Additional Help To Keep Your PC Running Smoothly

In order to ensure your machine functions correctly, programs alone aren’t sufficient. Fortunately, Windows comes with necessary tools to correct and prevent PC malfunction. You should first go to Control Panel, then to Internet Options, and click on the “advanced” tab. Scroll down to “security” and uncheck the following boxes –

1 Allow active content from CDs to run on my computer
2 Allow active content to run from files on my computer
3 Allow software to run or install even if the signature is invalid

Check the following boxes –

1 Check for publisher’s certificate revocation
2 Check for server’s certificate revocation
3 Do not save encrypted pages to disk (your virus program will miss those)
4 Check for signatures on downloaded programs
5 Empty temporary internet files folder when browser is closed

You should also go to “Control Panel”, then “Internet Properties” and click on the “security” tab. Click on the “custom level” button. You’ll see a drop down menu to the immediate left of the “reset…” button. Pull the menu down and select “high”.

You should also defragment your hard drive on a regular basis. This can be done by going to “Start”, then to “All programs”, then “accessories”, then “system tools”, then “disk defragmenter”. When the tool loads, go to the “action” menu and select “defragment”.

While it may seem like just more work, imagine what would happen if you sat down eagerly to begin your latest report and your computer crashed. If this has never happened to you, it’s a huge hassle that can often be avoided with simple and regular computer maintenance.

So for the few minutes it takes to do this extra ‘work’, you can be reviewing your notes or doing something worthwhile while your computer is maintaining itself. Taking time to do these necessary things increases your professionalism and your dedication to your job.

Other Ways To Conduct Secret Shopping Business

Telephone

Frequently, telephone mystery shops are conducted to evaluate the ability of firms such as airlines or insurance companies to test how well they know and can provide the product. Many companies will provide a number to call, which activates a recording device. The number will then patch you through to the client to be mystery shopped.

During a telephone shop, you will be asked questions such as:

1) How long did it take to get someone on the phone?
2) Was there an automated message?
3) Were you able to order the product? How easily?
4) Did the employee know the product?
5) Was the employee polite?
6) Could the employee answer the question you were assigned to ask?

E-mail

Email mystery shops are becoming more common as commerce moves online. This trend is becoming far more prevalent, so much so that the online community’s Black Monday is rivaling the Black Friday of conventional retail outlets. These assignments are similar in nature to telephone and in person shops and the questions are of a similar nature. You are testing product knowledge, delivery and customer service via email.

As mystery shopping becomes an increasingly popular and valuable option for retailers, expect to see many other types of services emerge that will allow you to expand your skills and increase your business.

Mystery Shopping – Fun, Yes, But It’s a Business Too

Many shoppers choose mystery shopping because it’s a fun and exciting way to make money. But you must remember it is a business. The best mystery shoppers care about customer service and want to help businesses improve. The Mystery Shopping Providers Association is a good starting point for information related to this field (www.mspa.org). They offer the following information to demonstrate the wide range of services provided by mystery shoppers:

• Traditional Mystery Shop or Customer Service Evaluation
• Purchase and Return
• Integrity Evaluations
• Reward (Incentive Based) Shop
• Competitive Shop
• Mystery Calling or Telephone Shop
• Audio and Video Mystery Shops
• Cyber shops or Internet Service Evaluation
• Discrimination Testing
• Manufacturer’s Promotions
• Merchandising Audits
• Operations (Quality Control) Audits
• Price Audit
• On-Site Interviewing

With so many opportunities to use your skills as a mystery shopper, you can combine fun and excitement with running your own business, and still have time left over to enjoy your family and pursue other goals. What other field of work can make this claim?

What Mystery Shopping Has in Common with Cake

If you thought mystery shopping was a piece of cake, by now you know it’s not. Some people are shocked when they see the work that goes into shopping undercover and writing reports.

Here are a few tips many established mystery shoppers wish they would have known earlier in their careers:

• You Might Not Be Able to Bring Your Children With You
Some companies do not want you bringing your children because children can be distracting when you are supposed to be working. Be clear about the terms of the company and the terms of each job because this is an important thing to know. Some of the jobs will allow children, but if it is a lengthy survey that needs to be completed or requires you to do a lot of interacting with the salespeople you may want to choose to leave your child at home so you can do a good job on your assignment.

• Meticulous Recordkeeping
When you apply to hundreds of companies, it’s best to have one file that lists every thing you may need—companies you’ve shopped for, zip codes and area codes where you are willing to shop, passwords and user identifications, and a description of your best shopping experience, and a description of your worst shopping experience.