To be really pissed off at the idea of being filmed without my permission

[Windmyonlyfriend]

I work in a cafe that’s part of a larger parent group and this week we received an email saying that the powers-that-be in head office don’t think that the standard Mystery Shopper format of customer service assessment is adequate and they’re going to introduce hidden cameras and audio recording to the format.

In practice this will mean sending in mystery shoppers wearing hidden cameras and audio recording equipment to record their ‘customer experience’ with whichever poor member of staff is unlucky enough to serve them.

I’ve looked in to this and understand that, because we’ve been told, there’s no legal issue with this covert filming but I’m really, really uncomfortable with the idea.

AIBU or would this make you uncomfortable too? I’ve brought it up with my manager but they say ‘your service is good, you’ve nothing to worry about.’ Not my point at all, it’s the secret filming I have an issue with, not the assessment of my customer service.

Would I BU to complain more formally (ie to Head Office), or should I just suck it up?

Before you accept it, what does your contract of employment say about being filmed at work? Arguably if your contract doesn't provide for it, this is a substantial change to your terms of employment and you'd be entitled to complain about it.

I would expect there to be a staff privacy notice. That should state very clearly how your personal data will be handled. GDPR is effective 25th may 2018.

The staff privacy notice should be given to you (by email, paper copy etc) - shouldnt just be posted on a website.

If the camera/audio equipment can pick up the customer/employee then surely it could inadvertently video/pick up other customers in the cafe ? As a customer I’d be abit pissed off.

Will the cafe be putting up signs to say that video/audio equipment is going to be used ? just like cctv notices have to be displayed if in use ?

Wonder how this fits with the Data Protection act which is being updated next month?

Celticrose - that is the GDPR and the privacy statement. Key document for all of us.

I used to work in a call centre and we had mystery shoppers record us. I (and everyone else) fucking hated it. We got marked down for the stupidest things.

There was a brand tag line that we always had to shoe horn into our conversations. Along the lines of ‘I won’t let you finish this conversation until I know you have achieved satisfaction’. It was a foreign company and when it was translated into English it was just so bloody cringey and weird to say. A bit of me died everytime I said it.

But, yeah. It’s shit. You can never fully replace and enjoy your job because your constantly worrying about making sure you’re introducing all the bits in the pre approved order.

*relax, not replace

" ‘I won’t let you finish this conversation until I know you have achieved satisfaction"

I'd hate this. It's not the same as CCTV.

Exactly springnow! You try saying that about 50 times a day to someone who calls up to make a completely normal enquiry. And they wondered why there was such a high staff turn over.

I would hate this. Being mystery shopped is bad enough without someone filming and recording every word you say!

Our mystery shops are currently just written reports which, although I think they're ridiculous, is tolerable as they're currently only two-three times a year. I would be really paranoid if I knew someone could potentially be filming me while I did my job.