Secret Shopper Got Me

[Chained to the counter]

And I did pretty well, i would have gotten 100% but i made 1 mistake, instead of saying "Hello, how are you" apparently i said "Yes darl, how are you? What can i get for you today?

Is saying that bad? I tend to use terms of endearment on everyone, it just comes out, it was the way i was brought up, maybe i should try to keep it in check next time.

[scruff]

Congrats on getting near 100%.
:-)
Some people don't mind/notice those sorts of expressions, some people find them insulting/off-putting/unproffessional, so yeah, I'd advise keeping them in check at work.

[Andara Bledin]

I'm not a big fan of people using endearments with me when they don't know me.

I'm wondering if it isn't so much the "darl" part as the "yes" part in place of a "howdy" or other greeting.

^-.-^

[Becks]

The secret shopper should be glad there was a greeting at all, since a lot of customers always complain about not being greeted.

[Will-Mun]

I don't know what 'darl' even means. I assume it's short for darling...


But yeah, that Secret Shopper has a stick up his/her ass.

Then again you have to realize these people are given a sheet by your company, and everything is lined out for them. And you know companies... They don't want PEOPLE, no they want nice little conformity drones. Don't greet someone in the exact same fashion as everyone else and you get a point knocked off...



I hate secret shoppers.

[NightAngel]

It's probably more that they want every customer greeted the same way so no one can say the employees are playing favorites. Yes, it's silly.
There's a very specific way for us to answer the phone at my work and we hear about it if don't do it.

On a rare occasion you get a Secret Shopper who is really awful or stupid or has taken the job out of some sort of spite towards the company.

Overall though they are just people doing a job- like us. If I'm doing my job right then there's no reason to worry about them.

[bigjimaz]

Unless my name was Darl, I wouldn't want to hear it. There's nothing wrong with the greeting used if you substitute Sir or Ma'am for Darl. Save yourself some words and use the greeting that you are supposed to every time. Your pleasant demeanor will pull you a 100 next time.

[Kiwi]

Im guessing its short for darling?

Are you from Aussie?, the only time ive heard that is on an episode of home and away or the like...

[MystyGlyttyr]

I think I'd make a decent Shopper. I wouldn't concern myself terribly about whether or not the person danced a jig every second they were helping me, just that they were polite and helpful and didn't do anything too stupid. Beyond that, I don't care if they use the company greeting or whatever, so I'll just check "yes" and go on with my business.

IF they are totally rude, though, then all bets are off.

[NightAngel]

Beyond that, I don't care if they use the company greeting or whatever, so I'll just check "yes" and go on with my business.

If the employee is supposed to give the greeting, they don't, and you check that they did- then you wouldn't be doing your job right and therefore would not be a good secret shopper.

It's just like any other job. There are certain things you're supposed to do and if you don't do them then you're not a good employee.

[powerboy]

I would like to be a Secret Shopper. I honestly do not care if they don't greet me. I don't greet everyone that comes into my shop. I would, but after that one asshole, back when I was working at OfficeMax.

[April]

I really don't think a greeting should be completely scripted. I rarely greeted 2 customers the same exact way.

I might have said "hi! Did you find everything you needed today?"

Or "How are you doing tonight?"

I'm not big on terms of endearment in a customer/employee setting, however. It makes me slightly uncomfortable, however I understand that that is more MY issue. I wouldn't have marked someone down for it.

[DesignFox]

Yea, I think the shopper had a stick up their ass. I know what the criteria for a shop generally is, and usually they have to answer IF they were greeted, not what words were used in the greeting.

My company (cell phone) uses secret shoppers, too. They SUCK ASS. I am so glad I work for an agent and not corporate. My boss doesn't give a shit about the outcome of secret shops. Do I make the store money? YES. That's all that matters.

In my short time at the phone store I have been shopped 3 times. My first shop was the best I ever had. The shopper herself was polite and responsive and let me do everything I was supposed to do.

My next shopper was an asshole. I asked her questions, she didn't provide answers. I tried to show her phones, and she stood their like a deer in headlights. I asked her how many phone lines she wanted, and she was vague. When asked to clarify, she got extremely nasty. I missed the passing grade by 5 points.

My most recent shopper was a complete loony bird. I couldn't get a word in edgewise! Top it off, when I started asking her questions or talking about phones and accessories, she ran out the door! Despite the fact that I introduced myself AND handed her my business card, she didn't even get my name right. Needless to say, I failed that one. And it had nothing to do with ME. (thankfully our corporate rep knows well enough that there's no way I would do THAT poorly, and called for a re-shop).

So yea. I hate secret shoppers. And 3 for 3 I could spot who they were. The whole system is a bunch of bullshit.

sorry...end rant...

[Estil]

Our secret shoppers are used mainly to see if we check for BOB (bottom of bascart). The problem is, they always hide the items in the very back (like hide ice cream in the back or adult beverages to the right; real customers would NEVER do BOB like that). And unless the customer is trying to be dishonest, they'll remember to put up BOB anyway if the cashier/bagger hasn't done so already. So although the store claims "millions of dollars are lost to BOB shrink", the reality is that the chances of missing BOB on a real customer (not a phony staged secret shopper visit) is quite slim.

[tollbaby]

I would like to be a Secret Shopper. I honestly do not care if they don't greet me. I don't greet everyone that comes into my shop. I would, but after that one asshole, back when I was working at OfficeMax.

The thing is, when you're a secret shopper, you have a list of things you HAVE to report on, and if you're not honest, they figure it out pretty quickly and fire you :P