4. Mystery Shopping/observational research

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Contents:

  • General Principals of the Scheme
  • Head Office Administration
  • Training and Project Administration
  • Performance Feedback
  • Validation

    • General Principles of the Scheme

    The minimum standards apply to all types of work a company undertakes.

    Companies must be working to these standards for at least 3 months prior to assessment or inspection.

    From the time the standards are adopted all recruitment, training, validation, appraisals and project management must be in accordance with these minimum standards. Standards do not need to be applied retrospectively.

    The onus is on the company to ensure that all individuals are adequately and appropriately trained for all the tasks they are asked to conduct.

    It is incumbent upon the company to ensure that standards are constantly maintained, irrespective of any changes in personnel.

    Head Office Administration

    If a company wishes to sub-contract any UK fieldwork, wherever possible this must be purchased from suppliers complying with these standards. Any non-compliance with this requirement must be documented.(See section 4.1)

    The Minimum Standards list the information that must be held about each person undertaking mystery shopping/observational research.(See section 4.20.1)

    Training & Project Administration

    All individuals undertaking this sort of work must be adequately and appropriately trained and/or briefed on each project on which they work. The Minimum Standards outline the minimum information that must be given and how this must be documented.(See section 4.20.2

    All individuals conducting this sort of work must sign and date a declaration confirming the work they undertake is in accordance with their briefing instructions. Various options for implementing this are outlined.(See section 4.20.3)

    The Minimum Standards list the information and documentation that must be held for each project.(See sections 4.20 & 4.12.1)

    Performance Feedback

    Individuals working on 5 or more mystery shopping/observational research projects/ stages/ waves over a 12 month period must be given feedback on the quality of their work at least once per year, and a record of this must be kept. This feedback can be given on the telephone, in writing or face to face.(See section 4.20.4)

    If problems or deficiencies are found on any work, appropriate feedback must be given before that individual's work is used, and the problems and action taken documented.(See section 4.20.4)

    Validation

    Every project must be validated, and this must be done in one of the following two ways:

    in each case looking for data appearing outside of the ranges deemed normal.

    When work is conducted from a central telephone location, one of the following methods must also be used:

    • a minimum of 5% of calls listened-in to (or taped if both sides of the conversation are recorded) and/or
    • a minimum of 10% of calls being taped if only one side of the conversation is recorded.(See section 4.20.5)
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