Pricing Assistant: Shop Service Guide

The below guide outlines the scope, standards, and limitations of Further Pricing Assistant’s Mystery Shop Service. It serves as the single source of truth for how shops are conducted, what data is collected, and what defines a completed shop. 



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Shop Service Guide

Welcome to Further Pricing Assistant, your trusted partner in optimizing occupancy, revenue, and positioning through reliable competitor intelligence. Our Mystery Shop Service is designed specifically for senior living operators, executives and stakeholders, delivering structured, high-quality insights that fuel data-driven pricing and marketing strategies. 

 

Our Shops Provide:

• Independent Living, Active Adult, Assisted Living, Memory Care and CCRC:
  • Apartment Pricing -Starting at Base Apartment Styles by Care Type  
  • Care Fee Structures and Pricing 
  • Community and Ancillary Fees
  • Incentives and Promotions (Competitors)
  • Online Review Data (Community/Competitors)
  • Online Sentiment (Community/Competitors)

 

Standard Shop Checklist:

The table below outlines specific requirements for obtaining data and what we consider 

a complete shop:

*Mandatory Definition/Requirements

• Up to 15 contact attempts are made via phone, email or text for mandatory data
• Preferred data is collected through ongoing correspondence and web sources
• Outreach efforts are logged for transparency
• Reports include any collected documentation (screenshots, emails, call logs, etc.) 

**Accepted Backup Documentation (In Order of Preference)

• Brochures or Rate Sheets
• Email Communications
• Screenshots or Website Snippets
• Call Transcripts or Recordings (where possible)

***Occupancy Data Accuracy Note

• Please note that occupancy data is inherently difficult to verify during the mystery shop process. Our shoppers rely solely on the information voluntarily shared by community sales associates during interactions while posing as prospective residents or family members.
  
  As a result, this data may be anecdotal, estimated, or selectively disclosed—and cannot be independently validated for accuracy.
  
   
• While we make every reasonable effort to capture this data point, it is not guaranteed. When notified in advance we can instruct our mystery shoppers to make additional follow-up attempts in cases where occupancy information is not obtained on the first outreach.

 

Timeline, Limitations & Guarantees:

• Shop Completion Timing:
  • Default completion date is the  end of designated quarter (e.g., Q1 ends March 31), unless a different date is requested in advance.
• Competitor List Submission: 
  • In order to complete the competitor shops in a timely manner, it is important that we obtain the competitor list in advance.  In order to complete the requested shops we require the final competitor list  60 days prior to the end of the designated quarter or requested deadline.

 

Shop Completion Challenges:

Shops ordered are not guaranteed to be completed. Possible reasons include but not limited to:

• Inability to confirm competitor name, address, or phone number.
• Failure to contact after 15 attempts via phone, email, or web inquiry.
• Lack of backup documentation.

If unable to complete for any reason, the Further team will inform the client to explore and pursue an agreeable solution. We offer up to 3 re-shop attempts at no additional charge if the above shop completion criteria are not met.