FILL YOUR BASKET AT THE MALL; YOUR EMPLOYER WILL FOOT THE BILL :-

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Shopping for fun… yes, but shopping as work? That too is a yes, thanks to a new phenomenon called mystery shopping.

Satya Prabha did not know about mystery shoppers till she read about them in a magazine in 2006. “I searched online for mystery shopping in India, and within a few days registered with a company that recruited prospective mystery shoppers,” says Prabha, an MBA in finance with a certificate in business communication from Simon Fraser University, Canada.

It took a few days of training before Prabha was ready. “It is an opportunity to improve the quality of service. And, of course, you are paid for it, ” she says. The mystery shopper remains anonymous while on duty, and more importantly, doesn’t have to pay for the things he or she buys.

Aitrishit Bhatt, an MBA (marketing) student, did not choose mystery shopping only for monetary reasons. “The experience would help me understand the customer’s point of view, something that I would need to know when I am a marketing manager,” says the Delhi-based student.

Mystery shopping has come into its own in the last few years with the emergence of organised retail. Initially, it was limited to a few people being asked by a particular retail chain to go to its stores and rate them for service or a few other things, but the process has now become more sophisticated. “Companies ask for mystery shoppers with a specific profile and seek detailed reports on customer feedback on various aspects,” says Samhita Rao, managing director, Grass Roots India, which recruits and trains mystery shoppers.

So what are the qualities expected of a mystery shopper? “The person should be confident and able to pose as a real customer. He or she should be fluent in English and a local language, able to grasp the ambience quickly and ask all the right questions without referring to written notes. A positive attitude and an impartial approach are also important,” says Amit Ladsaria, director, Turtle Ltd, a clothes chain major.

“A mystery shopper should have an eye for detail and excellent observation skills. The person must also be able to express himself or herself well on paper, giving relevant examples and quoting people verbatim,” says Rao.

Since mystery shopping or mystery audits can be of help in virtually any kind of business — including the hospitality, retail, telecom, banking, aviation and real estate industries— the demand for mystery shoppers will grow, believes Rao. Even the online industry employs mystery shoppers, that too on regular rolls.” The feedback provided by our mystery shoppers helped improve our hotel booking services, increasing the number of reservations through our site,” says Stuart Crighton, chief operating officer, Cleartrip.com.

Typically, mystery shopping organisations or agencies have a large number of people registered with them. Shoppers are sent depending on the requirements of a client. “For example, for a high-end apparel brand we would look for mystery shoppers of a certain age and background, who are used to shopping in such stores. If we are doing mystery shopping for an economy food retail chain, then we pick panelists from all income and education levels,” Rao explains.

Established mystery shoppers can go places. Angela Rancon, a Delhi-based shopper, hopes to do just that. “I wish to do bigger projects like those relating to five-star hotels in different cities in India and abroad,” she says.

The money earned depends on the assignments one does; it can range from Rs 250 to Rs 500 for a simple assignment to more than Rs 1,000 for a high-end one. Add to that the things that one buys.

Despite the excitement, it will be a while before mystery shopping is regarded as a full-time profession. “Assignments are not on a regular basis. I can’t be sure of earning Rs 50,000 a month. If it were so, I’d quit my job,” says Bhatt. If you enjoy shopping, especially if someone else is paying, you could give mystery shopping a try.

Sources: The Teleghraph (Kolkata, India)