Do You Understand the Impact a Secret Shopper Can Have On a Small Business?
Have you ever been to a restaurant where the waiter or waitress acted like you didn't exist?
I know I have. And when this happens I usually don't leave a tip. And I wish there was something I could do so other people wouldn't have to endure this same type of poor service that I had to go through. What a nightmare.
I once had a car salesman that I really liked and he told me he always left a tip. Now that tip might be for a penny or it might be for $10. But he always made sure to tip.
I personally don't go as far as he did, he would tell the waiter exactly why he was tipping them that amount. Sometimes the server was having having a bad day. But other times he would get upset at the car salesman and give him a piece of his mind.
My friend was very upfront about it too. He would mention that if the waitress would have made a little bit of effort to make sure that he was taken care of he would have gotten the normal tip. But if he would have set himself apart from all the others, and make the dining experience fun. He would have gotten a substantially bigger than normal tip.
I thought this was a really good idea. But I never had the courage to tell someone if their service was bad.
After having told you about my friend above...Would you like to be able to make a difference in your local community?
Just imagine, taking your family out to dinner at a restaurant you were a secret shopper at. Everyone begins to comment on how much better the service is. They compliment your server and tell them how great a job they are doing. And as as way of saying thanks, your family leaves a larger than normal tip. (In my family, leaving a tip that's more than their usual is a BIG deal).
How proud would you be knowing that your job as a secret shoper is the reason that server was so friendly? You helped the business owner decide who to keep in order to keep his customers satisfied . (You never have to actually meet a business owner, mystery shopping providers act as the “middle man” between you and the business owner. )
If I was a business owner and by chance I was to over hear a similar conversation like the one in the example above, I might even be inclined to either offer a HUGE discount or just offer to pay for the entire dinner. It would mean that much to me to see people so satisfied with the service they are getting.
And this is just one small area that secret shoppers can make a difference. Most people that become a secret shopper do so for the money. But when they see how much fun it can...how much of a difference they can make to their community. This means more to them than the money. Don't get me wrong, this doesn't mean they would complete shopper jobs without being paid.