The primary objective of using Mystery Shopping is to identify the blind spots in the retail environment, evaluate the experience as a customer, and provide a consolidated report generated by different Mystery Shoppers at different times.
Mystery shopping benefits both companies as well as customers. For companies, it provides valuable insights into their operations, identifies areas for improvement, and helps maintain consistent service standards. Customers benefit from improved service quality, as companies strive to deliver better experiences based on the feedback they receive. The main goal is to gather unbiased feedback on various aspects of the in-store customer experience.
Mystery Shopper Audit Steps
Assignment
Mystery shoppers are assigned specific tasks, such as purchasing a product, asking questions, making complaints, seeking refunds, etc.
Guidelines
Detailed instructions on what to observe, evaluate, and report back. These guidelines include specific questions, scenarios, that the company wants to assess.
Evaluation
Visit designated locations/stores while discreetly observing and documenting experiences, paying attention to factors like employee behavior, quality, cleanliness, response time, customer service, etc.
Reporting
Deliver objective observations, subjective opinions, and recommendations based on shopper experiences, alongside supporting evidence such as receipts or photos.