Become a Mystery Shopper
What is Required to be a Mystery Shopper with The Hart Experience
1) To acquaint you with some general information about what is required of you as a shopper for The Hart Experience
2) To provide you with a sample set of guidelines that simulates what The Hart Experience sends out to each shopper who is assigned to do a shop
3) To give you information in order to test your reading and comprehension skills – there will be questions that will need to be answered.
General Information
Shopper Expectations: The Hart Experience specializes in providing in-depth, mystery shopper feedback to its clients (such as hotels, restaurants, spas, car dealerships). Many of The Hart Experience shops are reimbursement only. Others pay a shop fee, and some have a reimbursement and a fee. For most shops, The Hart Experience does not pay its shoppers for performing the assignments; however, a set reimbursement limit (established by each client), verified by the receipt submitted by the shopper, will be sent to each shopper. Each shopper functions as an independent contractor and is not an employee of The Hart Experience.
Before filling out and submitting an application. All shoppers are required to have a current, valid email address and have access to our website. Shoppers must also have a working phone number with answering machine/voicemail.
Our shoppers pay by major credit card and upload a copy of the receipt to the report. Reimbursements to our shoppers range from $15 – $250+, depending on the business they are called upon to shop. Due to the magnitude of these reimbursements, we expect a great deal from our shoppers. Our goal is to provide quick, detailed, and meaningful feedback for our clients. If selected as a shopper for The Hart Experience, you MUST agree to, understand, and abide by all the items our client has instructed us.
Communication: Most of your communication with The Hart Experience will be via email. We have large number of shoppers in our database, so email is the fastest way to communicate. If you need to reschedule a shop, please notify Debbie Hart 602.717.3271. Once a shopper is assigned to a shop, it is a tedious job re-assigning it to someone else. Unassigning/not completing shops you accept will negatively affect your shopper status. If there is an emergency and you cannot complete a shop, please contact us right away to let us know.
In addition to alerting us of emergencies or problems entering your shop, it is imperative that the information in your shopper profile is updated and accurate. You should check your information regularly to keep it up-to-date. We must have your correct street address, current working email address, and AT LEAST TWO working telephone numbers to contact you. If you submit your report and we need additional information, we will contact you initially by phone and email. As a mystery shopper, it is important that you check your email DAILY. If your contact information is not accurate, we won’t be able to reach you. Additionally, there may be delays in your reimbursement payments if we do not have your correct address on file.
Following directions: Following directions precisely is most important as these are per client. Please ask in advance if you don’t understand a guideline. Print out the report to familiarize yourself with the questions. All comment sections require a minimum of at least 4 sentences. All NO answers must be supported with a clear and concise explanations in the adjoining comments section. Also, please be thorough when reporting on exemplary products or services. Our reports will typically take a minimum of one hour to complete. Please be sure that you allot yourself enough time to provide our clients detailed, accurate and specific feedback.
Dependability: Your completed shopper’s report is required to be submitted to The Hart Experience NO LATER THAN 24 HOURS after your experience. After you have finished entering your report. All receipts and required photographs must be submitted with your report.
Excellent Writing Skills: The report you submit will be sent to the client’s establishment and generally posted for the employees to see how they performed. The shop must be specific, well-written and checked for grammar and spelling. Take your time. Be accurate and clear. We encourage objectivity and discourage too much subjective discourse. To provide our clients with the highest quality possible, your completed shop is professionally edited, and your writing ability will be scored. The better you do on your reports, the more shops we will assign to you, always submit your best work!
Organization: The key to your success in mystery shopping is organization. You must know what is required of you well before the date of your shop. Be sure that you are clear about what location to visit and double-check that it is open prior to your visit. If a location is closed, please alert Debbie immediately at 602.717.3271. Double-check the time slot of your visit. Ask yourself the following questions: Is it a dinner or a lunch shop? What is the time slot of my visit? Is a bar visit required? Is it a take-out or a delivery shop? If it’s a delivery shop, am I in the delivery area (if not, please notify us immediately)? Where am I required to sit? If it’s a spa or car dealership make sure you know which services are required. Once you are completely comfortable with what is required of you, it’s time to perform your shop. Prior to performing your shop, it is helpful to review all shop requirements one last time (event notes, shop guidelines and the blank report). Do this before leaving home or take a few minutes prior to entering the location.
Conducting Your Shop: Do not take your shop forms into your shop location! It is acceptable and advisable to discreetly take notes in the restroom during your shop visit, while details are fresh in your head. You must remain anonymous during your visit. Do NOT inform the manager or other staff member that you have performed a shop unless the guidelines or event notes specifically instruct you to do so.
Before you leave the establishment, be sure that you have made all required observations (time you entered/left, volume, restroom cleanliness, whether you heard music playing, etc.). If a bar visit is a required element of your dinner shop, this requires a purchase to be made at the bar, even if the bar is full of patrons, and you may have to stand. Please arrive a half hour before your reservation time if you have a bar visit, to allow plenty of time for your visit.
