Sometimes, a customer’s first interaction with a business is on the phone. At other times, we only pick up the phone when we can’t find the answer we were looking for some other way. But no matter why you’re calling a company, it’s vital that the experience is helpful and positive.

 

To make sure customer service agents on the phone are providing a consistently high level of service – and following company procedures correctly – businesses hire mystery shoppers to call them. So what is a mystery call?

 

What is telephone mystery shopping?

 

Mystery shoppers are ordinary people who take on the role of customers and interact with businesses. In this case, that interaction is over the phone.

 

Mystery customers are instructed to call about a particular situation or question. They then report back on specific aspects of their experience that the company has requested them to focus on. The feedback provided by mystery shoppers helps the company to pinpoint areas that require additional training or adjustment, and ensures a consistently exceptional customer experience. Check out our guide on how to write a mystery shopping report to learn more.

 

What does telephone mystery shopping involve?

 

It clearly gives companies valuable insight into customer experiences, but how does mystery shopping work?

 

As a mystery shopper, you’ll have a set of specific questions or scenarios to ask about. You might be enquiring about product availability, pricing or return policies. Or you may be asking for technical support.

 

Whatever the scenario, you’ll carefully evaluate the performance of the customer service agent you speak to, based on criteria such as friendliness, professionalism and efficiency.

 

Combined with insight from other mystery shoppers, your feedback will help the business to identify the strengths and weaknesses of their telephone support services. It can also help to highlight specific training needs, particularly if processes are not being followed as they should be.

 

What are the benefits of becoming a telephone mystery shopper?

 

Work with national brands across industries

 

Businesses always want to improve and stay competitive, regardless of the sector they operate in. As a mystery shopper, you’ll get to work with a real variety of brands, from high-street banks and department stores to famous restaurants. No two days will be the same.

 

Whether you’re booking a restaurant table or enquiring about a loan, you’ll be helping these brands to improve their customer service. And you’ll also be enhancing everyday experiences for millions of people.

 

Flexibility

 

One great benefit of mystery shopping is that you can pick up tasks when it’s convenient for you. That’s what many people enjoy most about it: you can choose the tasks that suit your schedule.

 

Mystery shopping on the phone is even more flexible than visiting shops, restaurants or other businesses in person. Apart from the need to call during call centre opening hours, you can often complete tasks at any time of day – and from the comfort of your own home.

 

This frees your days up for visiting friends, enjoying your hobbies or even doing a bit of shopping for yourself.

 

Make income on the side

 

Many people do mystery shopping work around their regular job. You can even do it during your lunch break, just as you might normally call your bank when you get 10 minutes free.

 

That’s one of the real advantages of mystery shopping: it’s a simple way to earn money that doesn’t take too long. Just follow the instructions from the brand, make the call and then submit your feedback.

 

If you’re interested in earning a little extra from telephone mystery shopping, UK businesses of all kinds are always looking for enthusiastic people to take on tasks. Here’s a guide on how to become a mystery shopper with us.

 

How does telephone mystery shopping benefit businesses?

 

Get insight into customer service performance

 

Brands spend great time and money on perfecting their customer service processes. After all, there are now plenty of online reviews that influence people when they’re making decisions about buying products or choosing brands.

 

Good customer service starts with answering the phone promptly and greeting people properly. Then, it’s absolutely vital to listen intently and with patience and courtesy, showing empathy for the customer. Agents need to offer appropriate solutions to solve any issues, with customers feeling satisfied by the outcome.

 

One of the most effective ways to make sure all this is happening is by having a mystery shopper call. These calls reveal how a brand’s customer service works in real-life situations.

 

Identify training needs

 

Since companies put such effort into honing their customer experiences, they want to know that they’re being followed precisely – sometimes to ensure they’re complying with regulatory requirements. They’ll often have several mystery shoppers call their customer service agents, seeking to make certain that there’s consistency across how their employees answer calls and deal with issues.

 

If they find that employees aren’t following instructions properly, they can then devote time to training them. Training might also be needed if employees aren’t showing the required level of empathy or courtesy. Or it could be that they’re choosing the wrong solution for the issue the mystery shopper has raised.

 

Wherever a shortcoming lies, mystery shopper calls provide a true test of service levels and are instrumental in highlighting training needs.

 

Gain unbiased data

 

The best mystery shoppers always provide feedback that focuses on the customer experience, supplying the information that the brand wants most. Their evaluations are matter-of-fact and recall events as they happened.

 

We take great care when matching people to tasks, ensuring that you can supply unbiased feedback on a brand and have understood the instructions given. That way, brands can get the crucial data that helps them to improve.

 

How can you register to become a telephone mystery shopper?

 

We make it simple to become a telephone mystery shopper. You can register in minutes and it’s open to almost everyone. You need to be 18 or over, own a smartphone and have a strong understanding of English. Other than that, the most important skills and qualities of a mystery shopper are professionalism, a keen eye for detail and a commitment to meeting deadlines.
If that sounds like you, register to become a mystery shopper today and you could start earning in no time. We have new telephone mystery shopping jobs every day. You just need to find the right one for you and your schedule.

 

You’ll enjoy real flexibility, have different experiences each day and help to increase levels of customer service for real customers. Telephone mystery shopping opportunities could be just what you're looking for.