This is to give you an idea of the content of BARE Basics. Do not pay attention to the Graphics. Pay attention to the material and content.

1. Please note, this only will show
you the content. Do not pay
attention of the graphics, only
the words and the information
Thank you-
Laura McClernon

2. (Have the same map, but in all 10 languages for the welcome, and
the same idea to click on the continent and then direct you to a
page that has the various languages)

3. Hello!
This educational tool will be divided into 3
sections
1. What is Mystery Evaluating?
2. How to be a successful Mystery Evaluator
3. Mystery Evaluation Example

5. What is a Mystery Evaluator?
As a Mystery Evaluator, you are much like an undercover
agent. You visit a store or make a phone call, just as any
regular customer.
In the mean time, you observe everything you see and hear
around you.
Each assignment is different.
Guidelines are given to tell you what to keep in mind while
conducting the evaluation.
It’s also necessary that you review the questionnaire prior to
arriving on site for the visit.

6. What is the purpose of Mystery Evaluations?
Our clients often have different goals for their
Mystery Evaluating Programs and many times they
are looking to improve customer service.
Other times clients are looking to find out how a
product is displayed, learn how they compare to their
competitors, or evaluating a company-wide standard
within the organization.

7. Why is it important to remain neutral when
conducting a Mystery Evaluation project?
It is important not to include your personal option in Mystery
Evaluations.
The client requests as many details as possible to be able to
understand the “story” of your experience.
Mystery evaluations measure facts. This is the major
difference between Mystery Evaluations and market
research/customer satisfaction surveys.

8. What kind of Mystery evaluations do we carry out?
Founded in 1987, BARE works with clients and specializes in
Global Mystery Consumer Research.
We evaluate all industries.
There are different types of evaluations:
1.) Mystery Visit: you visit the location, focusing on the
sales conversation.
2.) Mystery E-mail: you send an e-mail and focus on
response times.
3.) Mystery Call: you make a phone call and focus on
response times and service-mindedness.
4.) Announced Audit: you visit a store with an authorized
letter from the company.
5.) Video Visit: you visit a store/ dealership to evaluate
customer service while wearing a hidden camera.

9. - What do you have to do before carrying out an evaluation?
-How do you properly carry out an evaluation?
- How do you prepare for the unexpected?
- What do you do after having completed the evaluation?
- How do you write an excellent Mystery evaluation report?
- How and when do you get paid for your Mystery
evaluation?

10. How do you get
selected for
evaluations?

11. Which evaluations can you apply for?
From the
Home Page,
Click on
EVALUATOR
LOGIN

12. Enter your login
information

13. Once you are logged in, click on
the JOB BOARD Link at the top
of the page
Enter the Country and State (if
available), then search

14. To learn more about the evaluation,
click in the MORE INFO link
To apply for Mystery evaluations on our Job Board, you will
first need to fill out your Extended Shopper Profile . We
need this information to check if you are the right candidate
for a certain assignment as well as for the payment of your
Mystery evaluations.

15. The “More Info”
page tells you more
detail about the
evaluation such
as….
Address of the location.
DUE DATE- when the
evaluation must be done
Hours and specific days you
can go to the location
The payment / reimbursement
you will receive
Comments about the
evaluations (to provide more
details)
If you are interested in performing the evaluation,
enter in your email, password, and answer the
question (if applicable)

16. There are evaluations that are
restricted to evaluators with
certain ratings, qualifications
and experience, as well as
age or gender
You also might see a question
that you need to answer when
you apply for the evaluation.
Please provide your answer in
the box.
You will also see evaluations that are “Self Assign.” If
you meet the qualifications, this evaluation will
automatically be assigned to you.

17. Who gets the assignment and why?
In most cases, multiple Mystery Evaluators apply
for one single evaluation. This means that BARE
must select the most qualified candidate for this
particular evaluation. One of the main criteria on
which we assign a Mystery Evaluator to conduct
our assignments is the Shopper Rating . This
rating is determined at the end of the assignment
by our editing team
If you have not completed any evaluations yet, do not
become discouraged– keep applying for evaluations. When
you get an assignment, stick to the guidelines and
deadlines and we will keep working with you!

18. How do you know an evaluation has been assigned
to you?
If the evaluation has been assigned to you
We automatically send you an e-mail confirming the details
of your assignment and it will be visible in your Shop Log
If you are not sure if you have been assigned or if you want to see if your
application has been processed, check the status on the My Apps Link at the top
of the page

19. What do you have to
do before carrying
out an evaluation?

20. How do you prepare for the assignment?
Please review your Shop Log for the details including:
4) Complete the evaluation by the
due date
1) Read the
Guidelines**
3) Note any special
2) Review the actual
instructions on the Sticky
Evaluation ( and take Note
the quiz if applicable)
**Just before carrying out the evaluation, download the guidelines in case there has
been an update. You will see a date referring the version number.

