Author: Admin

Confero, Inc. would like to send a big thank you out to all of the mystery shoppers who helped us complete thousands of on-the-spot rewards shops this summer!  Mystery shoppers conducted these shops at amusement parks, movie theaters, casual dining restaurants, fast-food restaurants, and airports.

We got a lot of great feedback from our mystery shoppers about conducting this type of mystery shop.  If you have had reservations about trying a prize reveal shop, see what other mystery shoppers have said:

“It felt great to be able to award the successful cashier with the gift card.  The cashier told me that he had been working for this company for sixteen years and it was nice to know he is appreciated.” – Kelly M., California

Confero, Inc. was recently notified about a new email scam.  The scammers have used Confero’s reputable name and the name of our company president, Elaine Buxton.  The scammers created an email address e.buxton@aol.com and have contacted consumers and offered them mystery shops paying up to $120 a piece.  This is a scam!  Elaine Buxton’s email address is not e.buxton@aol.com.  Confero staff members will only ever contact mystery shoppers via their conferoinc.com email addresses.  Also, Confero NEVER sends certified checks to mystery shoppers and Confero NEVER asks shoppers to wire transfer money.

As 2012 budget time approaches, companies have one priority when choosing what items to include in their budgets:  ROI.  Now, more than ever, companies are assessing carefully how every service that they use contributes to ROI. Many service providers claim their offerings tie directly into ROI; however, they don’t clearly outline the numbers.  

Managers need hard numbers to justify purchases, and mystery shopping services are no exception.  Whether a company has been using a mystery shopping program for a long time, or is considering one for the first time, estimating ROI can help weigh the costs vs. the benefits of the program.

No manager wants to be in this situation: An employee arrives at work wearing something that does not fit with the company dress code.  When this happens, usually the manager talks to the employee about what not to wear to work.  Whether the inappropriate clothes are flip flops or short shorts, the conversation is necessary because most managers acknowledge that employee appearances go hand in hand with a positive brand.

Employees are your brand, regardless of whether front line associates interact with loan customers, restaurant diners or car owners.   Employee appearances matter because they impact customer experience.  Within the retail environment, uniforms and consistent dress codes allow customers to easily identify the employees who can assist them.  Formal business attire can inspire confidence within banking, financial service and automotive sales environments.

Confero warned consumers about a new e-mail scam on Friday, August 19^th.  Today, a consumer sent us a copy of the response he received when he responded to the scam. 

These scammers have used the name of Confero’s President and CEO, Elaine Buxton, and created a fake email address.  Remember, Confero never asks shoppers to sign up by sending personal information via email. Mystery shoppers register their interest on our secure website by visiting www.conferoinc.com and clicking on Shopper Center (upper right) to arrive at our secure website.

If you think someone is trying to scam you, please read our “How to Spot a Scam” article to find out what you should do!

Fake email from a scammer:

From: Elaine Buxton [mailto:e.buxton@aol.com]

Sent: Saturday, August 20, 2011 6:03 PM

To:

Subject: Re: Career opportunity inside

The training consists in three evaluations. You will receive a commission of $120 for each survey.

Being accepted for the training doesn't mean you're already hired, it all depends on the quality of your reports. After the training period you will receive all the needed documents to fill and sign including the tax form, and from that point you will receive assignments on regular basis. The maximum is one assignment per day, seven per week. You will have to let us know your optimal times available. During your one week training period, the first set of surveys you have to do is at a few western union locations in your area, within 10 miles from your zip code, you will receive the exact address and instructions at the right time. The task is to go there as a customer and tell them you want to use their transfer services. The funds will be received by another Mystery Shopper who is also making an evaluation. You have to be very natural but at the same time focus on small details as we need a comprehensive report from you.