You wouldn’t think a mystery shopping provider would talk to you about the problems with mystery shopping.
But I can’t lie and tell you mystery shopping always improves customer relations and increases your bottom line.
Because it doesn’t.
Mystery shopping in and of itself is not a solution. It is one tool in a box of many to use to measure customer satisfaction and employee performance.
But it is a unique tool in that it provides real objective answers to the most important questions. Answers you can act on to immediately improve customer relations.
“OMG – I Never Knew This!”
In my 22 years in the business of assessing customer experiences, I’ve talked to hundreds of C-suite executives.
They want to know what customers are experiencing and how the staff interacts with customers. Senior managers want to ‘see’ employee responses to customer questions and issues. And understand how training standards and company policy are followed.
In a nutshell, corporate management wants to know what employees are doing and how they are doing it.
And, perhaps, most importantly, what the customer really thinks about it.
There are the company managers who want to hear what their staff is saying. Really hear it.
So. where it is allowed, we record phone calls. Or videotape interactions.
Mystery shopping conducted at your brick and mortar stores, websites, and on the phone can truly give you the ‘fly on the wall’ perspective of what is happening in your organization.
You can get it all … the good, bad, and the ugly, too.
Some managers give us the “Oh my gosh, this is great” reaction.
Others are surprised at what they learn about their staff. “OMG, I never knew how well the employee represented the company.” Or the opposite.
We deliver the results in writing, audio, and videotape. Data is compiled, analyzed, and summarized.
And then we don’t hear anything more … It gets very quiet.
Sometimes too quiet.
I’ve had the disappointing experience of learning of organizations we have worked with close their doors. It’s especially disheartening when I know they had the answers they needed to make a change, stay open, and thrive.
Engaging mystery shoppers to objectively assess your organization is step one in a process. Without follow through nothing will change.
Data Doesn’t Create Change – Action Does
Real change is instilled into organizations where management takes action on the results of mystery shopping, audits, and surveys.
Many firms have asked me to discuss results of a mystery shopping campaign with employees.
I have often found employees knew problems existed but did not have a platform where they could express their concern. Or employees were excited about the possibility of learning new ways to increase customer satisfaction and interaction. But there was no guidance or training on how to do so.
Training or guidance could be learning how a tour is properly handled or how to upsell. Some direction on how to make a customer visit to their business more welcoming, pleasant, and profitable.
The sad part is the information is in the mystery shopping reports. But it is not utilized to it’s fullest capacity.
Data in and of itself is not useful unless acted upon …
Excellent organizations don’t stop probing, looking, and asking about customer interactions and expectations. They consistently measure, manage, and motivate their staff to provide outstanding customer experiences.
When you do this consistently, customer relationships thrive and your bottom line soars!
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Looking to improve customer relations or have another tool in your toolbox? Contact me today to schedule a free mystery shopping consultation.