TheMysteryShoppingClubUSA,CanadaandUKAreyouastudentover18?Part-timeteacher?Parent?Justsomeonethatneedssomeextraincome?Somefreefoodanddrinksperhaps?Wouldyouliketopickyourownhours?-Casualworkavailablenow.Wheneveryouvisitamajorfastfoodrestaurantorwellknownretailchain,haveyoueverwonderedhowtheymanagetomaintainaconsistenthighlevelofservicenomatterhowmanybranchestheyhaveandregardlessofwheretheyareintheworld?Itisnotlefttochance.Theyallusemysteryshopperstoposeasdinersorbuyerstoevaluatetheserviceatgroundlevel.Thousandsofordinarypeoplegetpaidtogoshopping,eatoutinarestaurantorjustpopoutforadrink.Feespervisitvarybetweencompanies,butareusuallybetweenabout£6.00($9.00)and£20.00($30.00).Andofcourseexpensesarepaid-yesthatreallydoesmeanthatyourfoodanddrinkispaidforaswell.ThefollowingisanarticletakenfromChoicesMagazineafteravisittoTheHighStreetCentralMysteryShoppingClub."Wanted:Shopaholicnoseyparkerwithexcellentobservationalskills,agoodearandflexibleattitudetopart-timework.Anyonecanapply.Workavailableinallareas.Mustbepreparedtoeatfreemeals,enjoyshoppingdiscountsandvisitpubs-andbepaidforit."Believeitornot,theabovejobadvertisementisnotasfarfetchedasitsounds.Ifyouloveshopping,you'llbepleasedtohearthatit'spossibletoshopforaliving.Infact,it'samulti-millionpoundindustryformarketresearchcompanieswhoemploy"mysteryshoppers"toshopupanddownthecountry-allinthenameofcustomerserviceandresearch.Thereareanumberofmysteryshoppingcompanieswhoorganisewholearmiesofprofessionalshoppersonbehalfofretailers,pubs,restaurants,banksandotherserviceindustries.Theirmission?Tominglein,lookinconspicuousandfileareportonanythingfromcustomerservicetocleanlinessintherestrooms.Ifyouvisitoneortwopubsinanight,you'llgetyourfoodanddrinkpaidfor,travelexpensesandyou'llbepaidanythingfrom£6.00or£7.00(US$12)upforeachvisit.Butthereisoneproblemwithmysteryshopping:trulydedicatedshoppersneverswitchofffromtheirwork.You'llfindyourselfcompulsivelyevaluatingserviceandcheckingceilingsforcobwebsevenwhenyou'renotonduty.Iteventuallybecomesapartofyourlife.
