Things to Avoid when Searching for Mystery Shopping Companies
June 6, 2008 – 11:53 pmAlthough the majority of mystery shopper companies in existence are reputable and honest, some are not. As customer demand has increased, the number of mystery shopper companies has skyrocketed. Today, you will find more than 400 just in the United States. A quality company will have the customer, as well as shopper at the forefront of concern, working hard to provide services that will improve customer satisfaction, reduce liability, and increase profit. To show the huge growth, from 2003 to 2004, mystery shopper companies increased by more than 11%. It is estimated that more than eight million shops were performed in the year 2004 alone, making this an industry with a value around $600 million.
Most people have a good idea of what to look for in good mystery shopper companies but we wanted to dedicate an article about the specific things you should avoid. Unfortunately, some people become greedy, always looking for ways of making money but without putting in the time and effort to do it the right, or even legal way. This means that customers are ripped off, often for large sums of money, and shoppers are paid with bogus cashiers or standard checks. You need to all you can to protect yourself when making a decision about mystery shopper companies.
The most common issue that pertains to some mystery shopper companies is the issuance of fraudulent payments. This is most commonly done by using classifieds to find individuals willing to work, offering to pay them quickly, offering a cashier’s check or some other fraudulent payment and requesting an immediate forward of cash to a foreign address.
The potential mystery shopper is told that they will be able to keep some of the check, but when the check is cashed, it will bounce leaving potentially large financial issues for the person who cashed it. While efforts have been taken to educate people of this potential scam, there are still people out there trying to take advantage of innocent people; so be aware of this when you are searching for companies to work with.
While there are some bad companies out there, there are many more great ones to consider partnering with. The true dedication of the best mystery shopper companies is to provide the highest quality customer service and the most valuable information for the clients that are served.
Some of the tips provided by the executive director of MSPA include never paying a fee, even a small one, to become a mystery shopper. If you are asked for anything more than $10, red flags should be raised. The real, mystery shopper companies are happy to hire on quality shoppers free. Additionally, mystery shopping companies that make a promise to pay for services using money transfer or some type of check cashing service, run! As with GFK, the professionals at MSPA have worked diligently in building their 200-member base company, servicing the world and they will work just as hard to stop fraudulent attempts on customers and shoppers alike.
You need money, they need shoppers. Mystery shopper companies need you to tell them what they are doing wrong. Your words, their money in you pocket. Free Mystery Shopper
Tags: Shopping
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