Ways For A Secret Shopper To Assess A Retail Salesperson

25 June 2019
 Categories: Shopping, Blog


Working as a secret shopper allows you to evaluate staff and businesses as a whole and report your findings back to the business. Many retail businesses employ secret shoppers to get a sense of how their employees interact with customers. In this role, you'll simply go about your business in the store and then make a report afterward. Secret shoppers will often visit retail businesses, so if you've recently been recruited and have a mall visit coming up, here are some ways that you can assess a retail salesperson.

How Quickly They Approach You

One of the ways to assess a retail business's sales staff is to note how quickly people approach you upon entering the store. You don't need to make a judgment about this topic — for example, saying that a staff member was slow to walk over to you. Rather, it's best to just note the time when you enter and note the time again when someone approaches you. You may even wish to set a timer on your smartphone. Whether it took just 10 seconds or it was a full three minutes, you can then pass this information along to the business.

How Helpful They Seem

Some salespeople are more helpful than others, so interacting with someone and noting how he or she handles your queries will be valuable information to share with the business. Sometimes, you get the sense that a salesperson isn't too keen to help you. For example, perhaps he or she tells you that the store is out of stock but doesn't go check or doesn't offer to call a nearby store and see if it has what you want in stock. Conversely, a good salesperson will do the opposite of the above and will also have a cheerful and engaging personality.

How Knowledgeable They Are

Customers want a retail store's salespeople to be knowledgeable about the products that they sell. Don't hesitate to ask some questions. For example, if you're in a shoe store, ask if the shoe that you're looking at is suitable for playing basketball or if it's better for running. You can then note the salesperson's response — perhaps he or she was able to expertly point out the best activities for which to wear the shoes and direct you to another pair of shoes that can work well for your intended use. Once you make your report, the store can then use your findings to address problem areas with its staff.

For more information, contact a business that has secret shoppers.


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