Application

Complete the application below to join MSPA:

Membership Application

MSPA Membership Criteria

  1. Company has been in business, conducting mystery shopping for client companies, for at least two years OR
  2. Company has been in business for less than two years BUT a company principal was employed by another MSPA member company for at least two years OR
  3. Company has been in business for less than two years but is willing to join as a Candidate Member and accept the membership restrictions of: 1) ineligible to purchase banner ads on the MSPA website; 2) ineligible to get access to the MSPA BECS member benefit; 3) ineligible to use the MSPA logo; 4) willing to commit to attend and MSPA Annual Conference within the first year of membership; 5) willing to commit to participate in an orientation to MSPA and the industry; and 6) agreeing that MSPA may revoke its membership if, in MSPA's sole discretion, the company's actions are contrary to the tenets upon which MSPA is based
    4. AND
  4. Company has a reputation among its clients for conducting itself in a profession manner (which reputation shall be subject to verification through checking up to three client references who have done business with the company during the past year, the names and contact information for which shall be supplied to MSPA upon request AND
  5. Company does not engage in activities that are harmful to the industry and/or the MSPA membership including such actions as promoting laws or regulations that inhibit members' abilities to conduct mystery shopping AND
  6. Company attests that it has not, for at least two years, conducted itself in a manner contrary to the MSPA Code of Professional Ethics AND
  7. Company agrees to adhere to the Mystery Shopping Providers Association's Code of Professional Standards as follows:
    • Commit to the purposes of the Association: improving services and promoting excellence in the mystery shopping industry
    • Conduct mystery shopping services in an honest and ethical manner
    • Conduct mystery shopping services according to industry proceedings and regulations set for and agreed to by MSPA members
    • Instill confidence in mystery shopping and encourage public cooperation
    • Instill confidence in the business community that mystery shopping is performed in a professional and fair manner
  8. Company agrees to abide by the Rules of Ethical Conduct, wherein it agrees that it will not
    • Falsify or misrepresent reports
    • Mislead shopper applicants about actual job opportunities regarding mystery shopping
    • Ask or encourage anyone to break confidentiality agreements with other firms for whom they conduct mystery shopping assignments
    • Use any MSPA media to publish complaints against shoppers, vendors, clients, or other mystery shopping providers
    • Refuse to pay, or make deductions from a shopper's pay, for failure to perform any function which was not explicitly described in written instructions
    • Refuse to pay, or make deductions from a shopper's pay, for a properly-conducted shop on the basis of the failure of a client to pay the mystery shopping company
  9. The name of the Company and the Company's promotional materials do not reflect negatively on the reputation of the industry as an open and legitimate forum for measuring customer service against established standards of service as set forth by companies that engage mystery shopping companies. If the company is notified that MSPA believes the company name and/or the company's promotional materials would reflect negatively on the reputation and image o the industry, MSPA will inform the company; if the company opts to change its names and/or marketing materials to something that is not offensive to the industry, MSPA membership will be granted, provide all other criteria are met. MSPA reserves the right to refuse membership to any applicant that does not meet this criterion and that refuses to correct the issue to MSPA's satisfaction.
  10. The company agrees to provide, and actually does provide, the name of all of its owners on its application for membership
  11. The company acknowledges that MSPA will share the fact that the company has made application for membership with its members and will invite members to comment on the company's reputation and business practices
  12. The company accepts the MSPA membership application process and waives any claims against MSPA, its officers, its directors, staff, and contractors in connection with a denial of membership, including for defamation, unless such defamation was knowingly and willfully dishonest.


    13. Candidate Membership Requirements in addition to those listed above:

  13. Pay the same annual dues as full members
  14. Must attend an MSPA Annual Conference within the first year of membership
  15. Must attend an MSPA orientation session at the Conference within the first year of membership
  16. Must agree that it will not have access to BECS nor to banner ads until it has been a member for at least two years
  17. Must not use the regular MSPA logo (but may use a special "MSPA Member Candidate" logo)
  18. Must agree that MSPA may revoke its membership if, in MSPA's sole discretion, the company's actions are contrary to the tenets upon which MSPA is based

Each member company will be asked to sign an ethics and standards agreement each year. This ethics and standards agreement will be developed by the Professional Ethics and Standards Committee. If you wish to have a second location or individual receive MSPA mailings and have a listing in the resource directory, please photocopy this application and complete it with the primary company's application. Primary application must be submitted with the additional application. Include an additional $200 with your payment.

This application is for mystery shopping companies to join MSPA; mystery shoppers are NOT to use this form. MSPA does not have a membership category for mystery shoppers.

