Special Report: customer service

by Janet Caggiano
Richmond Times-Dispatch

Katherine Haynes has learned to be sneaky on the job.

Her success as a mystery shopper depends on it.

“I have a lot of fun with it,” Haynes said. “I really get into it. It’s kind of a thrill to come out of a store and say, ‘Boy, I pulled that off!’”

The Chesterfield County resident visits shops, restaurants, banks, gas stations, grocery stores, hotels and other businesses in the Richmond area to evaluate how they serve customers.

She poses as a customer, asking questions that cover a variety of scenarios, and rates the company in customer service, operations, selling skills, employee integrity, merchandising and product quality, among other things.

“Mystery shoppers are there to simply measure what’s going on,” said John Swinburn, executive director of the Mystery Shopping Providers Association, a trade association based in Dallas that works to improve service through the use of mystery shoppers. “It’s very useful for a company to know what’s happening in their store environment.”

The practice is growing in popularity. In 2004, businesses spent about $600 million nationwide on mystery-shopper programs, according to the association. That same year, mystery shoppers conducted more than 8 million evaluations. The organization is expecting those numbers to climb about 11 percent this year.

When visiting a bank, for example, a mystery shopper might ask about home-equity loans or CD rates, then report on the employee’s knowledge. While eating at a fast-food restaurant, the undercover shopper might record how long it takes for food to be served and the cleanliness of the establishment.

“A third-party provider gives us unbiased feedback that our managers can use to achieve . . . objectives and helps us ensure our customers enjoy the best banking experience possible,” said Jason A. Huffman, customer advocate at Richmond-based First Market Bank.

First Market has used mystery shoppers at its 33 Virginia branches since 1998, shortly after its formation in 1997. Locations are reviewed three times each quarter, which adds up to nearly 400 surveys per year.

Businesses typically use mystery shoppers monthly. Doing so helps them reward outstanding employees, create training opportunities in areas where employees fall short and locate dishonest employees.

“Mystery shopping is not about catching people doing something wrong,” said Mike Bare, president of Bare Associates. “It’s giving them the opportunity to be successful. It’s finding out who is doing a great job and who is not — so they can improve.”

While employers tell workers that mystery shoppers will visit, they don’t announce when. Rarely do mystery shoppers blow their cover.

“I try to dress differently each time, just in case,” said Wayne, a mystery shopper the past six years. He asked that only his first name be used. “Sometimes I’ll wear glasses or a hat backward. It’s a lot of fun.”

Wayne, a full-time manager who lives in Mechanicsville, became a mystery shopper to supplement his income. Others who sign up are stay-at-home moms, retirees and college students. They work part time and earn $10 to $20 an hour and are reimbursed for any purchases.

For the most part, Wayne said, workers he encounters while mystery shopping seem to like their jobs. But that’s not to say he hasn’t written a bad report. At a fast-food restaurant, he once received a burger that was only bun. At another company, one employee continually talked about “getting out of there.”

“You experience it all as a mystery shopper,” Wayne said.