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Selected Press Release
DALLAS, Texas, June 24, 2004 — The Mystery Shopping Providers Association (MSPA), the largest professional trade association dedicated to improving service quality using anonymous consumers, is holding its first ever conference dedicated to mystery shopping and the shoppers who help build the industry. The conference will take place at the Hilton Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando from July 9 – 11.
Mystery shoppers are used by consumer-based companies who want to receive first-hand anonymous feedback on issues such as store appearance and employee courtesy. Some of the leading national consumer brands use mystery shoppers, in areas such as retail, restaurant and hospitality, banking and financial services and real estate.
The focus of the conference will be the education and training of mystery shoppers. All shoppers, certified or not, are welcome to attend and learn more about the industry as well as network with other shoppers and MSPA member companies.
“We’re very excited to be holding the first-ever conference just for mystery shoppers,” said John Swinburn, MSPA Executive Director. “When the MSPA was founded more than six years ago, one of our goals was to offer educational and networking opportunities for shoppers. We’re proud that we are able to finally provide an all-in-one conference for shoppers that will offer sessions that can improve their business skills while making them more effective in their shopping.”
The conference will begin on Friday, July 9, at 5 p.m. with a Welcome Reception at the hotel. This will provide shoppers the opportunity to meet mystery shopping company owners, schedulers and other shoppers.
A full day of educational workshops is scheduled for Saturday. This includes a discussion about the history of the MSPA and its vision; a workshop about networking and another about video mystery shopping, and a discussion about the legal pitfalls of being an independent contractor, as well as many other educational seminars.
The weekend will finish on Sunday with a half day of workshops and a Q&A; session with the MSPA Board of Directors and other mystery shopping company representatives.
Additionally, a Gold Certification workshop for shoppers is being held in conjunction with the conference. The workshop, on Friday, May 9 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., offers specialized training for current silver-certified mystery shoppers. Registration for the Gold Certification Workshop is available at www.mysteryshop.org, by clicking on Shoppers/Certification.
About the MSPA With more than 150 member companies worldwide, the MSPA has a diverse membership, including marketing research and merchandising companies, private investigation firms, training organizations and companies that specialize in providing mystery shopping services. Its goals are to establish professional standards and ethics for the industry, educate providers, clients and shoppers to improve quality of service, improve the image of the industry and promote the membership to other industry associations and prospect clients.
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Media Contact: Brad Leone Hart Associates for MSPA 419-893-9600 |
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