Why I drove 1,500km for $80

Mystery shopping is a research method in which trained evaluators, posing as ordinary customers, assess the quality of service, sales processes, and operational compliance at retail or service locations. Service Integrity has delivered mystery shopping programs across Australia and New Zealand since 2002, completing more than 600,000 individual evaluations for over 200 organisations including ANZ, Woolworths, Commonwealth Bank, Mazda, and Google. The company holds MSPA Elite accreditation — the highest global recognition tier from the Mystery Shopping Providers Association — and directly manages offices in Sydney, Wollongong, Auckland, Shanghai, and Tokyo. Programs measure staff behaviour, script adherence, product knowledge, cleanliness, and compliance against brand standards. Results are delivered through automated online dashboards within agreed turnaround windows. Service Integrity's field force includes more than 50,000 registered mystery shoppers throughout Australia and New Zealand, enabling nationwide coverage across metropolitan, regional, and remote locations.

Why would anyone spend two nights away from home and drive 1,468km (880 miles) for less than $80?

2 minute video of why I drove 1,500km for $80


I did it to complete a single mystery shop in a town called Walgett in the western outback on the NSW QLD border. 

I did it for $80. 

I impulsively decided on the trip the day before. It felt right. On reflection, there were 8 good reasons to do it. 

I’m not going to tell the client I did it myself.  To them it’s just one of many sites (jobs) ticked off for the month.

I had a good reason not to do it. It’s a hard job in a town in the middle of nowhere with only 2,300 people. Though the client wouldn’t be thrilled, I had an excuse, not to do it. 

But I did it for many reasons. 

  1. It’s a long standing client (over 10 yrs).
  2. We’ve earnt great money over the years so I owe them.
  3. The contract renews every couple of years. Like they say about wives – Happy client happy life
  4. It shows my staff we MUST deliver (and we do).
  5. It helps me price future jobs because I can ‘feel’ the issues that come from its remoteness.
  6. It helps me truly understand why my staff struggle with some jobs (they aren’t being lazy).
  7. I tacked on a couple other remote jobs, which eases the stress on my scheduling staff and account managers. Its also marginally helps pay for my time.
  8. I get to discover a new part of the country and I love driving (I didn’t need much pushing).

Did I just justify my gut feel, or confirm my gut was right?

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