Staying Under Cover

You are a secret shopper.  Get it…secret!  That means that if your identification is blown, your job is done, over and a waste.  It is necessary for you to insure that you perfect the art of staying under cover when it comes to assignment.  Just one mistake can result in you being found out and therefore lose your shop, possibly for good.

Don’t worry.  Just because it is possible for you to be found out does not mean it is probable.  Most of the time, you won’t be as long as you do your job 100% accurately.  To help you to learn to stay under cover, we have some great tips to always use on any shopping assignment you venture into and do.  

Tips for Successfully Staying Hidden

Do not take anyone with you on your shop.  They do not have a stake in the job and therefore, they could easily blow your cover for you.  If you do take someone with you, make sure to either keep them in the dark to keep them from doing anything out of the ordinary.

Act normally.  Pretend as if you are really interested in purchasing that car or that you really are interested in finding the right size shoe.  Play the role.  Yes, you do need a bit of acting talent here, but it can be quite beneficial to just act as normally as you would for any other type of thing you were doing.

Keep your cool.  If someone should say to you, “Are you a mystery shopper,” learn how to react.  For example, you should say something like, “What’s that?” or “No, but I have heard they make good money.  Do you know how I can become one?”  Lead them off into a different direction.  Don’t every look worried or anxious! 

Never take anything with you that could give you away such as your paperwork, a noticeable timer or stopwatch, or anything that has to do with secret shopping.  If you need to use these things, make sure that you always keep them out of sight.

Not sure how to remember everything?  Use your cell phone’s record button to remember details of a conversation while holding it in your hand, unnoticeably.  Use your checkbook register as a piece of paper to jot down any notes you may have.  Use your cell phone’s picture abilities instead of a large digital camera assuming the resolution is good enough.

Ask questions that would normally be asked.  If you do not have specific questions about the product from your sponsor, make sure that you ask something that makes sense.  Not sure?  Take the time to learn about what you are going to be talking about so that you can have your questions figured out ahead of time.

Role playing means taking the time to ensure that you have your story worked out.  This is especially helpful if and when you are going to be working with a full scenario.  Make sure you have something to say when asked.  Better yet, use your own situation with those in your family to ensure you can keep your story straight.

If you have shopped at a location recently, try to skip it the next time round at least.  Some shopping companies will make sure of this.  This way, you are not easily identified and found out.

Look normal too.  That is, you do not want anyone who is going to see you to remember you.  Do not wear anything that is going to really stand out.  You want to look normal in any way possible.  That goes for your actions too.  Make sure that you act as normally, but stay low profile.

I’m Caught!

If you do find yourself in a situation where you are revealed as a secret shopper, you will want to talk to your scheduler right away and inform them what has happened.  You may still be able to complete the shop depending on how you handled it and when they caught you.  Nevertheless, you do not want to just pass it off as nothing happened.  This can cause more damage to your profile than it is worth.

Keep In Mind

Remember that those that are working in the establishment already know that they are being watched.  While most people do not look out for the secret shopper and treat all guests the same way, they may be interested in learning that you are.  Therefore, keep these tips in mind and just act as you normally would.  This should ensure that you have no problems staying under cover throughout your shop.

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