What are the basic requirements from a Mystery Shopper?
We all have our own preferences regarding the basics, but there are still some core requirements that will help you in sorting out your future assessors:
1. First and foremost: an active Internet connection. This may seem trivial to all you office dwellers, but it may not be to many of your reviewers. If you're out of the pen-and-paper era, then you must make sure that your reviewers have an accessible way to post their reviews results.
1.1 Although it comes as an inherent part of an Internet connection, there still is a place to state that there has to be at least some basic computer skills. They don't have to be Linux system administrators, but knowing how to manage themselves on a home PC is a must.
2. Commitment. Though this is a very general term, it includes giving descriptive information, paying attention to details, reading through the instructions (and YOU KNOW how important this part is...), performing a review when committing to it.
3. Intelligence.
So now...
Is there an easy way to see if we have the right person?
Just follow these simple steps, and you're home safe:
- Recruit your reviewers over the Internet. This way you can make sure that they (a) have an Internet connection, and (b) have the basic computer skills. This gives you a small bonus, when you already get an Email address.
- Give the new reviewers a very basic online course, which is usually a "Mystery Shopping 101" introduction course. It doesn't have to be longer than 2 web pages. A committed reviewer will go through the course.
- At the end of the course you can assign a virtual review to your newly recruited reviewers. Some of the questions in the questionnaire can be questions that ask about the course. A committed reviewer will go through the review. And an intelligent reviewer will answer the test correctly...
And in this case you get an added bonus: you get to review your shoppers' grammar and spelling, and give them their own personal grade that will help your system to automatically assign them for you.
Good luck with your new recruits!
Dotan Mazor