Mystery Shopper Magazine

Company Overview: Sales Quality Research Group (SQG) was founded in 1993 and based in Arizona. It was incorporated four years later and provides research services for the financial services industry. In addition to mystery shopping, it provides customer satisfaction studies and focus groups. Recent job posting on the forum lists bank inquiry and investment inquiry shops in CA, CO, IA, ID, MN, ND, NE, NM, OR, SD, UT and WA for pay ranging from $25 to $120. Older posts list shops in those and some other states that include FL and LA. Also, this company offers paid training that can be by phone or in-person meeting. Narratives for this company are required to convey a story of the interaction. Prophet is their choice of platform. New shoppers may apply here http://shoppers.salesqualitygroup.com/. SQG uses Private Eyes to schedule shops. It also maintains MSPA membership and a Facebook page.

Personal Experience: I signed up with this company more than two years ago and have not noticed any shops in my area of southern New England. After a successful application process, the only emails received from the company or the scheduling company on its behalf were a recent request to update my shopper profile in advance of a new project.

What others have to say: There is limited, mostly positive feedback on the forum. It confirms the paid training and one shopper states the company’s payment schedule as twice a month on the 1^st and 15^th. Suzette Drake is cited as great to work for. Some shoppers may recall her as the owner of Extra Eyes, a company no longer in business. SQG states, “Suzette Drake was recently named Field Research Director for Sales Quality Group after 8 years of working with us as an independent contractor.” The only negative post was from about one year ago in which a shopper stated not being paid for the prior month’s shops. That post was made on the 15^th of the month, was not followed up on by the OP, and not directly corroborated or refuted by any other shopper. Later posts in the forum were positive about this company. The BBB has no complaints listed regarding this company.

Overall: Sales Quality Research Group is a small company that offers banking shops at good pay in limited areas of the country. It has a long history and maintains a MSPA membership. Feedback on the forum is limited, but positive. I feel comfortable discounting the negative comment about a payment issue considering the nature of the post, lack of corroboration for it, and SQG’s long history with otherwise only positive comments. In conclusion, I find it easy to recommend this company.