The Best Apps and Resources for Mystery Shoppers

All mystery shoppers have questions. Even if you’ve been shopping for years, you’ll find a directive that you don’t clearly understand, a site that raises eyebrows, or a task you’re sure there must be a quicker and better way to complete.

No need to pay for a download or app to make your job easier – there are a myriad of resources for mystery shoppers that don’t cost a penny and provide solid solutions you can use for almost any type of mystery shop. Best of all, you can upload the tools and apps to your smart phone or notepad so they’re available at the touch of a fingertip.

Getting Around

If you have a reliable GPS system in your vehicle, finding mystery shop locations might be a breeze. But if you don’t have that technology, an online mapping system works just as well. Google Maps is a popular app that gives step-by-step directions from one address to another, offers routing options, and projects drive times during both light and rush hour traffic. Another added plus: with one click, it will tell you the easiest and fastest route to get home!

Facts & Figures

The last thing you want to worry about when you’re completing a bar or restaurant assignment is leaving the appropriate tip for your server. There are several tip calculator apps that do it for you in less than two minutes. To keep your shops organized and record your comments and time tables while they’re fresh in your mind, use Evernote. When you’re ready to complete your report, just synch the information from your phone to your laptop or desktop. These apps can ensure improved accuracy in your reports as well as fewer headaches.

The Write Stuff

While Evernote makes note-taking easier, it won’t improve your writing skills. To make sure your spelling and grammar are correct, run your reports through Grammarly or Correctica, two free apps that fix all your errors in minutes. If you want to impress your scheduler (and perhaps get more plum assignments), submit your narratives to Hemingway where multicolored highlighting points out wordy sentences and common errors. When the mistakes are rectified, the highlighting disappears, leaving you with copy that flows like a best-selling novel. Those good narratives you’ve struggled to write are simple when you use The Hemingway App.

Check out our post: How to Use Punctuation in Your Mystery Shopping Report.

Information Hot Spots

When you need professional guidance there are free websites that provide priceless information. In order to learn all about what’s happening in the mystery shopping world, check out www.mspa-na.org. MSPA-NA (formerly known as the Mystery Shopping Providers Association of North America) is an official mystery shopping organization that provides the latest information on what’s happening in the industry, how to protect yourself from deceptive companies, and how to improve your mystery shopping skills.

There are great apps and resources out there for any mystery shopper. We have mentioned ones we love and find helpful. Whether you’re looking to improve your reports or just like to avoid traffic on the way to a shop, many of these apps can be a lifesaver. So go ahead and try some free ones out and reap the rewards in your mystery shops today.