5 Reasons to be a Mystery Shopper

Here at ABa, we choose to work differently with our Mystery Shoppers.

As an ABa mystery shopper, you are hand-picked, well-briefed, insightful, and fully equipped every time you go out into the field. We see you as part of our family, not as faceless name in a database. We invest in you, and your education of our clients’ requirements, standards, policies and culture, and run regular meetings to engage, educate and gain unique face to face feedback from you. By ensuring that you are the best Mystery Shopper you can possibly be, we ensure that the information we get is as precise, relevant, and actionable as possible for our clients. You can find out more about how we work differently with our Mystery Shoppers on our 'publications' page.

If you are thinking of becoming a mystery shopper, it can be an interesting and rewarding line of work for a variety of reasons – here’s our top 5….

1. Improving customer service

Mystery shopping provides an opportunity to contribute to the overall improvement of customer service standards. In short, by becoming a mystery shopper, you can help make the world a better place. Here at ABa, we achieve a step change in service one assessment at a time, knowing that each improvement, each development, and every act of kindness has a positive impact on the lives it touches. As a mystery shopper, you will provide valuable feedback to businesses about the quality of service they deliver. This feedback helps companies identify areas for improvement to help refine their customer service to provide the best possible customer experience for genuine customers.

2. Generating income

Our mystery shopping assessments offer both monetary compensation and reimbursements for products and services (as appropriate). Through savvy planning and effective diary management, you are in control of your earning potential. We have a range of different Mystery Shoppers registered with us – some choosing to work full time (and typically working with several different Mystery Shopping providers), and some choosing to fit their assignments around existing commitments as a part time role or as an additional income stream.

Sticking to deadlines, providing full detailed commentary and accurate scoring is a surefire way to improve your reputation as a core member of the Mystery Shopping team at ABa and increase the likelihood of being offered more work.

3. Gaining insight into different industries

As a Mystery shopper you get to experience a wide range of industries, from retail and hospitality to healthcare and automotive. This exposure allows you to gain insights into different business operations and customer interactions. It can be a fascinating way to learn about diverse industries and how they operate from a customer's perspective.

4. Enhancing your own skills

Mystery shopping requires a keen eye for detail and the ability to observe, analyse situations objectively and act and play the part of a genuine customer. This can enhance your observational and analytical skills, which are valuable in many aspects of life. As a mystery shopper, you'll develop a critical eye for evaluating customer service, product quality, and overall business performance.

But the golden rule of mystery shopping is that no-one should be able to identify you, so you will develop and learn a reasonable level of acting skills in order to be discreet and play the part of a genuine customer.

5. Contributing to quality assurance

Mystery shopping plays a crucial role in quality assurance for businesses. By providing objective and detailed feedback, mystery shoppers help companies maintain high standards and identify areas that need improvement. This contributes to a cycle of continuous improvement, ensuring that businesses stay competitive, and customer focused.

More so than ever, regulatory organisations are operating to protect consumers in different retail sectors and Mystery Shopping is widely used in all of them to support these businesses in their governance. By becoming a Mystery Shopper, you will be helping to support customers from experiencing poor customer outcomes and sales practices which can be detrimental to the individual – you are helping to make a real difference!