Common Mystery Shopper Mistakes It is important to avoid making these mystery shopper mistakes if you are hoping to be regarded in the industry as a serious mystery shopping professional. Let's look at the 8 top mystery shopping mistakes:

Mystery Shopping Mistake #1: Failure to Meet Deadlines

A major complaint of clients is reports submitted past the deadline. Thoroughness, flexibility and attention to detail will help keep your information in order to help you write a better mystery shopping report - and deliver it in a timely manner.

Mystery Shopping Mistake #2: Calling Clients to Shoot the Breeze

Never call a client to 'chat it up'. Not only do they lack the time to do so, it is very annoying. The same goes for forwarding funny emails. Clients simply have no time for this. Besides, how are they supposed to assign you mystery shopping work if you keep wasting their time?

Mystery Shopping Mistake #3: Badgering Clients for Work

Never complain or badger a client because you have not received a mystery shopping assignment yet. Never demand that you receive an assignment immediately. This is an ideal way to make sure you never get one.

Mystery Shopping Mistake #4: Repeatedly Asking for Deadline Extensions

Occasionally is fine in extenuating circumstances. Requesting more time to do the work routinely simply conveys the message that you are unreliable and cannot handle the mystery shopping work you've been assigned. It also takes time away from your mystery shopping scheduler, who will cease to assign more work.

Mystery Shopping Mistake #5: Delayed Responses to Email and Phone Calls

When you receive a confirmation that you have a mystery shopping assignment, respond immediately. Clients frequently complain that they cannot get through to some mystery shoppers. Promptness is especially important when a client is attempting to notify you of some change to the assignment or guidelines themselves.

Mystery Shopping Mistake #6: Very Last Minute Cancellations

Short of flaking, routine last minute cancellations are a primary pet peeve of mystery shopping schedulers. Similar to flaking, these require a last minute scramble to find a replacement mystery shopper. It can lead to the scheduler losing an account, ergo, you losing an account.

Mystery Shopping Mistake #7: Incomplete Reports

Almost on par with a poorly spelled and grammatically tortured report is an incomplete one. A mystery shopper is sent to a store to observe what happened and to report what happened. Clients simply cannot fill in the blanks. Attention to detail, thoroughness and constant review of the guidelines translate into a complete report. Anything short of this makes an incomplete report, and consequently, translates into a waste of your time and the client's money. In some cases, it means you are not paid. Unless you happen to be a fan of not being paid, don't deliver incomplete reports.

Mystery Shopping Mistake #8: Finding Someone to Stand in For You

Never, under any circumstances, send someone to do your mystery shop or write your report for you. After all, the client chose you for the mystery shopping assignment and signed a contract with you for a reason. You have a fiduciary duty to complete the assignment yourself, one having someone else fulfill would violate.