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Guide to Mystery Shopping
V201601 Hoed Research Shopper Guidelines 2
1. Mystery Shopping
Mystery Shopping is an effective objective technique for gathering information to answer
such questions as:
How good is the service my staff offer customers?
Are my staff training programs having the planned effect?
What customer service problems exist?
How do I compare with my competitors?
The Mystery Shopping process
Clearly defined instructions and questionnaires will be provided to you when you have
accepted an Assignment.
Let’s get some basic terminology out of the way.
An ASSIGNMENT is a single piece of work you do for us. ASSIGNMENT details are included in
a JOB PACK that defines the assignment. The JOB PACK contains the QUESTIONNAIRE (survey
you are to answer) and the JOB BRIEF – JOB INSTRUCTIONS & SCENARIO (i.e how to do the
job).
How mystery shopping works? A Mystery Shopper will visit or contact a client's business to
make an enquiry about a product or service. Observations can be made in regards to
acknowledgement and greeting given by the staff member; selling technique; product
recommendations; up-selling and farewell. The Mystery Shopper may also records additional
observations on store presentation; cleanliness; staff presentation and behaviour.
The observations must be objective and factual i.e. we are not after your personal opinion or
emotional responses - the responses must reflect the questions being asked in the survey
and the actual events that took place.
The client's staff must not know an Assignment is taking place to ensure that you receive
the same service as any other shopper.
The Mystery Shopper completes the Questionnaire online. The Questionnaire is quality
controlled by Hoed Research where it is then sent to the client.
Ensure that the responses you have typed in your survey are correct and review any
comments for spelling or grammatical errors. Use the spell check at the bottom of your
page to assist in the checking process. Each report is given a rating of out 10 based on the
quality of the responses entered.
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Hoed Research will provide feedback on your performance. However, continuous failure
to submit good quality work could result in you being terminated as a mystery shopper.
2. Your Responsibility
Mystery Shopper reports form an important part of client staff training, so it is essential that
your Questionnaire responses are very accurate and objective.
Instructions differ between clients and may change from month to month. You should
completely read and understand these instructions for every assignment completed.
Note: If instructions are not followed correctly you may not be paid if the job results in a re-
shop or is rejected by the client.
The information you write on every Questionnaire is quality checked by Hoed Research and
analyzed by representatives of the client’s business.
You can always contact head office staff for guidance and advice with your Assignments. We
are available to you during business hours (Mon - Fri 9.00am - 5.00pm) on Free call 1800 025
121. Our Free fax is 1800 063 279.
Hoed Shopper Portal
An internet based website, or Shopper Portal (www.hoedshopper.com.au), is provided to
select assignments and enter results.
Keeping your identity Confidential
Every Mystery Shopper must protect their identity. Keep in mind you assess the service you
receive as a typical (anonymous) customer. If you feel that staff know, or suspect you are a
Mystery Shopper, please let us know by calling us on 1800 025 121.
Initiative, Reliability and Meeting Deadlines
It is important to ‘do your homework’ and think through each scenario, before carrying out
an Assignment. Try to anticipate the questions that staff might ask and have your answers
prepared.
We depend on your reliability. It is your responsibility to follow Survey instructions, obtain
accurate information, check your Assignments to ensure that standards are met, complete,
and your survey is returned on time.
Clients expect Survey results to be delivered on time, so it is vital that you return your
questionnaires on or before the return dates shown on your Job Instructions. If you miss a
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date and/or time or have a problem meeting deadlines – email our staff immediately
sending an email to [email protected].
Your reliability is tracked in our system. The more reliable you are the greater number of
jobs you will be eligible for and the better the jobs you will be offered.
Dress code
You should dress appropriate to that of a typical customer. Presentation should be of a
professional standard – neatness, cleanliness and tidiness are compulsory.
Professional conduct and ethics
It is essential that you behave professionally. Your honesty and integrity and the quality of
information you provide reflects on all Mystery Shoppers and on Hoed Research. If you
misrepresent or falsify information, you will be removed from further involvement with our
company and will not be paid for that assignment.
Conflict of Interest
You must advise us immediately if you are asked to complete an assignment involving a
business that employs you or a family member, or a company in direct competition to your
main employer, or a business that employs someone personally known to you. You must
contact us on 1800 025 121 or email us at [email protected] for advice prior to
undertaking the assignment.
Communication
Do not hesitate to email if you have any difficulty with your assignment. This allows us to
attend to issues promptly. When Hoed Research staff leave a message asking you to call –
please return this call promptly. If you fail to inform us that your work will be late or we
cannot contact you, your Assignments may be reallocated to another Shopper. Your
communication is vital.
