Are you Looking for the Best Mystery Shopping Agencies?
Mystery shopping, otherwise known as secret shopping, is one of
the best ways to evaluate the experience of customers at your business.
Its main objective is to gather information about the quality of
products, customer service, cleanliness, the behaviour of employees, and
the company’s adherence to the latest standards.
If you’re new to this process, our agency can provide highly competitive packages.
A short history of mystery shopping.
Mystery shopping has an interesting history that reflects changes
in our consumer culture, retail practices and market research.
Its origins lie in the 1930s-1950s, with the concept first
developed in the United States. Early forms of mystery shopping were
rudimentary; they often involved company employees or hired individuals
posing as regular customers to gather information on service quality and
employee integrity.
In these days it was mostly used in the banking and retail
sectors. The main aim was to check for potential fraud and evaluate the
customer service provided by their employees. However, nowadays, mystery
shopping is used in a wide range of sectors.
JKS Mystery Shopping & Training
work with companies across the UK who need a trusted agency for this
type of service. We can create programmes which are designed around you
exact needs.
The popularity of mystery shopping grew in the 1960s-1980s.
This period saw a rise in consumerism, leading to more formalised
practices in mystery shopping. Companies began to recognise the value
of structured feedback on customer service and overall shopping
experience.
This was also the time when specialised market research firms
began to offer mystery shopping services. These firms developed
standardised methods for evaluating service quality and compliance with
company policies.
The introduction of recording devices allowed mystery shoppers to
document their experiences more accurately. This technology was used to
provide more detailed and objective reports.
More recently, the rise of the internet and digital technologies
has significantly impacted mystery shopping. Shoppers can now evaluate
e-commerce websites, customer service interactions via chat or email,
and social media presence.
What does the process of mystery shopping involve?
Individuals hired to act as regular customers without disclosing
their identity or purpose. These shoppers perform specific tasks such as
purchasing a product, asking questions, making complaints, or observing
particular aspects of the business.
Our mystery shoppers will follow a set of guidelines or a checklist provided by your business. This might include assessing:
- Customer service quality.
- Store or branch cleanliness.
- Employee knowledge and behaviour.
- Wait times and service efficiency.
- Compliance with company policies and legal regulations.
After completing their visit, our mystery shoppers will report
their findings through detailed forms, surveys, or written reports.
These reports include observations, ratings and sometimes even
recordings or photos.
What are the benefits of using our agency?
Firstly, we can significantly help with quality improvement. It’s
our job to help businesses identify strengths and weaknesses in their
service. Having been in this industry since 1999, JKS Mystery Shopping
& Training understands the evolving needs of businesses.
All our mystery shoppers follow rigorous protocols to ensure the
accuracy and reliability of their reports. We’re one of the best
agencies if you're seeking unbiased and objective feedback to improve
your customer service. All our reports are individually quality checked
and we never batch check.
Secondly, with our feedback you can improve your training and
development. Nowadays, you want to do everything to retain great staff,
and providing quality training is part of that. Employees want to feel
they’re well supported if there are any problems which need resolving.
Our agency can also help you with compliance monitoring. We can
ensure that employees adhere to company policies and legal requirements.
Improve customer satisfaction levels at your business.
Using a mystery shopper can improve the overall customer
experience by addressing issues that might otherwise go unnoticed. For
instance in retail, a number of factors can have a negative impact.
These can include rude and unhelpful staff, or those who have a lack of
knowledge about products. Or there might be product availability
issues.
Another common complaint in retail stores is when the environment
is poorly maintained. Nobody wants to shop in a store which is dirty or
unkept. A poor layout can also make it hard to find what you need.
The checkout experience also plays a big part in how satisfied
customers feel. Common issues include long lines or wait times at
checkout, complicated or malfunctioning payment processes., and a lack
of efficient self-checkout options.
We work across various industries, including retail, hospitality, restaurants, banking, and healthcare.
With
our mystery shopping services,
your business can gain valuable insights from the customer's viewpoint,
enabling you to improve your operations and customer satisfaction.
