The Mystery Shopper method is used to assess compliance with the service quality standards by employees. As well as for the competitive intelligence.
Mystery Shopping
Assessment of service quality and upholding of service standards
by Mystery Shopper method
To collect information, specially trained people (Mystery Shoppers) conduct inspections disguised as customers. Mystery Shoppers fill out questionnaires to formalize the results and also provide additional materials (photos, audio recording of conversations, checks, etc.). Unlike many other research methods, the Mystery Shopper method yield immediate results to the company's client services:
- Hidden from management service problems identification;
- Service quality standards correction;
- In-depth understanding of customer service needs;
- Increasing customer loyalty.
Studying the competitive environment, the Mystery Shopper solves such tasks as:
- Comparative assessment of the service level of the company and its competitive environment;
- Identify the most effective service.
Frequently Asked Questions:
The Mystery Shopper method can be conducted in what business areas other than retail?
Using the Mystery Shopping method, you can explore any area that includes consumer experience in searching, ordering and receiving goods or services, as well as other communications in the context of client-service. For example, in HR, the variation “mystery job seeker” is possible, despite the fact that the job seeker does not buy anything. For a private clinic, the “mystery patient” option would be interesting, for a real estate agency – “mystery client”, etc.
Does Mystery Shopper always imitate consumer in personal communication or are there other approaches?
Mystery Shopper may just observe the staff’s performance from outside (for example, assessing the activity of promoters or the activity of the staff) in the Mystery Viewer format. Mystery shoppers can do everything that consumers do. They do not only visit the stores, but they can make a phone call (Mystery Calling), fill out a form on the website, send letters (Mystery Mailer), stand in lines at self-service machines, etc.
Can any person do the verification that a Mystery Shopper from a research agency does?
Research company examination guarantees the quality of the work of a Mystery Shopper. The company is able to make the service assessment criteria correctly, offer a solution both reliable and economical. The research agency is capable of ensuring the flexibility of the approach, without multiplying the methodological errors, to document and objectify observations, to correctly interpret the results. The Mystery Shopper is a professional contractor or an agency staff member who is specially trained and equipped, has the necessary experience and understands all the complexities of this method.