21. Some Mystery Evaluations require Evaluator
a QUIZ before starting
Quizzes
You will find the quiz on the
View/ Submit Link on the Shop
Log
Review the
questionnaire If you pass, you will
and guidelines receive a code to
before taking enter
the quiz
Click on the link to
Open the Quiz
Last, fill in the day you plan to go
to the visit. For EU evaluators,
this must be filled in within 24
hours of receiving the assignment

22. What does the DUE
DATE mean?
The Due Date is the
final day on which
you can perform the
Mystery Evaluation
What is the Planning Date?
(For EU Evaluators)
The date you plan to visit the location. This needs to be filled in 24
hours after you are assigned the location
What if you fail to meet the due date OR the planning date?
-BARE may decide to reassign all your evaluations– even those that have not
yet reached their due date

23. Where do find the key points and specific instructions?
- In the guidelines (also called Project Briefings)
- The questionnaire
- (If applicable) The Sticky Note- If there is one you
will see it on your Shop Log. The Sticky note
provides important instructions.
What if you have remaining questions or doubts?
Contact us. You can find the information on the Assignment
Confirmation Email AND on the Guidelines for the person managing the
project
What if something comes up and you are unable to complete the
assignment?
Emergencies happen in life. We understand. If you are unable to
complete an evaluation, please contact your account manager via email or
phone as soon as possible. We cannot emphasize enough the importance
of communicating with your contact person at BARE.
If this happens on a regular basis, we will not be able to assign evaluations
to you.

24. How to succeed at
p
e
r
f
o
r

25. How should you interact with the Staff?
- Do not assume that you will find fault. Enter the
place with a neutral perspective
Give the staff every chance to do an excellent job. Let them
initiate conversation
-Be a pleasant customer. Be interested in what the staff has
to tell you.
-Be inquisitive and ask questions in a manner that the staff
feels that you wish to purchase the product.
-Make sure that you can describe the physical characteristics
of the sales person.
-Do not give too much unnecessary information. If you are
required to play a certain role or need to give certain
information stick to the suggestions in your scenario

26. Extra Precautions & Special Situations
1)Its possible you might have to give a false name and
address can be required for some projects.
- This will be indicated in the project-specific guidelines.
Make sure that you can instantly name an existing address
not too far away from the location you must evaluate.
2) Very often, you will be required to record associates’
names. Make sure that you get the name, even if that means
having to ask for it yourself at the end of the visit.
Tip: You can, for example, say that you want to know his/
her name because you want to return and talk the same
person again.

27. 3) Always note whether the staff member asks your name
and addresses you by your name.
4.) All brochures, receipts, price quotations, and business
cards you receive may be claimed by BARE as proof of visit.
Make sure to keep them for 90 days, unless the project-
specific guidelines specify that you need to keep your proof
of evaluation for a longer period of time.
5.) Follow the scenario so you look like a “regular” customer.
For example, make sure you’re dressed appropriately for
your evaluation. You will not want to perform a motorcycles
sales shop in a dress and high heels!

28. How do you prepare
for the unexpected?

29. What should you do if you are asked whether you
are a Mystery Evaluator?
If you follow the guidelines, it is extremely unlikely that
someone will ever ask you this question.
… But what if someone does ask?
- Act Natural
- Say you do not know what he/she means
-If appropriate, ask them to explain, then continue with the
regular conversation. Do not go on into great detail about
their inquiry.
As part of our Evaluator agreement, you acknowledge that
you will take reasonable means to ensure that you are not
discovered as a Mystery Evaluator.

30. What to do if store is closed or the salesperson you
have to evaluate is absent?
We ask you to please verify the location and opening hours
beforehand either by phone or via the Internet.
If you did this, but the store is closed or the salesperson you
were supposed to evaluate is not there, please contact your
Account Manager at BARE as soon as possible. He/ she will
tell you how to proceed.
**If the store is closed , not at the address provided, or
there is no salesperson available please take a photo of the
exterior.

31. What to do if the sales person is not wearing a
name tag or never states his or her name
-Be friendly, and politely ask for their name.
Or
-You might say something like, “I am sorry, I did not
catch your name.”

32. What do you do after
having completed the
evaluation?

33. Login to your account and Start
filling our your evaluation
Remember Click on “View /Submit” to access
the report
To avoid losing your Apollo
connection, save your work by
submitting your survey every 30
minutes, even if its not finished yet.
If you cannot fill in the report in one sitting,
you can save the information by clicking on
“Save Shop for Later.”

34. The complete report must be online again within 24 hours
completing the evaluation . Again for some projects this
will be 12 hours or less- make sure you check your
guidelines! If your report is not completed and online in time,
BARE may decide to reassign the evaluation to another
Mystery Evaluator and you will not get paid.
After completion, the report will be reviewed by one of our
editors. Our editor may ask you to armed or clarify some
items in the report. Please check your email regularly so you
can respond within the given timeframe to our editor’s
questions.

35. How do you write an
excellent Mystery
evaluation report?

36. Its very important that our Evaluators take the time to thoroughly
fill in their reports.
If a report is inconsistent or has many errors, we will not be able to
accept the report.
Please also note that the style of writing in the report must be
PROFESSIONAL and OBJECTIVE.
A report that contains too many errors or inconsistencies has the
possibility in being excluded, resulting in a non-payment for the
Evaluator.
Also remember, if you answer a question negatively (no, not clean,
unfriendly) you also must provide supporting details in the
comments section.