You are required to get the name of the server / bartender / spa professional / car dealership advisor in all shops. If no nametags check receipts, name plates or invoice. Additional names and accurate descriptions of all employees that you encounter are vital to your success as a shopper. Our clients cannot reward or retrain employees that they cannot accurately identify.
The first page of information is an area of extreme concern. This page requires you to key in the time you entered/left the establishment (please double-check this information against a calendar), the volume of the dining room (for restaurant and spa shops) and the total amount of your receipt(s) and tip. After you are sure that this page is correct, please move on to the actual shop content. Each category is a separate area on page and has a comments section at the end. Please ensure that your “yes/no” responses match your comments, while providing copious objective details of your shop experience.
The End Result: Mystery shopping feedback is tremendously beneficial to our clients. If you are selected as a shopper, we want you to enjoy your visit, and it is our hope that you will continue to refine your mystery shopping skills. SECTION TWO: Sample Guidelines The guidelines below are an example of what you would receive if you were assigned a shop with The Hart Experience it is important that you read all the information.
Important Notes:
*Shop Acceptance: All guidelines must be followed, or you will not be reimbursed for your shop.
*Deadline: Your report must be submitted online within 24 hours after your shop/visit ends.
*Date/Time/Location: You must make sure you visit the correct location on the correct day and at the right time if it’s in the guidelines (lunch, dinner, bar, etc.). Shops should start within the time range given.
*Event Notes: Check any notes listed. These are special instructions for your shop. They will override any information contained in these guidelines, so you must follow them. Failure to comply with any items listed will result in the shop not being accepted.
*Questionnaire: View the report before beginning your shop so you will know which observations you must make to complete the report in its entirety. You are required to answer all questions on the form.
*Client Website: Visit the client’s website to familiarize yourself with the establishment AND to verify the hours the location you are visiting is open. You must always verify the location is open for business before arriving for your shop.
*Video Surveillance: Every location has video surveillance, enabling the staff/client to review actual times of arrival, departure, items being served and other events that occur during your visit. Therefore, it is VERY important when filling out your report that accurate information is provided. If you are unsure about something, do not guess. Please explain you are unsure and why.
*Pre-Visit Call / Appointment / Reservation: If you are required to call the location before your visit please make sure this is done.
*What to Order (check your assigned meal type): LUNCH: DINNER: DINNER AND/OR BAR VISIT – Make sure you know what the requirements are per client.
*Server’s Name: You must obtain the name of your server. Please ask for their name if they do not offer it. *Reimbursement: The reimbursement is only for food and beverage purchases. All other expenses (tip, parking, valet, etc.) will not be reimbursed unless otherwise indicated.
*Restroom: Check the restroom for cleanliness/supplies. Female shoppers/guests should check the ladies’ room only, while male shoppers/guests should check the men’s room only.
*Your Report: Please tell the story of your visit. We are looking for a lot of commentary in every section. There should be details to support your ‘yes’ answers, as well as a comment to explain every ‘no’ answer, every ‘n/a’ answer and every lowered rating.
*Questions from Debbie: For up to 3 days after submission of your report, you must check your e-mail and/or the ‘Home’ section of the website to see if additional information is needed. A reply back to Debbie is required within 24 hours.
*Receipts: Receipts are required for ALL of your purchases on your shop. You must get the itemized and credit card receipts. These will help you when filling out your report (item names, server name, etc.). Improper receipt entry can result in non-reimbursement of that amount. If more than one receipt, please send that copy also.
*Receipt Upload: A scanned picture of your receipt(s) is REQUIRED to be attached to your report, or you will not be reimbursed. Make sure the image is large enough to read, clear and legible.
*Do not accept this assignment if you are unable to attach a digital image of your receipt to your report upon submission to us.
Are you ready to be a Mystery Shopper
Please Read All Of The Following Carefully!
Email Address
To fill out an application, you must have a current, valid email address. The email address you enter below will be checked against our Shoppers database to ensure no duplicates. Once verified, you will be sent an email Application Page. This email should arrive within 24 hours of your submission, please check all of your Spam, Junk and other folders to be sure that the email is not someplace that you don’t expect. If your search doesn’t find the email, please contact Debbie@thehartexperience.com and provide your name and email address with the subject line Shopper Application.
The process starts with your contact and demographic information.
Application Guidelines
In order to be assigned shops you will be sent questions dealing with basic spelling, grammar, math, and logic.
Narrative
As part of the application, you will be required to submit a narrative describing your most recent fine-dining, casual-dining, retail or spa experience. The purpose of the narrative is to demonstrate your ability to relate your experience in a clear and concise manner. Spelling, grammar, and content of the narrative are very important.
Please Note: The Hart Experience requires that all shoppers be at least 18 years of age. By submitting the email address requested below, you are certifying that you are at least 18 years of age. If you are accepted as a shopper, and you are not old enough to purchase or legally consume alcoholic beverages, you must not accept any mystery shopping assignments where an alcoholic purchase is required, regardless of whether or not you’ll be the person consuming the alcoholic beverage. Performing the shop with someone who IS of legal drinking age is NOT allowed and your report submissions WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED. Failure to abide by this age requirement will invalidate your status as a shopper with us.
We are currently accepting applications for USA only.