The public has never been better informed and that is official. Television programmes constantly remind consumers about their legal rights when purchasing a product and, in support, there is an undercover support network working. Even better, it has been set up for the ordinary consumer.
Test The Service
The best way to see if consumer outlets are functioning to the best of the public’s needs is to set up a team of people to test them out.
Even though they readily spring to mind, this does not simply mean food outlets either. Everyone has horror stories of dreadful meals served sloppily by rude waiting staff, but think back to that less than perfect service at a top boutique, or the lengthy wait for no apparent reason at a shoe shop and this is where mystery shopping comes in.
Success In Retail
The mystery shopper is someone who visits a targeted business premise and simply reports on the service they received. They are a representation of the public at large and as such do not have any special treatment.
Their job is to report back their experiences and this information is useful feedback to the many organisations that employ their services.
With this consumer information in hand, companies are able to look at the performance and service given by their employees and make any adjustments necessary to improve the shopping experience, thus making it a little more special than it may have been.
An increasing number of companies are using mystery shoppers to facilitate training for their employees. It is an extremely successful way of highlighting those simple mistakes which could prove a negative result in sales figures.
The shopping experience is videoed and used as a training tool, so both good and bad sales technique is shown and staff can go about their duties having learnt how to deal with customers in the best way possible.
The Art Of Successful Shopping
Shopping at full potential is an art, both for the consumer and the retail outlet, whether it is a restaurant, a clothes shop or one of the very best department stores. Everyone wants a successful conclusion and the consumer certainly wants to feel they have been a valued customer.
Using a mystery shopper is the very best way to gather the information the forward thinking business of today needs. Without happy and satisfied customers the business, whatever it is, is nothing and it is a downward, unsuccessful spiral.
As in any business it cannot be stressed how important research is and using the anonymous customer is an excellent aid to gaining the right information which will enable the business to go forward successfully. Staff training will certainly benefit and the staff will appreciate the guidance they will receive to enable them to carry out their duties better.
Using all the tools available to make the business successful is paramount. This is the way forward in today’s cut and thrust retail world and it is the same in any sector. A healthy profit means a successful business where everyone is happy. Surely every business owner is happy when their customers are satisfied and the till is ringing?