Food Shopping Specialties: Tips For Saving On Groceries

If you're serious about excelling as a secret shopper — and thus providing as much value as possible to the company that you're working for — it's a good idea to change up your approach. Being a secret shopper is all about documenting the good and the bad that you encounter at a retail store, which means that in order to get the full customer experience, it's ideal if you make plans to visit the store at a variety of different times throughout the day. Here are some reasons that this is a good strategy.

Evaluating Busy Versus Not Busy Times

Make a point of walking into the retail store when it's busy and then visiting again when it's not busy. What you notice might surprise you. While it's understandable for staff members to take a few minutes to approach you during busy conditions, you might be impressed that they still acknowledge your presence and politely tell you that they'll be with you as quickly as they can. In a non-busy environment, you might expect someone to come up to you right away. However, it's possible to encounter employees who are taking advantage of the quiet time by relaxing — which is something that you'll want to pass along in your report.

Noticing The Store Cleanliness

Retail business owners want their stores to be clean environments, and while things can temporarily get messy when there's a flurry of shoppers, employees should know to tidy the space when things are quieter. When you visit the store at different times, you'll be able to notice its degree of cleanliness. For example, when there aren't many customers present, are the staff members busying themselves by straightening products on the shelves, picking up anything on the floor, and even sweeping the floor? These are the types of cleanliness-focused efforts that the store owner will want to see.

Assessing The Energy Levels Of Staff

Visiting the store at different times of the day will also help you to assess how energetic each staff member appears to be. Store owners typically want enthusiastic, upbeat employees — but this may not always be the case. Someone who is working toward the end of his or her long shift, for example, might be lethargic. Upon passing along your findings, the store manager may speak to the staff about picking up their energy even when they're fatigued in an effort to create a better shopping experience for customers.