39. A Note on Subjective Comments :
Sometimes we cannot void a certain degree of subjectivity,
e.g. questions that ask you about “well-groomed,”
“enthusiastic,” “polite,” etc.
As a rule of thumb, answer these according to your personal
insights and feelings. Make sure that you truly explain your
answer; do not say. “her clothes were scandalous,” but
rather tell us what exactly was scandalous about them.

40. Lets Take A Look at an Example:
Question: Was the sales person clean and well-groomed?
Answer: NO
Sample comment: I ABSOLUTELY hated the bright orange suit
she was wearing, although it was clean and fresh the color did
not suit her at all and made me want to put on my sunglasses.
She’d look much better in something more discreet. Friends tell
me this saleswoman always wears these crazy colors, I wonder if
she’s color blind?????
What this Evaluator did wrong:
- Did not stick to the facts
- Put in their personal opinion
- Interjected humor
- Used excess punctuation
- Used ALL CAPITAL LETTERS
- Did not answer the question if they were clean and well
groomed

41. What happens after you submit your report?
After your report is submitted, a member of our editing team will
review your report

42. Possible reasons for non-payment
•Revealing yourself as a Mystery Evaluator
•Submitting an overdue report
•BARE is unable to reach you, after several attempts, for clarification regarding the
report
•The report contains inconsistencies and contradictions; no supportive comments for
yes/no answer choices
•The scenario and/or project specific guidelines were not carried out correctly
•Invalid proof-of-visit (receipt, photo, literature)
•A request from BARE for additional information was not received in a timely manner,
or at all
•If banking details are incorrect and/or incomplete with your Shop Profile, payment
may be delayed. It is the evaluator’s responsibility to ensure that banking information
is updated and correct; if receiving payment via direct deposit.

44. How and when
do you get paid for
successfully
completing Mystery
Evaluations?

45. When will you be paid for
your evaluation?
BARE Pays on a 30- day net
cycle. This means that we pay
once per month.
You will be paid after the 15th of the
month following your evaluation.
Example: If you did an evaluation on
June 20th, you will be paid after July
15th
For Evaluators located in the For Evaluators located outside the United States
United States
Payments are produced between the 20th-25th of the
Checks and electronic payments month.
are produced between the 15th-
20th of the month. For Evaluators located in the EU, its preferred that you
are paid through Bank Transfer or PayPal.
Please allow 3-14 business days
for your check to arrive For all other Evaluators, please consult the page on the
depending on your location. Extended Shopper Profile on what method of payment is
Checks are sent from Virginia. preferred in your country

46. The information we need for direct deposit
As for bank details, it is your responsibility to fill this out correctly
in your profile.
We will need:
- The bank account to be in your name
- The bank account number
- The bank account routing number
For Evaluators outside of the U.S. and Canada, you will need to update your Extended
Shopper Profile with the appropriate banking details. Shoppers in the US will also need
to do this if they wish to receive direct deposits.
At the top of your Shop Log you will see the link for the Extended
Shopper Profile:

47. Once on the Extended Shopper Profile….
At the bottom of the page you will find the section titled “Payment Details.”
For Shoppers Outside the US:
Its very important that you will in the SWIFT/BIC code and IBAN
numbers correctly. Without these numbers we cannot process the
payment.
If you will be paid by PayPal or Western Union, please make sure you
fill in the proper information

49. You received an email stating that you have been selected to
perform a Mystery visit for “The Sports Store” in your city.
Login to the Apollo site from the BARE International Website or click
on the hyperlink in the email
Once you are logged in, proceed to your SHOP LOG

50. Looking at your Shop Log you can
see…
I can go any time… so I will check the
company website to see their hours.
I need to spend money, and I will be
reimbursed up to 20 USD.
I know where the evaluation will take
place since the address is listed
I can go anytime time between 1- July and
6 July.

51. Next, Review the Guidelines and the Actual
Questionnaire

52. Today is the day to perform your visit.
- If there is more than one scenario, you know which one you are to do
- You have already reviewed all the information in your Shop Log
- You Read the Guidelines and took the quiz if applicable
- You have reviewed the survey and read through the questions you will
be required to answer

53. Take note of the instructions in the Guidelines and the
questions you are required to answer on the questionnaire

54. You have
arrived at
the store!

55. When you walk in you are facing the
first display

56. You first go downstairs to explore the
bike shop

57. You notice your surroundings, and
read some of the materials

58. In the
bottom
level,
you
observe
some of
the
displays

59. You then proceed to
the women’s
department to
observe the
merchandise and
displays

60. You then walk past the
area with the trial
rooms…
After this, you have
selected the 2 items
you wish to purchase.
You proceed to the
register.

61. You now
approach the
register with
your items.
You wait your
turn.

62. The employee rings
up the purchase on
the register. You
pay for the item,
and you are given a
receipt.
You exit the store and
return home.

63. That night, you fill in your
report. You also scan
and upload your receipt.
Once you are finished,
you submit the receipt to
BARE.

64. Now, to test your knowledge with the BARE
Basics Quiz