Mystery Shopping Service

MSB argues that mystery shopping service is a valuable research tool that has suffered from poor implementation and lightweight reputation.

Insensitive implementation has left mystery shopping with an undeserved "lightweight" reputation, according to customer service consultancy managing the Service Business Ltd. (MSB). Mystery shopping, where an observer working 'incognito' reports on customer service standards, can be a valuable research tool that helps companies prioritize and focus training resources.

However, writing in a joint UK and South African issue of Management Briefing, Andy Booth, Director of Research at the Ascot-based consultancy, argues that an over reliance on rigidly structured questionnaires and poorly briefed observers has damaged the reputation of mystery shopping.

As a first step to rehabilitating the technique's reputation, Andy Booth recommends using the term "Service Auditing" to describe the technique. He explains: "Mystery shopping is often Viewed as the poor relation of other research techniques for two reasons: first, to the uninformed, its undercover approach seems slightly absurd; and second, some research companies rely too heavily on rigidly structured, purely quantitative questionnaires that are insensitive to local variation and are focused solely on policing brand standards. 'Service Auditing' does not have the same negative connotations and is a more apt term - after all, a mystery shop need not involve the actual purchase of goods but may, for example, check how well informed sales assistants are about the products in stock".

"A service audit, when sensitively applied by appropriately trained and fully briefed observers and subjected to rigorous analysis by independent consultants, can be a very useful research tool. For large multinational, multi-site companies, a service audit can help keep a check on the consistency of service levels across the organizations. In this mariner, a company can identify investment priorities in order to focus training where it is most needed and to direct reward and incentive schemes at units displaying good practice. A service audit can also be directed at a company's competitors in order to benchmark their performance."

Notes to Editors Management Briefing is a practical guide for senior managers covering all aspects of service management. The first international edition includes: - Mystery Shopping and Beyond - how to conduct a service audit effectively and the resulting business benefits - Case studies - case studies of successful service audits for Federal Express, Sun Microsystems and South African retailer Dion. - Putting yourself in the customers' shoes - taking employees on a mystery shopping trip can raise their awareness of customer service - Tourism in South Africa - from MSB's South African office, a discussion of the customer service challenge ahead.

About MSB Managing the Service Business Ltd (MSB) provides market research, strategic consultancy, communications and training, and works in partnership with clients to help their businesses perform better. With offices in the UK and South Africa, MSB is an international consultancy helping a wide range of organisations enjoys improved business performance through service excellence. MSB was placed in the Management Consultancy Top 100 for 2006 and was ranked in the top ten consultancies for services to the travel, tourism and leisure industries.

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