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With businesses like Richer Sounds, Co-op, Topps Tiles and the pub chain Green alls professing the benefits of mystery shopping, it's clear that it has now come of age.

Teller services of First Chicago Bank in Western Chicago has instituted a teller incentive program based all a point system. A value is placed on a number of individual criteria such as referrals and balancing. In addition to the individual scores for operational skills, the branch earns a group score for its cumulative teller shopping results. The branch with the best shopping results earns the highest point value for shopping. That group of Mystery Shopper point value is factored together with each teller's operational scores to determine the individual employee's incentive compensation for the month.

There are several common elements to successful shopping programs. When planning a shopping program, don't stop at creating the questionnaire and figuring out how many transactions will be required. Ask yourselves, 'what are we going to do with the results when the tabulation is completed?' 'How do we encourage and reward the positive behaviors?' 'What do we do to correct the problem areas?'

Remember that shopping is part of an atmosphere of service quality at your bank. Make service important by including it in the way each department works with each other. Don't just talk about service. Live it by making it a part of everything your employees come in contact with during their workday. Put service standards in their job descriptions and make shopping part of their evaluations.

Throw parties, publish newsletters, or provide recognition by upper management. Always reward and acknowledge good shopping behaviors publicly. Improve deficiencies privately and temper corrections with encouragement for the good that has been accomplished.

This will only cause employees to look upon shopping as 'big brother watching.' When shopping is used as an incentive, employees will buy into the concept and look forward to the opportunity to prove what they are capable of doing.

Without communication and feedback, employees cannot understand what you expect of them.

While this is a temporary promotion, it is obviously a good incentive for the tellers of this bank to exhibit the behaviors stated on the jar, since they all begin with the potential to earn $ 50 and every lapse is a dollar lost to the teller.

Keep in mind that at your bank there are two important groups of people you need to impress and inspire: your customers, absolutely. But equally important to your employees. So remember, it's what you do after mystery shopping that counts.

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A brief look at the difference between naturally occurring and lab created opals

Opal: Natural vs. Lab

Is It Real or Fake?

Originally stemming from the Sanskrit word ?upalas? (meaning stone, jewel), then the Greek word ?opallios? (meaning to see a change of color), the term we are familiar with today, ?Opal?, has its roots in the Latin word ?opalus?. A bit softer than quartz, and not quite as dense, Opal is hydrated silica and an amorphous mineral.

In its? natural form, Opal consists of closely packed aggregate spheres of silica as silica oxide, and water in varying amounts up to 15%. These spheres are arranged in a series of layers allowing light to pass through, defracting at specific points, creating the play of colors that attracts us to Opals. The larger the spheres, the more vibrant the colors produced. Referred to as ?as common opals?, are those which lack the colored sparkle of the ?precious opals?, though both are used in jewelry.

Hitting the market in 1974, Lab Created Opals have found their rightful place in the World Gem Market. there are different references to these Opals including synthetic, simulated, and mosaic.

Mosaic Opal: is created from left over chips of Opal. Fitted together to form a new ?stone?. Since the only involvement of man is the putting together of the ?puzzle pieces? of actual opal, hardly qualifying as Lab Created.

Synthetic Opal: is created in a Lab, but its? properties, chemical, optical and physical, are identical to that of a naturally occurring Opal.

Simulated Opal: is also created in a Lab, and is optically identical to natural Opal, but does not have the same physical and chemical characteristics.

One of the biggest distinctions, and subject of debate for classification, is what is used in place of water in the Lab Created Opals. The originator of the Synthetic Opal, Pierre Gilson Sr., uses pure silica to fill the gaps between the Opal spheres. Thus creating a product that is 100% Opal. Other manufacturers use a polymer-resin (epoxy glue), with only 70-90% of the stone being pure silica. Thus the question: do they qualify as synthetic or simulated Opal?

Whatever YOU decide, ALL varieties are quite beautiful! The simulated/synthetics are much hardier than their naturally occurring cousins, not so subject to temperature change, drying out, cracking or crazing. They can be, however, as expensive as the natural Opal, due to the long growing process (up to 2 years!). So, unless you are buying for investment purposes, find the stone you LOVE, and don?t worry too much about the How (or Who) of its? creation. Enjoy it simply for the pleasure it brings!

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Helpful tips and unbiased product reviews for all girls -- and their moms! -- shopping for a great prom dress.

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