Remembering Details After Visits (Mystery Shopping)
Remembering details after visits is one of the first skills you'll need to develop as a mystery shopper. You may think you'll remember everything that happened during a 15-minute assignment, but wait until you get home and start filling out the report.
What was the employee's name? What time were you greeted? How many people were waiting in line? Did the employee offer you an additional product before or after giving you the total?
Suddenly, everything isn't quite as clear as you thought it was.
I've done thousands of mystery shopping assignments, and I've learned that you can't depend entirely on your memory. You need to develop ways of keeping track of important information without making it obvious that you're evaluating the business.
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.
Know What You're Looking for Before You Walk In
The easiest details to remember are the ones you already know you'll need.
Read the questionnaire and instructions before leaving for the assignment. Don't wait until after the shop to discover that you were supposed to record how long it took for an employee to greet you.
I want to know the important questions before I walk through the door.
Do I need an employee's name? Do I have to time something? Am I supposed to check the restroom? Does the client want me to see whether the salesperson mentions a particular product?
Knowing those requirements ahead of time tells you where to concentrate your attention.
Remembering Details After Visits Without Giving Yourself Away
This is where mystery shopping becomes a little tricky.
You need information, but you're supposed to look like a normal customer.
Pulling out a notebook immediately after an employee gives you their name isn't exactly discreet. Constantly checking your phone can also attract attention, depending on the assignment.
Look for natural opportunities to make notes.
You might excuse yourself to the restroom and write down a few details. If you're eating at a restaurant, you may be able to make a quick note on your phone while sitting at the table. After leaving a retail shop, you can return to your car and write everything down.
The important thing is to do it while the information is fresh.
Names Can Be Difficult
Employee names are easy to forget, especially if you're meeting several people during one assignment.
Name tags aren't always easy to read either. Don't stare at someone's chest trying to figure out whether the name says Kathy or Kristy.
If you can't get the name, remember the employee's description if the assignment allows it.
You might remember the approximate age, hair color, clothing, height, or another distinguishing feature. Be factual rather than judgmental.
If you do get the name, connect it mentally with something that happened.
“Mike showed me the television.”
“Jennifer checked me out.”
That can be easier to remember than an isolated name.
Times Are Especially Easy to Forget
Many mystery shops require timing.
You may need to record when you entered, when someone greeted you, when you placed an order, when your food arrived, and when you left.
Don't guess at these later.
I like to check the time at natural points during the assignment. A phone makes that much easier than it was years ago because customers look at their phones constantly.
Your receipt can also help. Many receipts show the transaction time, giving you another reference when you write the report.
Write Things Down as Soon as You Leave
One of the best ways of remembering details after visits is not waiting very long to remember them.
Once I'm away from the location, I can make more complete notes without worrying about anyone seeing me.
Write down the things most likely to disappear from your memory first: names, times, exact statements, employee descriptions, unusual circumstances, and anything you'll need for the narrative.
If you're doing several mystery shops in one day, this becomes even more important.
After three restaurants or retail stores, it's surprisingly easy to remember something correctly but attach it to the wrong location.
Don't Turn a Memory into a Fact
There will eventually be something you can't remember.
Don't make it up.
If you're uncertain whether an employee said something, don't report that they definitely said it. If you don't know an exact time, don't invent one because the questionnaire requires an answer.
Your report needs to be accurate.
As I discussed in my article about [what to do if you make a mistake on a mystery shop], it's better to explain a problem to the scheduler than create information that didn't happen.
Complete the Report While Everything Is Fresh
Whenever possible, I like to complete reports soon after the assignment.
Waiting until the next day makes the job harder.
The major events will probably still be there, but the little details begin disappearing. Those little details are often exactly what the client wants.
This is particularly important with complicated restaurant, apartment, automotive, banking, and video assignments where you may interact with several employees or have a lengthy conversation.
Develop a System That Works for You
After you've completed enough assignments, you'll develop your own methods for remembering details after visits.
You may use quick notes on your phone. You might have certain things you always write down when you return to your car. You may develop mental associations for names and conversations.
The method isn't as important as the result.
Know what the client wants before entering the business. Pay attention while you're there. Make discreet notes when appropriate. Write down the important details as soon as you leave, and complete your report while the experience is still fresh.
You don't need a photographic memory to become a good mystery shopper.
You just need a reliable way to remember what really happened.
Your Best Next Step
If this article helped, read these next:
- What To Do After Approval
- Applying for Assignments Faster
- Building a Steady Assignment Flow
- How to Start Mystery Shopping Without Feeling Overwhelmed
- Mystery Shopping for Beginners
About the Author
I'm Mystery Don, and I've completed mystery shopping assignments for restaurants, hotels, apartment communities, automobile dealerships, and new home builders.
I created this website to help people avoid the mistakes I've seen—and to show new shoppers how legitimate mystery shopping really works.
My book Take That Job And Mystery Shop It! lists over 150 mystery shopping companies to contact. I offer beginner-friendly tips and honest guidance without hype.
We're always looking for new faces to visit different places.
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