From the businesses they serve, these inputs and feedback from an objective third party, outsider, from the customer perspective is truly valued and can help them be pro-active in problemsolving, correcting errors and improving their overall customer services deliver, products etc.

The scope and range of the duties of a Mystery Shopper or shopper individually or collectively (if a group, more than one individual), can vary greatly, depending on the task, provider etc.

· Written or verbal instructions as to what to do, say, request, ask and experience

· Observations

· Opinions, ratings, surveys

· a detailed script of behavior

· inquiry related, prompted, suggested questions to ask

· difficult role-play type, problematic behavior, situations even complaints

· purchases to make

· measures and prompts, rehearsed behavior to record

· data-collection for example, the time it takes to receive attention from an employee or receive a service

· tabulating typical or unique responses given to questions

… and much, much MORE.

Here are other nomers this field or type of activities are oftentimes referred to in literature and practice:

· Secret, mystery or guest Shopping

· Experience Evaluation

· Mystery Customers

· Spotters

· Anonymous Audits

· Virtual Customers

· Employee Evaluations

· Performance Audits

· Telephone Checks

There is a deliberateness to the activity, a purpose and goal, to allow, enable and empower a businesses to gain third-party, outsider, objective, qualitative data , input and improved customer insight. Like looking into their business with new, fresh, other eyes gaining new perspectives and understandings they would otherwise not have.

It zooms in on how the customer service related functions of the business are performing. All relevant information gathered as part of this process, is then used for improving the quality of service, performance management and overall, general of specific service delivery improvement initiatives.

Its history goes back to as early as the 1940s. Then it was mainly used by human resources and marketing, business leadership to gage and measure employee integrity, motivation and loyalty.

There are a vast array of specialized and basic tools used for mystery shopping assessments and assignments:

· simple questionnaires

· audio and video recordings

· Internet for online mystery shopping

· Visits and observational debriefs

· Panels and interviews

… and tons MORE!