3. Contacting Hoed Research Departments
The system that manages your Account Profile; allocation of Assignments and the
completion of Questionnaires is called the Hoed Shopper Portal accessed at the following
link: www.hoedshopper.com.au
Updating Your Shopper Profile
You can make changes to your Account Profile by clicking on your name on the top right hand
corner of the Hoed Shopper Portal Home Page.
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Updating the following details to the Job Allocation Profile can be done on-line at the Home
Page at the Hoed Shopper Portal
Locations (Postcodes) you are willing to work.
Date ranges you are unavailable
Days and times you cannot work.
Call us on 1 800 025 121 if you need assistance. Please note that office hours are 9am - 5pm
AEST/AEDT Monday to Friday. Our office is not staffed on weekends.
Allocation Coordinators [email protected]
Contact our Allocation Co-ordinators for queries related to Assignments allocated to you, e.g
if you are unable to complete an Assignment, if you need to travel you will need prior
authorisation or you wish to ask a question about completing an Assignment.
For travel authorisation call 1800 025 121. Do not email for travel authorisation.
Quality Control [email protected]
Quality Control staff review every Questionnaire. Contact Quality Control for queries related
to the Questionnaire; for example if you have follow-up or are unsure about a question.
Receipts
If an Assignment requires that you send in a receipt (or other paperwork) you can scan and
attach to the assignment online. Alternatively, you can scan and email
[email protected], alternatively you can also FAX or mail.
4. Your Guide to Success 1. Never announce or admit to being the mystery shopper. You are to tell no one about
your assignment especially people who are associated in any way with the client or
the people working for the client.
2. Say as little as possible, let the staff member work hard at narrowing down your
requirements. The more opportunity you give the staff member to ‘sell’ to you, the
fairer you are being to them as you will have more to report as to how the staff
performed.
3. The most important part of the process is to report fairly and accurately on your
experience without adding your personal opinions.
The right tools
For your Mystery Shopping Assignments you will need the following:
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Basic computer skills
Reliable access to the Internet
A valid email address
Web browser
Shopper Username and Password (in some cases the Username and Shopper Adobe
Acrobat Reader V4.0 or higher.
The Hoed Shopper Portal at: www.hoedshopper.com.au can be used with any of the
browsers listed above.
Job Assignments - How are jobs offered and allocated?
A majority of assignments are automatically offered to those shoppers who have nominated
the postcode as one of their "will shop" postcodes. Adding additional postcodes will improve
your chances of viewing more work.
These Assignments are listed under the AVAILABLE ASSIGNMENTS Tab.
The first shopper to select the Job will be allocated the Assignment, and once selected the
Assignment moves into the CURRENT ASSIGNMENTS Tab.
Occasionally the offer takes the form of a Job Offer emailed to a group of shoppers.
We reserve the right to not notify a shopper if that shopper does not fit a profile or we have
had problems with incomplete, late or fraudulent assignments.
The details relating to the Assignment are available on the Portal e.g the dates, location of
the visit etc will be given at the time of the Assignment offering.
Once you have identified an assignment you would like to complete carefully read the
instructions and then the job requirements prior to selecting the Assignment. (some
Assignments will have special requirements determined by the client). If you cannot meet
those requirements DO NOT select the Assignment.
Noticeboard - For some future Assignments expressions of interests are requested.
We do encourage that you make a habit of logging into the Hoed Shopper Portal regularly, as
there may be new updates to the Noticeboard. If the Co-ordinators have reallocated work to
you no email will be sent. Simply log onto the website the next morning and the information
will be available.
Work not returned on time will be withdrawn without notice immediately after the due
date has expired, you will receive an email to this effect. Repeat instances of late or
uncompleted work could result in termination of your engagement as a Shopper.
Planning Your Assignments
If this is your first assignment, before commencement please contact Quality Control (tel
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1800 025 121 and press 2 for QC) for initial guidance and to ensure you are comfortable
with the requirement.
After you are allocated your Assignments, look through each one to check dates and any
special requirements.
Check the location of each Assignment and plan the order in which you will do them to
minimise travel and make the most of time availability.
Preparation
Carefully read the Job Brief for the correct timeframe, site address and/or telephone
number. Don’t assume that you know the location. It is essential that you visit the correct
site or you will be required to re-do the Assignment correctly to ensure payment. If you find
an error in an address please notify Hoed Research immediately so we can validate with
the client.
