associate thanked me for touring today, and asked what day and time I could return to complete an application.” To ensure that your commentary is concise, use description words that add value. Keep your comments objective and add value to your statements. For instance, “Sally was dressed in neat and professional attire. She wore a black skirt, white blouse, and nametag. Her hair, makeup, and nails were tastefully manicured and conservative.”

It is equally beneficial to the client when your comments help the client to imagine the setting for which you visited. Describe the experience so that they client will be able to view the experience as if she/he were there in person. The client wants to understand what areas might need to be improved upon to enhance the efficiency of their team. For example if you encountered an experience where you felt the associate was rude; don’t merely state, “she did not speak to me nicely and was rude.” A more helpful explanation might be, “When I arrived, Sally was on the phone. She appeared stressed and disorganized. Her desk was cluttered with numerous papers, there were three guests waiting to be seen. She was so busy that she was not able to make eye contact or greet me verbally with a friendly tone in her voice.” Help the reader understand the circumstance that made your interaction positive and/or negative. Any comments you make should be a recording of the facts surrounding your visit and they should be made in an objective manner.

Lastly, always spell check and proof your work for accuracy. When you leave your shop, always drive away from the location and park somewhere safe so you can make notes of your experience. Your accuracy for the story is critical and any falsification of the data that you provide could potentially eliminate you from being paid and receiving additional work in the future.

How A Great Close Can Open A New Door

a good close opens a new doorIt’s important to listen closely to closing techniques used by Leasing Professionals when you mystery apartment shop. Since this is such an important part of their job, make sure you report on the many “closes” they use, including assumptive, indirect, time-sensitive and direct closes.

The agent that uses a natural approach can be very smooth when essentially asking for your business; they may begin early in the presentation and use an assumptive close when referring to the apartment or certain features as “yours” when asking you for your opinion. When the Leasing Professional uses an indirect close he/she may ask you “yes”/”no” questions like, “Do you like the apartment?” or “Will this work for you?” Be sure to pay close attention; a time sensitive close may attempt to tell you there are just a few apartments available or there is a rent special or discount for a limited period of time and is meant to emphasize that you need to make a decision. And last but not leas(ed), you will most certainly be asked to complete an application or leave a deposit to lease the apartment; this is what is commonly known as a direct close.

When submitting your mystery apartment shop report, make sure you detail these closes in order for the agent to get full credit for their sales efforts. Remember, a Leasing Professional’s great close may open a door to a potential renter!

A Professional Image

proffesional imageThere are many attributes that create a professional image in the workplace. Whether you are wearing a suit and tie or dressing business casual, you can make the most of your wardrobe no matter the size. Online retailers as well as those found in indoor/outdoor malls always have suggestions found on mannequins and displays with suggested color combinations you may not have previously considered. You’ll love the compliments from your peers and others. The subject of dressing for success has been debated many times over the years as styles have changed. One thing the experts agree on is maximizing your wardrobe to the fullest extent; purchasing pieces that will mix and match on an everyday basis provides a fresh look each and every day when you venture out to face the world.

It’s easy to get into the habit of wearing the same clothing items on the same day every week. There’s one way to combat it though; start keeping track of what you wear and when. You can jot it down or make entries into your Smartphone, Tablet, PC or Laptop on a spreadsheet. It was especially helpful to me working in sales and visiting my clients on a weekly, semi-weekly or monthly basis. Once I put my plan into motion, I got results when people began to notice and complimented me on my versatile wardrobe. I rotated my suits, mixed and matched sport coats with dress slacks, shirts/ties, factored in time for my garments at the cleaners and before I knew it, my plan was working. I was perceived as not only being well-dressed, but successful. You can do it too, using any method you’d like!

Mystery Apartment Shopping is Educational

educational shoppingI became educated in Mystery Apartment Shopping through EPMS and they’re proven methods that work. My knowledge of mystery apartment shopping came in very handy when we decided to downsize and move to an apartment. I had a much better understanding of the process and it made our search much easier. As a shopper, I have a keen insight in regard to the Leasing Professional; if their job is performed properly, the potential renter gets the most out of their initial telephone call and on-site visit. When searching for an apartment home, specific needs must be clearly stated so the agent can spend vital time on matching needs to the community.

When mystery shopping I make my inquiries according to EPMS shop instructions and provide every opportunity for the Leasing Professional to respond. I watch for key signs and observe the agent walk me through the process of leasing the apartment. If you follow all the instructions and complete all sections of the report, your telephone call and onsite visit will tell a story. This input provides management companies the type of information they need to ensure their agents are following protocol and leasing apartments to potential renters that visit their communities.

Video/Audio mystery apartment shopping for EPMS adds a whole new dimension to the shop. The results are fantastic if you capture the entire picture and sound without drawing attention to what you are trying to accomplish. This is developed with practice, becoming familiar with your equipment and paying careful attention when you are learning the art of maintaining a good, clear picture of your subject no matter whether they are sitting or standing.