Apartment Mystery Shopping:
What to Expect on a Leasing Assignment
Apartment mystery shopping can be more complicated than walking into a leasing office and pretending you're looking for a place to live.
I've completed apartment assignments that involved telephone calls, specific leasing consultants, property tours, detailed reports, follow-up contacts, and hidden video.
The shopper usually plays the role of a prospective renter while evaluating how the leasing consultant handles the sales process.
To do that successfully, you need to understand your scenario before making the first contact.
Want more help getting started? My book, Take That Job And Mystery Shop It!, walks you through finding assignments, completing shops, writing reports, and avoiding many of the mistakes new shoppers make.
Have a Believable Apartment Scenario
When I completed apartment mystery shops, I needed a believable reason for looking for an apartment.
The leasing consultant might ask when I planned to move, what size apartment I needed, what features were important to me, or why I was moving.
You don't need to create an elaborate fictional life.
But you do need to know enough about your scenario to answer reasonable questions naturally.
Read the assignment instructions before you make the phone call or visit the property. Some projects provide specific information you're supposed to use.
Follow that scenario rather than making things up as you go.
Targeted and Non-Targeted Apartment Mystery Shops
One important difference between apartment assignments is whether the shop is targeted or non-targeted.
In the non-targeted assignments I've completed, I could visit the leasing office and work with an available consultant.
Targeted assignments were more challenging.
For those shops, I was instructed to evaluate a particular leasing consultant. That could mean calling the property and attempting to reach that specific person before I could schedule or make my visit.
If I didn't reach my target, I might have to try again according to the assignment instructions.
The important thing was not to make repeated calls in a way that would make employees suspicious.
Always follow the contact procedure provided by the mystery shopping company.
Recorded Telephone Calls
Some of my apartment assignments included a telephone evaluation before the property visit.
The mystery shopping company provided a system for making the call so it could be recorded as part of the evaluation.
Other assignments may work differently.
There are also apartment mystery shops that evaluate only the telephone interaction and don't require an in-person visit.
During a telephone shop, you might be evaluating how the leasing consultant answers the call, determines your housing needs, explains available apartments, answers your questions, and attempts to move the conversation toward the next step.
Touring the Apartment Community
For an in-person apartment mystery shopping assignment, the leasing consultant may take you on a tour.
Depending on the property and assignment, you may see a model apartment, an available unit, amenities, the pool, the fitness center, the grounds, or other parts of the community.
While you're evaluating the consultant, you may also need to observe the property.
That could include landscaping, cleanliness, common areas, signs, amenities, or other details specified in your questionnaire.
Don't assume you know what to check simply because you've completed apartment shops before. Every client can have different priorities.
Evaluating the Leasing Presentation
The leasing consultant is usually an important part of the evaluation.
You may be asked to observe whether the consultant determined your needs, explained the property, discussed apartment features, answered questions, offered a tour, and attempted to move you toward renting.
The consultant may ask whether you're ready to apply or take another step in the leasing process.
Follow your assigned scenario when responding.
Don't end the visit early simply because you've collected the information you think you need. If the assignment requires you to experience the complete leasing presentation, give the consultant the opportunity to complete it.
Follow-Up Can Be Part of the Shop
One feature that makes apartment mystery shops different from many retail assignments is what happens after you leave.
The client may want to know whether the leasing consultant follows up with a prospective renter.
That could involve a telephone call, email, text message, or another form of communication.
For some assignments I've completed, I needed to keep track of follow-up activity before the evaluation was completely finished.
This is why you should read the reporting instructions carefully. Don't submit a report prematurely if the assignment specifically requires you to wait for follow-up.
Hidden-Video Apartment Mystery Shopping
I've also completed apartment evaluations using hidden video equipment.
Video gives the client a fuller picture of the leasing presentation because management can see and hear much of the interaction.
For the shopper, however, video adds another layer of responsibility.
The equipment has to work properly while you still interact naturally with the leasing consultant and follow the scenario.
Video assignments also involve legal and privacy considerations. Recording requirements can vary by jurisdiction and circumstances, so shoppers should follow the mystery shopping company's procedures and understand the requirements for the specific assignment.
Apartment Shops Require Good Notes
An apartment mystery shopper may have a lot to remember.
There can be a telephone conversation, leasing-office interaction, property tour, employee names, apartment features, amenities, questions, timings, and follow-up contacts.
That's why I recommend reviewing the questionnaire before starting the assignment.
Once you're safely away from the property, record important details while they're still fresh in your mind.
Report what actually happened rather than what you think the leasing consultant should have done.
Apartment mystery shopping can take more preparation than a simple retail assignment, but it can also teach you a lot about evaluating a longer sales presentation.
Prepare your scenario, follow the instructions, give the leasing consultant an opportunity to make the presentation, keep track of any required follow-up, and then accurately report the experience.
About the Author
I'm Mystery Don (Donald J. Servais, Jr.), and I've completed mystery shopping assignments for restaurants, hotels, apartment communities, automobile dealerships, new-home builders, and other businesses.
I created MystShopper.com to share what I've learned from my own experiences, help new shoppers avoid common mistakes, and explain how legitimate mystery shopping really works.
I'm also the author of Take That Job And Mystery Shop It!, which includes beginner-friendly advice, real-world mystery shopping experiences, and a directory of more than 150 mystery shopping companies.
Drawing on my 45-year career in television, I've also written 7 Keys to Success in a Changing Television Industry, a guide for people interested in building a career in television and video.
My goal is simple: honest guidance without the hype.
We're always looking for new faces to visit different places.
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