Read carefully through the Brief and instructions and make sure you understand the
requirements clearly. Read the Questionnaire and note the information you must gather.
Assignments should be completed with a positive, objective attitude. Do not "test" the staff
member by being rude, aggressive, or frustrated.
Do not prompt the staff member to mention anything specific unless you are required to do
so. This may alert the staff member that you are a Mystery shopper.
It is illegal under the Privacy Act to record or video conversations.
Problem visits
If you encounter a problem that restricts you from completing your assignment, please
phone us for help. If you visit a site as instructed, only to find that the business is closed for
renovations or is no longer in existence, this is a failed visit. You may be entitled to part
payment of the fee. If this happens do not submit your Assignment online,
email [email protected] explaining why the visit failed. Your email must contain the
following details: shopper name and number, Visit ID, client name and a brief comment.
Making notes
Write notes immediately after each visit, but not within sight of the business visited. This will
help you to recall details when you fill in the form at home.
Don't let your Assignment become invalid
If your Assignment is deemed invalid you will not be paid. An Assignment may be deemed
invalid when:
A shopper fails to complete an Assignment on the scheduled day and/or time.
The wrong site is visited.
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Instructions specified in the brief are not followed.
A shopper reports false information or ‘fakes’ a report.
A shopper reveals that they are the mystery shopper.
Data Entry
After you have conducted your Survey enter the results into the Hoed Shopper Portal.
Note: All comments must contain well-structured sentences using correct grammar,
punctuation and spelling.
Tips for completing your Assignment
Complete your Assignment online using your notes as a reference.
Use factual, specific and objective comments to explain why you answered ‘No’ or
scored any question less than full points.
Accurately describe what the staff member did and said. Greetings and farewells
should be written in the actual words used by the staff member. Do not judge the
staff or write your personal opinion of the service.
Write an overall comment to tell us what happened during your visit. Keep it
strictly relevant to the service you received.
Read over the assignment form before you submit it. Does it make sense? Have you
missed anything?
Provide any details of any expenses that were incurred for this assignment.
Remember: Every assignment you complete is reviewed by Quality Control, the client’s
Marketing and Training Managers, the store manager of the business visited and by the staff
member who served you!
Submitting your Assignment
Complete the Questionnaire when you are ready and if necessary SAVE it and then come
back to complete it at a suitable time.
When you have finished entering your results and, if required, the expenses claim, click the
'Submit' button at the bottom of the page. It is important to note that there are four
attributes that must be entered correctly in order to successfully submit your work:
1. The Date and Time MUST be entered in the correct format.
2. All questions MUST be answered.
3. An overall comment MUST be entered.
4. Your expense claim must be completed.
You can now either return to the Job Summary Screen or Logout.
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Follow Up
If an Assignment contains Follow Up questions (i.e car dealership contacting you within 2-3
business days), please provide your real contact details, a telephone number with a valid
message bank or email address to the staff member if they ask for these.
If the follow up requires that the staff member contact you via telephone please ensure that
you answer their call, return their call or at the very least ensure that they can leave a
message on voicemail.
You must SUBMIT your results online the same day of completing your Assignment and
await follow-up. The questionnaire will now move into the "AWAITING FOLLOW-UP" grid
under the CURRENT ASSIGNMENTS tab.
Ensure that you monitor any follow-up for the period stated. As soon as follow-up occurs
finish off the Questionnaire and SUBMIT it immediately.
If no contact details are taken at the time of the visit, answer the follow-up question straight
away and type "no contact details taken" and SUBMIT.
If the follow up period expires and no follow up is received, finish-off the Questionnaire and
type "no follow-up received" and SUBMIT.
You will receive an email message prompt if a follow-up has not been recorded by the due
date and you will be asked to confirm whether follow-up occurred.
5. Your Job Assignment Requirements
It is essential that you understand and master the requirements for completing the
Assignment successfully. Follow the instructions detailed in the Job Brief and the
Questionnaire. The following points relate to every Assignment.
Providing Comments
When you score a question NO or less than full points, enter a comment in the space under
the question to explain why that aspect failed. Your comment should describe what
happened, or what you observed at this point in your visit. For example:
Q. Were all staff appropriately groomed? [Yes No]
What was wrong? Comment.
A. One staff member had long un-brushed hair that looked untidy.
Once you clearly explain what happened during your visit, the client knows exactly what
needs to be changed in order to improve.
