It Lurks In The Shadows

In the dark alley she walks, avoiding the puddles and garbage. She is on a mission and nothing will stop her. She rounds the corner and spots her target. Eyes fixated she waits for traffic to cross the busy street. No one suspects what she is doing, she looks like every other person waiting to cross. She finally gets the signal to cross and mentally prepares herself for the assignment. Everything must go flawlessly. She must appear to be like everyone else that would walk in to that store. She enters and looks around, taking note about the appearance of the store. She waits to see how long before she is greeted. She meanders around and picks out a few things to try on. All the while she is working. She slips into the dressing room and scribbles a few lines on her small but handy notepad. She gathers her things and heads for the cashier. But she is not just anyone, she is a shadow shopper.

A shadow shopper is known by other names but the job is the same. The SS must go into the business that has hired them and pretend to be a real customer. Each business is different in their needs and the SS must make sure that they are ready for the assignment before entering the business. Businesses that hire an SS to evaluate their employees are looking for some common things like customer interaction and sales techniques. The business wants to give their employees a real life situation on the sales floor. The SS can then look at all the points the business wants their employees to cover and evaluate the store as instructed.

Communication is a key element for a professional shadow shopper. The SS must be able to look natural while taking mental note of everything the business wants to know. Some businesses want the whole ball of wax, from how the store looks to were the restrooms clean. Some businesses just want the employee interaction with the customer. All of these things are important and should be discussed with the SS before the assignment.

How does a business find a shadow shopper to evaluate their business? There are many different companies out there that provide this service to businesses. The best bet is to look on the Internet. You will want to make sure that you are dealing with a reputable company that has an established business. Do some background checks and ask for a list of references from previous clients. Prices will vary for these kinds of services but remember cheaper is not always better. Go with a middle of the road price and see if that works for you. As we all know the Internet is full of useful and useless information. That is why it will pay off in the long run to do your homework upfront.

Some advice, do not send in your Aunt from Hoboken to do the work. While your Aunt may be able to do the job, this is something that is better off left to the professionals. You want someone that is on a neutral playing field and has no emotional connection to the business. Sorry Auntie, maybe another time.

If you find your business needs a shadow shopper, then you should be prepared for the information that they will share with you. Use that information to make your business better in all aspects and you will see happier customers and more money for you.