Secret Shopper ® - Shop assignments & surveys

Earn money by taking on shop assignments and completing surveys while you're on the move! The complimentary Secret Shopper® application offers registered shoppers the ability to work directly from their mobile devices.

With this application, you can:

1.Explore and arrange available shop assignments

2.Read through Shop Instructions

3.Obtain driving directions and step-by-step navigation to your designated shop

4.Capture and upload digital photos to shop reports using your device’s camera

5.Work seamlessly across all your devices

6.Send in finished shops to receive payment

7.Contact a coordinator regarding shop scheduling or assistance

8.Locate shops based on your current position

This application is intended for current shoppers to assign shops and submit their reports.

About Us

The History of Secret Shopper®: Enhancing Customer Experiences Since 1990

In the realm of business, delivering exceptional customer experiences has always been a paramount goal. However, understanding and improving customer service can be challenging without unbiased feedback. That's where Secret Shopper®, a premier company in the world of mystery shopping, comes into play. For decades, we have been a driving force behind empowering businesses to elevate their standards and create unforgettable customer interactions.

Unveiling the Mystery

Secret Shopper® operates as a mystery shopping agency out of Minneapolis, Minnesota. Our team of independent contractor mystery shoppers from diverse backgrounds, sign up to act as anonymous shoppers, enabling them to blend seamlessly into various customer scenarios. Armed with specific evaluation criteria, these mystery shoppers embark on missions to gauge the quality of service and the overall shopping experiences onsite, online, and on the phone in every industry.

A Global Presence

Over the years, Secret Shopper® has spread its wings far and wide. What began as a local initiative soon expanded into a global force. Today, our network of mystery shoppers spans across continents, making us a trusted partner for businesses worldwide seeking to improve customer satisfaction.

The Power of Unbiased Feedback

One of the key strengths of Secret Shopper® lies in the objectivity of our assessments. By maintaining shopper anonymity, we ensure that businesses receive unbiased feedback, allowing them to identify areas for improvement with clarity and precision. This trust and transparency have made Secret Shopper® a reliable name in the industry.

Innovating for Tomorrow

As the world evolved, so has Secret Shopper®. Embracing technological advancements, we have integrated online survey platforms, mobile applications, and multimedia evaluations into our methodology. This seamless fusion of technology and mystery shopping has allowed for real-time feedback, ensuring businesses can respond swiftly to customer needs.

A Catalyst for Positive Change

Throughout our journey, Secret Shopper® has been a catalyst for positive change in the customer service landscape. Our comprehensive reports have helped businesses recognize their strengths and weaknesses, leading to targeted improvements. By acknowledging outstanding performance, we have also incentivized excellence in customer service.

Secret Shopper® has been a cornerstone for nearly four decades in shaping how businesses understand and enhance customer experiences. Our impact has been profound from a visionary idea to a global leader in mystery shopping. With each mystery shopper's covert visit, we inspire businesses to reach new heights of customer satisfaction and loyalty. As the world continues to evolve, Secret Shopper® remains committed to staying at the forefront of innovation, driving businesses toward a future where customer-centricity reigns supreme.

The Augmented Retail Experience: A Mystery Shopping Blueprint for Human-Centric AI Integration

The integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) into customer service presents both immense opportunities and significant challenges for retail businesses. Whilst AI promises efficiency and 24/7 availability, the core concern remains whether it truly enhances the customer experience or merely reduces human interaction. For CX Managers and Directors in retail, understanding and actively managing this dynamic is crucial.

This analysis distils key learnings from the evolving discourse around AI in customer service, specifically tailoring them to the context of retail and the strategic application of mystery shopping programs. The goal is to provide actionable insights for preserving and elevating the human element within an increasingly AI-augmented retail landscape.

1. Embrace a Hybrid CX Model: AI as an Enabler, Not a Replacement

Conversations highlight that AI excels at handling simple, repetitive queries (e.g., checking order status, basic FAQs). However, a purely AI-driven approach often leads to customer frustration when issues are complex, require nuance, or carry emotional weight. Human interaction is irreplaceable for high-value, personalized, or problem-solving situations.

Mystery Shopping Strategy

Scenario Design

Develop mystery shopping scenarios that intentionally test both AI-first interactions for routine queries (e.g., using a chatbot for a price check) and then transition to human interaction for more complex issues (e.g., resolving a nuanced product defect or seeking personalized advice).

Evaluation Focus

Assess if AI truly filters simple requests, allowing human associates to focus their time and expertise on higher-value, more empathetic interactions, rather than merely acting as a barrier.

Metrics

Track AI resolution rates for simple queries, customer sentiment during AI-only interactions, and qualitative feedback on the perceived "value add" of human associates post-AI filtering.

2. Prioritize Seamless AI-to-Human Hand-offs

A major frustration repeatedly voiced by customers is the disjointed experience when an AI system fails to resolve an issue and a subsequent human agent lacks critical context, forcing the customer to repeat information. This significantly increases customer effort and frustration.

Mystery Shopping Strategy

Critical Touchpoint Testing

Create specific mystery shopping scenarios that are designed to intentionally fail AI resolution (e.g., asking an ambiguous question) and require an escalation from an AI system (online chatbot, in-store kiosk) to a human associate (in-store or contact center).

Evaluation Focus

Measure the efficiency and seamlessness of the hand-off. Does the human agent have immediate access to the AI conversation history? Is the customer required to re-explain their entire situation from scratch?

Metrics

Time to resolution post-handoff, customer effort score specifically for the transition, and qualitative feedback on the human agent's preparedness and empathy.

3. Evaluate AI's Impact on Emotional Connection and Brand Persona

Retail success often hinges on creating an emotional connection and a distinctive brand experience. Customers express feeling that AI interactions can be overly robotic, generic, and lacking empathy, which can dilute brand loyalty and a sense of being valued.

Mystery Shopping Strategy

Brand Voice Audit

Task mystery shoppers with evaluating whether AI interactions (chatbots, virtual assistants) align with the brand's established tone of voice and personality. Is the language natural and consistent with the brand's image?

Empathy Assessment

Design scenarios where shoppers express frustration, confusion, or require emotional support. Assess how AI responds to these sentiments and, crucially, how human associates follow up or compensate for any perceived AI shortcomings.

Metrics

Qualitative feedback on brand perception, "feelings" evoked by the interaction (e.g., understood, frustrated, valued), and a comparison of human vs. AI emotional intelligence.