There’s a job that lets you earn RM100 just by SPYING on stores?!

Two words: Mystery Shopper.

What in the world is a Mystery Shopper? A ‘shopper’ is to shop right, so what so mysterious about it? Before we answer that, let’s take a look at Malaysia’s customer service as a whole.

Ask around and there will be a fair share of comments on our customer services. And it seems like, now more than ever, any poorly-handled situation by a business staff to a customer would end up on social media.Ask around and there will be a fair share of comments on Malaysia’s customer service. And it seems like, now more than ever, any poorly-handled situation by a business staff to a customer would end up on social media.

Remember the vulgar reply from an upscale French bakery in Bangsar? A fiasco involving a pharmacy’s tampered Panadol bottle? And most recently, a case of rotten chickens and words from a restaurant in Aman Suria?

These days, netizens are very efficient – tak suka only immediately upload onto Facebook and things will potentially go viral. Many businesses have quickly lost favour in the eyes of their customers, all thanks to the power of social media.

Sad to say, Malaysia’s customer service needs to pick up from somewhere, and soon! Do you know that a survey was done and 72% Malaysian participants mentioned that our customer service is bad? Plus, now with the implementation of GST, people are more discerning towards paying the service tax (among others), so much so there’s even a music video about it:

If anything, Malaysians are demanding better service and quality from all major industries to justify paying the service charge.

Ok, so what does this have to do with ‘Mystery Shoppers’?

With all the rainbow comments on our customer service, many bosses or top management personnel are worried about their brand’s awareness, sales and customer retention. They can personally serve a customer well, but how can they ensure that their staff won’t mess things up? Plus, it’s so difficult to monitor their staff if they have the attitude of ‘boss is here, faster pretend busy‘ and ‘ok boss not here just chill‘.

This is when the company starts ‘employing’ mystery shoppers to do the job. We’re secret agents like James Bond or Charlie’s Angels, but no guns or lycra pantsuits – only reviewing. 

A mystery shopper’s job is to look-see-look-see what is going on in a particular store/business venue, including taking note on how their employees react towards their customers. They help companies evaluate their services, assist in staff training and education, and sometimes, assess their employee’s bonuses. There are many mystery shoppers around the world, including myself who has been a shopper for more than 3 years. 

Plus, we’re paid to do it! In UK, some mystery shoppers may earn up to £300 a day, and that’s equivalent to RM1,500 (as per Maybank Forex rates)! A DAY!!

But ok, to be fair, in my experience, mystery shoppers in Malaysia can generally earn from RM15 up to RM100+ per trip depending on the company. While it’s little in comparison to UK, but hey, imagine doing it regularly. Sikit-sikit jadi bukit lor!

Wah! So nice! I also want can or not?

Sounds easy, right? But hold up – it’s trickier than you think. It’s not like you’re Blair Waldorf on a shopping spree in Paris. There are many requirements to being a good mystery shopper, especially in Malaysia. You’ll need to have:

1. An eagle-eye for details

Before you are released to the field, you will be given a thorough briefing on what needs to be done. All mystery shoppers must have an eagle-eye for details such as:

• cleanliness, brightness, smell of the venue
• unwanted ‘guests’
• how long it takes for you to be greeted
• speed of service
• employee’s name
• employees’ knowledge on the products and brand
• employee’s personal grooming: hair, makeup, nails, BO… (this is interesting ;-))
• pakai uniform or not, shoes clean or not
• employee’s body language
• dan lain-lain…

(Can you tell me the first detail without looking at the list?) 

2. Complete knowledge of the product

During the briefing session, the mystery shopper will be given a presentation on the brand and product. But this isn’t sufficient all the time – a good mystery shopper needs to do more research on Google to be 110% sure of the product they’re gonna spy on.

In terms of product knowledge, here’s what you’ll need to look out for:

• Is the product displayed according to the given guidelines?
• Is the employee well-versed on the product and brand?
• Did the employee share the brand or product history with you?
• What is the price for a few selected models?
• What is the latest product and what is the competitor’s brand based on the price range?
• Dan lain-lain…

3. A 500GB memory

From point 1 and 2, it’s evident: a mystery shopper is like a walking hard drive, able to absorb and store every bit of information that comes their way.

Once a mystery shopper is done with their visit, they’ll then need to fill up a report for that day. Don’t think it’s an easy task, cos if you don’t complete your report within 24 hours, your case file is BURNT! It’s the report that takes time as the mystery shopper needs to elaborate as much as possible (let’s say 1000 words, perhaps?) and provide examples of exact conversations.

Sudah fill up report? Not so fast, darling…..you also need to attach either a recorded conversation between you and the employee or a picture of the venue. Total spy-work, right?

4. Very thick skin & good acting skills 

… especially in Malaysia where we have the Asian culture of being very reserved, holding back our thoughts and not prying. (Ok the whole bit about not prying is subjective to certain people…)

A good mystery shopper is able to push through social hurdles such as getting negative vibes from the staff or from other customers themselves. We can be a quietly judgemental bunch, kepoh at times too. And if you’re in for an assignment, you don’t step out until you get your work done, no matter how much attention you draw to yourself.

But despite that, you also need Oscar-worthy acting skills – spies cannot reveal their identities, even in the most dire of situations. Try to be as natural as possible and forget that you’re a spy. These employees are well trained and may be able to spot mystery shoppers easily.

Plus, if you cover is blown, the entire visit is considered NULL and VOID! Once the employee knows that you are a mystery shopper, they will be the one putting on an Oscar performance. Who would be catching who this time?

Malaysia needs more mystery shoppers!

Why? Well, from my experience, brands need YOU to help better their customer service!

It’s OK for Malaysians to take small steps to improve our service industry, but it has to start with everyone – from service provider to end-user. Plus, brands can do their part to dodge damaging social media fiascos if they trained their staff well enough to handle the business and customers.

Currently, there are local Malaysian brands or companies implementing this mystery shopper program such as Popular Bookstore, Watson’s, Neway……. But many Malaysians are in the dark about this profession as companies wouldn’t want their employees to know they are spying on them. Oops, did I just spill a secret?

Interested in being a mystery shopper? Check out some of the companies in Malaysia that offer this post, but do a background check as there are many scam programmes out there.

FYI, in Nevada, USA, a mystery shopper must be licensed by the PILB board (Nevada’s Private Investigator’s Licensing Board) and work under a company that has a ‘private investigator license’ in order to do the job. Don’t play play, tau?! If not, kena saman afterwards.

Either way, the next time you walk into your favourite place, even in a mamak stall, don’t judge when you see a stuck-up fella grilling the employee, or a suspicious person lurking around, observing everything. Who knows – this person may just be a mystery shopper, bettering the service industry for you and me!