Taking a Fresh Look at Customer Service

by Karen Gomes Moore

As a businessperson, you know how important it is to make sure your customers come first. Your employees have gone through some orientation or training program. You see your employees assisting customers in a friendly, professional manner whenever you are on the premises. So you are sure your employees are providing topnotch customer service… right?

If your answer is “yes”, congratulations! Your business is undoubtedly thriving and a force to be reckoned with.

If you answered “no”, or you can’t be at all of your locations 24/7, you might consider a formal customer service evaluation program, a.k.a. “mystery shopping”.

What is a mystery shopping program, exactly? It is a cost effective way to objectively evaluate customer service from the customer’s point of view. “Secret shoppers” visit your business, appearing as average customers. They evaluate what they find based on criteria established by you, the client. Their goal is to be unobtrusive while observing the customer service and sales skills of your employees. In so doing, they provide a fresh look at how your most valuable asset, your customer, is being treated.

To launch a successful customer service evaluation program, first consider the following:

What do you want the program to do? What is your goal?
Mystery shopping programs can do several things:

Provide a “snapshot” of current employee customer service skills prior to developing or conducting a training program

Evaluate the effectiveness of training programs post completion

Be the cornerstone of employee recognition/incentive programs

Monitor competition

And much, much more…

What is your budget?
How often do you want evaluations to take place?
What mystery shopping company will you work with?
How will you bring your management team on board?

A well thought out mystery shopping program, with clearly defined criteria and objectives as well as appropriate follow up, is a visible show of management support for the maxim “the customer comes first”. Such a program gives businesses a valuable and unique opportunity to see their services as their customers do. If the program is promoted at all levels of management, the importance of superior customer service at all times will be reinforced to front line employees.

Cost is based on many factors, including volume, complexity and location. Shopping services that employ online reporting can usually deliver a completed report within 48 hours of the shoppers visit, and often sooner.

If you’d like to talk about ideas for your mystery shopping program, contact Customer Perspectives at 1-800-277-4677 or email marketing@customerperspectives.com.

Visit us online at www.customerperspectives.com.