How to be a mystery diner

Question

"I wonder if you could tell me how I go about becoming a mystery customer, guest or diner? I have always been in companies where they are used and now I would like to try this for myself!

If you could point me in the right direction it would be appreciated."

Ian Mitty

What the expert says

Alison Clarke, human resources director, Whitbread Restaurants

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"It's best to start with an overview of mystery customer research. Many companies need to examine and improve the service they are offering to their customers on a day-to-day basis. In order to find this out they often recruit these so-called 'mystery customers' who can check the product or service at the point of delivery. The task of a mystery customer is to visit outlets like any other customer, but also to carry out specific scenarios. For example, they will see how the outlet reacts if they make a complaint. The main difference between mystery customers and normal customers is that they are trained to assess the information in an unbiased way. Mystery customer research includes people, places, objects and food and may be face-to-face or over the telephone. The information is usually recorded on a questionnaire and the individual results are then edited before being sent to each outlet manager. So what makes a good mystery customer? Anyone can be a mystery customer once they have been trained, but the qualities and skills you need to do it well include: - Preparation - Good memory - Observation - Communication - Ability to record information accurately - Attention to detail - Neat and legible handwriting It is also essential that the mystery customer is flexible, mobile, honest and reliable. And finally, how do you become a mystery customer? The best thing to do if you want to give being a mystery customer a go is to contact the Market Research Society (MRS) for a list of agencies that carry out mystery customer research. The MRS can be contacted on 020 7490 4911 or at its [Web site](http://www.mrs.org.uk" target="_blank) The companies near you can then be contacted direct. It is important to choose one that is MRQSA (Market Research Quality Standards Association) and IQCS (Interviewer Quality Control Scheme) registered. These companies will follow strict guidelines regarding the training and management of mystery customers and follow a code of conduct for the use of the gathered data." Do you have a question for our experts? [E-mail us now, help is at hand. Â