As an associate at a California self service storage business who is one that is in front of customers for a living.  It may be a good idea to treat every individual you encounter as a potential mystery shopper .  Now it is kind of obvious that is not the case.   But imagine if you gave each and every person you talked to, an interaction that you would be proud to have evaluated.  Because whether you are working your first day or youre a tenured veteran.  You are always going to be evaluated on certain things like dress code, or how approachable you are.  Often shoppers will notice if you are in a good mood or not as well. 

Truly everyone is a mystery shopper .  Who is to say that after they are done working with you, they will not go speak to a manager and tell them what their experience looked like?  So in that case maybe they can all be considered a mystery shopper .  It could be in your best interest to greet each customer in a way that gets them talking or maybe by asking a open ended question instead of the same old every day retail question.   Is there anything I can help you with? Thats kind of been done and is a little boring.  Also it wont lead to great results.  Try starting a conversation based on something about them.  If they are wearing an athletic teams shirt or hat.  Ask them who there favorite player on that team is or if they were able to watch the game last night or if they use mini self storage . 

This will hopefully begin a conversation instead of them trying to get rid of you so they can shop in peace.  Always the biggest part to a sale is the initial contact.  You must always be asking yourself am I in proper dress code, am I smiling, did I remember to lock my storage container , Do my customers feel I am inviting them into a conversation with me?  If you where to treat all your customers as they would soon be telling your manager or boss about you, would it have benefit?  Would your presentation differ, would you be more aggressive? Would you make sure to sell or offer all the different things that are expected of you?  A mystery shopper is only there for validation that you are executing at an expected level.  However if you where more aggressive in offering all these things.  It would only stand to reason that you are probably a better and higher potential associate. 

Another key step in being prepared for a mystery shopper , is understanding and being able to execute what the companies selling strategy is.  If you are out there doing your own thing and you get shopped, very likely someone will soon be coming to you to ask you how your sales strategy matches that of the company you work for.  All retail environments for the most part have their own certain way they want you to treat their customers.  It may not necessarily work for you, and if it dont then speak to someone in a leadership position and see if they can either help you understand how to better use it or give explain how what works best for you is still inside their appointed guidelines.  They obviously liked something about the way you handle yourself, if they hired you and put you in a position that was customer facing.

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