Find out how your business can improve with mystery shoppers

What is a Mystery Shopper?

Mystery shopping, also known as mystery shopping or undercover shopping, is a research technique in which an anonymous person visits an establishment to evaluate service and customer experience. The mystery shopper acts as a normal customer, interacts with employees, and evaluates different aspects of the business.

When is Mystery Shopper used?

The Mystery Shopper is used in a variety of situations, such as retail shops, restaurants, hotels, travel agencies, customer service centers, and more. It can be applied to any business that focuses on providing quality service and wants to evaluate customer experience objectively.

Advantages of the Mystery Shopper:

1. Unbiased evaluation: The mystery shopper provides an unbiased and objective perspective of the customer experience by acting as a real customer and evaluating the service from that perspective.
2. Identification of areas for improvement: The Mystery Shopper allows you to identify areas for improvement in customer service and customer experience. You can uncover flaws in the sales process, training opportunities for employees, and aspects of the business that could be improved. This will provide a more satisfying experience.
3. Detailed feedback: The mystery shopper's reports provide detailed feedback on different aspects of the business, such as customer service, product knowledge, shop presentation, and waiting time, among others. This allows you to better understand your business strengths and weaknesses and take corrective action.

Disadvantages of Mystery Shoppers:

1. Cost: Hiring a mystery shopper can be expensive, especially if you want to conduct assessments regularly or in multiple locations.
2. Sample limitations: The mystery shopper can only evaluate a limited sample of customer experiences. This may not be the reality of all customer interactions.

Recommended methodology:

To conduct an effective Mystery Shopper, the following steps are recommended:

1. Set clear objectives: Clearly define the objectives and areas you want to assess.
2. Design a realistic scenario: Create a realistic scenario for the mystery shopper, taking into account the type of customer and the situation you want to evaluate.
3. Design a detailed questionnaire: Design a questionnaire that covers all relevant aspects you want to assess. Include specific questions and rating scales to facilitate data collection.
4. Training the mystery shopper: Provide adequate training to the mystery shopper so that they clearly understand the objectives and focus of the assessment.
5. Collect and analyze the data: Once the mystery shopper has completed the assessment, compile reports and analyze the data to identify areas for improvement and development opportunities.

Let's imagine a case where a restaurant wants to evaluate its customer service.

They hire a mystery shopper to visit the restaurant during peak hours. The mystery shopper pretends to be a normal customer and evaluates different aspects, such as the quality of the food, the attention of the staff, the waiting time, and the cleanliness of the place.

After the visit, the mystery shopper completes a detailed report including his or her observations and recommendations. The report highlights that the staff was friendly, but the waiting time was long and the food arrived lukewarm. It also suggests additional training to improve service speed and dish temperature.

Based on this report, the restaurant takes measures to reduce waiting time and improve food quality. In addition, staff receive additional training on customer care and efficient service.

The Mystery Shopper is a valuable tool for evaluating and improving customer experience. It provides an unbiased and objective view of customer service quality, identifies areas for improvement, and provides the opportunity to take corrective action. By following a proper methodology and analyzing mystery shopper reports, businesses can improve customer service and offer more satisfying experiences. This results in more satisfied and loyal customers.