I. Contact Information

Items with * are required

*Company:

*Physical Address:

*City:

*State/Province:

*Zip/Postal Code:

Country:

Phone:

Fax:

Email:

Website:

Primary Contact Name:

Primary Contact Title:

Company Owners:

Referred to MSPA by:

II. Member Information

Area of Operation:

# of Evaluators:

# of Employees:

# of Branches:

Branch Locations:

Special Licensing:

Operating Since: (Year)

Which of the following committes do you have an interest in serving?

Communications

Programs and Meetings

Technology

None

Professional Ethics and Standards

Membership

Government & Legislation
III. Member Type

Regular Members are mystery shopping provider companies that operate within the US and internationally.

Associate Members (vendors who sell products or services to MSPA Mystery Shopping Company members).

Charter Members are mystery shopping provider companies that have been accepted for Charter membership prior to October 4, 1998.

Please indicate what member status you are seeking:

IV. Information For Member Directory:

Which of the following services does your company provide? (Three listings in directory provided as part of dues...additional listings are $35.00 each)

Audio Recorded Shops Telephone Performance Testing
Competitive Shops Video Recorded Mystery Shops
Consulting Customer Satisfaction Measurement
Incentive Based Shopping Programs Customer Service Training
Internet Surveys/Online Reporting Focus Groups
Integrity Evaluations (employee theft) Interviewing (On-site/telephone)
Internet Reporting (Reports online) Merchandising
Mystery Shopping, General Customer Svc Evaluations
Operational Audits Merchandise Audits
Price Audits & Merchandise Audits On-Site Interviewing
Questionnaire & Program Design Other


Which of the following industries does your company serve? (Three listings in directory provided as part of dues...additional listings are $35.00 each)

Automotive Home/Apartment
Banking/Finance Insurance
Business-to-Business Lodging (hotel/motel/inn/etc.)
Entertainment (theater, theme park) Restaurant (casual & fine dining)
Fast Food Retail, General
Gas Station/C-Store Shipping/Freight/Postal
Government Storage
Grocery Telephone
Health Care Transportation
  Other


Select the regions the member does business in.

USA-Northeast
 Canada-Eastern
Europe-Central
USA-Southeast
 Canada-Western
Asia Pacific-Japan
USA-South Central
 Canada-Central
Asia Pacific-Australia
USA-West
 Mexico
Asia Pacific-New Zealand
USA-Northwest
 Central America
Asia Pacific-East Southeast Asia
USA-North Central
 South America
Asia Pacific-Western Asia
USA-Midwest
 Caribbean
Africa
USA-South west
 Europe-Eastern
USA-Entire
 Europe-Western


Expanded Listing/Logo on MSPA Web Site
MSPA Members may opt to have an expanded (50-word) listing on the MSPA web site and may have their logo included, as well. If you wish to have an expanded listing, describing your company, please attach a sheet with the information you would like in your listing and enclosed payment ($100 for listing only, $175 for expanded listing and logo). Your logo must be in electronic form (preferably jpg file format) and be sent to MSPA either electronically or on a diskette.

V. Payment

If sending a check, please make payable to MSPA

Company Mystery Shopping RevenueRegular or Candidate MemberAssociate Member
Under $1 million$1145$1545
$1-$5 million$1345$1545
$5.1-10 million$1595$1545
$10.1-15 million$1895$1545
$15.1-25 million$2245$1545
Above $25 million$2645$1545


Quantity Item Amount Due Amount Paid
Membership Dues, Regular Member *use the table above $
Membership Dues, Associate Member *use the table above $
Additional Service Category Listings $35.00 EACH $
Additional Industry Category Listings 35.00 EACH $
Expanded company listing and URL Link on MSPA web site $100.00 $
Company logo AND expanded listing on MSPA web site $175.00 $
TOTAL PAID $


[NOTE: This is not a secure page; do not include your credit card number if you have concerns about security...we will call to request your credit card number]
Visa Mastercard American Express

Account Number:

Exp. Date:

VI. Membership Agreement & Acceptance

All memberships subject to approval by the membership committee and acceptance by the board.

This application for membership into The Mystery Shopping Provider's Association (MSPA) constitutes an agreement between the applicant and the MSPA that the applicant will adhere to the professional ethics and standards set forth by the association (See Ethics & Standards Statement). Your submission of this application also constitutes your acceptance of the the MSPA membership application process and waives any claims against MSPA, its officers, its directors, staff, and contractors in connection with a denial of membership, including for defamation, unless such defamation was knowingly and willfully dishonest.