Ensure your answers are concise yet informative. Don’t just rephrase the question. For
example:
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Q. Did the staff member try to get a commitment from you to purchase? [Yes No]
A. No, she didn’t try to get a commitment.
Note: This comment doesn’t provide any new information. It should describe what the staff
member did at this point instead of trying to get you to purchase.
A. The staff member did not say anything, just stood waiting for me to speak.
Note: This comment provides information that the client can use to train the staff member.
Using Overall Comments
An informative overall comment of six to eight lines is required for every assignment you
complete. It should be a concise summary of the service you experienced during your visit,
containing details relevant to criteria on the assignment form.
Correct
Incorrect = UNACCEPTABLE
The store was bright and well presented. I browsed for 5 minutes without being offered service and then approached a staff member doing paperwork at the counter. He pointed to where the items I was interested in were and when I persisted, took me to the section and showed me three styles available. I had to prompt for information. He was not enthusiastic and did not seem interested. As soon as he had answered my questions he went back to his paperwork and did not return.
The store was very large and
spacious. It was neat and tidy.
The staff member was not very
helpful.
This tells us nothing about the
service, or how it was handled.
It is brief, vague and
uninformative.
Staff name or description
If a name badge is worn, always write down the staff member’s name. If asked to write a
description of the staff member, a general formula is to be used. This is:
MALE/FEMALE, APPROXIMATE AGE, HEIGHT (in figures), HAIR LENGTH AND HAIR COLOUR,
DISTINGUISHING FEATURES (if any, e.g. glasses, beard).
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Do not include racial or ethnic background or personal descriptions such as overweight,
acne, balding etc., that may offend. The staff member you describe will read your
description.
Many of our clients require both a name and description. You should always note their
description, even if you have the staff member's name. If we insist on obtaining a staff
members name you can do this by simply asking for their name before leaving or ask for a
business card.
Acknowledgment
Acknowledgment is the way staff let you know they are aware of your presence. It can be by
a smile, a nod or verbally. Staff should acknowledge you and then allow you time to browse
before approaching you to offer service. Note how you were acknowledged after you enter
the premises and how long the staff took to do this.
If you were not acknowledged, describe what staff were doing (our clients want to know).
Approach / greeting
When a staff member approaches and offers you service. Note how long staff took to do
this. Use the actual words the staff member said to you in greeting.
If you were not offered service and you had to approach staff, describe specifically what they
were doing at that time.
Add on sale / link selling / multiple selling / added value item
When a staff member suggests that a customer purchase an additional item to go with or
complement the first item recommended, or recommends a more expensive item. By doing
this, the staff member can ‘add on’ to the total value of the sale and also meet the
customer’s needs.
The questionnaire may make reference to whether the staff member explained any features
or benefits to you. If so the following table explains what we mean by features and benefits.
Feature Benefit
100% wool more comfortable, material breathes
cordless No need to have long electrical extension leads to use the tool
2000 watts powerful and does the job easier or quicker
97% fat free it is more healthy for you
red colour attractive, stands out
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aluminium will not rust
Farewell
Write the actual words used by the staff member in the space provided. Some examples of
invitations to return are:
"See you again." or,
"Hope to see you next time you come in."
Telephone Interviews
Your overall comment about a phone call should describe the impression you gained from
the phone manner of the staff member, whether friendly, happy, abrupt etc., along with
how helpful and knowledgeable he/she was. If you were transferred from one person to
another, make this very clear in your comments
Total Spent - Enter the allowable or actual amount, and retain the receipt for at least
three (3) months.
Receipt Details - You are required to type a brief description of purchase.
Travel Distance - If 15 kms or less you do not need these details. This field is only for
kms that have been approved and are greater than 15kms in total.
Parking Cost - Only enter this amount once per trip.
6. Travel Policy
Assignments are offered on the basis that the closest available shoppers to the client site will
normally select them. This generally means shoppers that live or work within the
suburb/postcode or in an adjoining suburb/postcode to the site to be visited.
The majority of Assignments do not require Shoppers to travel more than ~ 15kms so there
are no reimbursements for travel.
On those occasions when travel is required for specific Assignments Hoed Research will
contact Shoppers that have indicated a willingness to travel out of their local area to
complete work when we don't have a Mystery Shopper closer to the job. Only under these
circumstances will Shoppers be eligible for reimbursement of travel costs.
**** Travel costs reimbursement will only be paid in accordance with the
arrangement that Hoed Research staff advise when contacting eligible Shoppers,
in this case it will be authorised prior to any travel being undertaken ****
