Assignments for New Home Builders
Most mystery shop assignments for new home builders require the shopper to change at least their name and contact information for every location they do. It can be a challenge to remember the name you choose and to quickly recall your contact information.
Here are a couple of assignments that I did for different new home builders where I could use my real name, contact information and anything else I would normally have to embellish. They were also a lot of fun to do.
The first assignment was a meeting with a sales consultant before the sales office opened up. The sales consultant knew he/she was going to be mystery shopped by me with hidden video. The employer wanted to see this person on video for evaluation purposes.
It was a great exercise for the sales consultant, because he/she could adequately prepare for the presentation. It's like a school teacher. They usually know when a vice principal will come into the classroom to sit and watch the teacher's presentation. The same theory is for new home builders. They can give their best performance and be evaluated by the management.
It’s great for the mystery shopper as well. I was able to better plan my day with this type of assignment. I knew what time to be on location. I knew it would only be an hour long. Plus, I didn't have to catch a specific person in the middle of working with a customer. Or worse yet, that person called in sick that day.
Normally, the
mystery shopper has to block out a few hours for the new home builder assignments. Some assignments take only 30 minutes or 40
minutes, but I’ve had some that lasted 2 hours.
With a scheduled assignment before the sales office opens, you don't
have to play that game.
Of course, you can only do one of those arranged assignments per day. [You can do several of the actual mystery shops for new home builders in one day.] Still, this assignment is great for the sales consultant, the manager and the mystery shopper. The pay for this assignment was the normal pay for any new home assignment. That pay range is between $60 and $80 or more.
Training consultants for new home builders
The other assignment for new home builders where I could use my real name and contact information is for training students to become sales consultants. It was part of a course for a student to complete before they would be able to work as a consultant. These people had to pass this assignment to advance to the next level. They were videotaped with a camera by one of the trainers and quickly evaluated after the presentation.
You’ll receive a set of instructions on what to say and do during the 2-hour visit. Raising objections is an important part of the exercise to see how the trainee handles them. Before the visit, you’ll receive an orientation to make sure you understand every part of the assignment. After that, you have to make sure you arrive on time for the assignment on location.
While you’re in the sales office, you will be given the phone number of the trainee. The trainer will start recording video and audio before you call them on your cell phone (and turn on the speaker). The trainee asks probing questions to find out what you’re looking for in a new home. The conversation goes on for about 15 minutes.
Next is the meeting with the trainee. You come through the front door of the sales office and spend the next 20 minutes meeting with this person and viewing a PowerPoint presentation. The trainee interviews you and teaches you more about the home builder.
The last part of the assignment is the drive to an empty home that is near closing. On the drive over there, the trainee will point out selling points about the neighborhood and talk about shopping and entertainment in the area. [During the pandemic, one of my assignments required we drive in separate cars and the trainee call me.] The trainee asks for the sale at the end.
Payment for these assignments is between $125 - $175. If you have two trainees to walk though in do in one day, that amount will be doubled. You will get a break in between sessions. The trainer usually buys lunch.
Is mystery shopping a legal business?
These assignments for new home builders are few and far between. I learned about all of them from a scheduler who offered them to me. The majority of assignments for new home builders are unscheduled visits where the sales consultant doesn't know you are a mystery shopper. The sales consultants know they will be mystery shopped. The mystery shopping companies I work with require sales consultants to sign a release form that allows mystery shoppers to visit.
We are always looking for new faces to visit different places. If you have an interest in becoming a mystery shopper, it’s not hard to do. You can read my book (or eBook) “Take That Job And Mystery Shop It!” to learn step-by-step on how to start the business.
