Matt's blog

Well, I took the plunge and started doing a little mystery shopping. Having worked for Asda and been subjected to the mystery shopper on a number of occasions, I thought it'd be a little fun and moderately profitable to have a go myself.

I think the interesting thing here is that as part of the job, you get an insight into the internal practices of the client that you are shopping. For example, if you buy a pub meal, do you know how long you should expect to wait? Probably not, but as a Mystery Shopper you need to know this so that you can report back whether or not a service standard was met.

So far I've done seven shops, and it's pretty hard work, albeit good fun in the process. Sadly, a couple of my reports have been critical in that the client didn't meet their own high standards. I'm a little concerned when I'm critical because it makes me sound like I'm a whinger, but at the end of the day, I'm not there to make friends or gloss it up. I'm just there to express my view, and objectively assess performance.

If you have the odd weekend free, I suggest you have a go at this. Great fun.

Just something I quite liked from Youtube:

Oh dear, it has been a while since I blogged. What with Christmas, New Year and work, it's been all rather busy.

TV's been good lately... last night I watched a TV programme on BBC2 where Gareth Malloy went into an all boys school to try and get them singing. He decided to try getting the boys to sing in assembly, and used a Bill Withers track - Lean On Me.

I'm now the proud owner of a Bill Withers CD. Agh.

A very happy Christmas to all of Hazzanet's readers!

Hyvää joulua!

I have to admit that I'm a little slow off the mark on this story, but hey, I thought it was funny.

Jiri Tlusty, a 19 year old Czech forward on the Toronto Maple Leafs roster was caught with his pants down when he took photos of himself on his camera phone in the nude.

Somehow these ended up splattered all over the internet leaving him a little red faced, and having to explain the whole episode away.

I have to give the kid some due - you gotta be a little brave to post nudes of yourself on the net ::LOL::

Our local Asda (similar to the US's Wal*Mart (and owned by them)) has joined in the "Challenge 25" campaign where to prevent sale of alcohol and other age restricted products to those under 18 or 16 as the case may be, should you look under 25 they will ask for ID.

Now, being closer to 30 than 25, I'm quite amused that I'm constantly being asked for ID at the checkouts. Must be the Oil of Ulay.

Not really that much to blog for a while I'm afraid. Sky+ was installed on Monday, and I'm wondering why I never had this put in before. Absolutely brilliant. I went geocaching yesterday - first time in ages, and had a lovely wander around Clouts Wood near Wroughton. Aaah.

And who said that TV people never reply.... :)

Why do they put a sell by date on Sour Cream?

Every weekday morning, I attempt to come out of my semi-comatose state buy popping the TV on and listening to BBC Breakfast. Not much really stuns me nowadays - the government and its associated quangos make daft decisions all the time, and I sit there thinking about what I would do if I were running the show.

I was flabbergasted at a recent decision concerning eggs...

The British Egg Industry Council celebrates the fiftieth anniversary of the Lion Mark (showing that hens have been immunised against salmonella) so they wanted to do something special. What I hear you ask? Recycle the old "Go to work on an Egg" adverts.

Oh dear - it all went down the pan pretty quickly - one of the government quangos have gone up in arms over this as the Broadcast Advertising Clearance Centre (BACC) has banned them citing that "they fail to promote a varied and balanced diet".

Well - what a load of tosh I say - I urge you to sign the Egg industry's petition to get this fantastic piece of Television history back on our screens!!!