{"id":4221,"date":"2019-04-05T23:48:53","date_gmt":"2019-04-05T23:48:53","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.voxer.com\/blog\/?p=4221"},"modified":"2019-06-12T21:59:46","modified_gmt":"2019-06-12T21:59:46","slug":"secret-shoppers-might-be-your-retail-secret-weapon","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.voxer.com\/blog\/secret-shoppers-might-be-your-retail-secret-weapon\/","title":{"rendered":"Secret Shoppers Might be Your Retail Secret Weapon"},"content":{"rendered":"

On some level, we all may recognize the importance of communication in the workplace, but be honest: how many business owners or managers <\/span>really<\/span><\/i> demonstrate a commitment to identifying, solving and preventing communication issues? The answer may surprise you. Even if you note a lack of communication in the workplace, the underlying cause is bound to recur unless you take action. <\/span><\/p>\n

It\u2019s not enough to lament how much better things could be. Sometimes, you have to step outside your comfort zone to uncover what\u2019s really going on in your own retail space. Then and only then will you be able to resolve any lingering communication issues in the workplace and deliver better quality service to your customers<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

If your retail team\u2019s productivity isn\u2019t where it should be, there\u2019s an easy way to find out why. What if you could send in an undercover operative to infiltrate your place of business, someone who was trained to look for any deficiencies in service and who could provide a detailed report of all their findings? Nope, we\u2019re not talking about siccing the government on your complacent employees. Rather, we\u2019re about to introduce you to the world of secret shoppers. Let\u2019s discuss exactly who they are and why they just might be your most valuable untapped resource.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"secret-shopper-list\"<\/p>\n

Who Are Secret Shoppers?<\/b><\/h2>\n

Even if you\u2019ve heard the term bandied about, let\u2019s assume that you have no idea what <\/span>secret shoppers<\/span><\/a> \u2014\u00a0also known as mystery shoppers \u2014\u00a0are all about.<\/span><\/p>\n

These individuals are usually hired by either a market research firm (often one that specializes in secret shopping) or directly by a manufacturer. They are tasked with paying a scheduled visit to a retail store under the guise of a regular customer. These assignments are performed completely unbeknownst to the store\u2019s workers and often include a specific series of objectives. <\/span><\/p>\n

Secret shoppers may be asked to order or purchase specific items, to casually inspect store displays, note prices, observe the level of customer service provided and other elements of their shopping (or dining) experience. Then later, the secret shopper completes a thorough questionnaire detailing his or her visit to the establishment, and this data is ultimately shared with the store management. <\/span><\/p>\n

While the concept of being a \u201csecret shopper\u201d too often gets roped in with work-from-home scams, many of the opportunities one sees out there are legitimate businesses offering a valuable data set to companies just like yours. These potential business partners (which we\u2019ll discuss more a bit later) may each have their own proprietary way to analyze the resulting data, but the end result is the same.<\/span><\/p>\n

You\u2019ll wind up with actionable data that you can use to recognize dedicated employees, discipline those who aren\u2019t meeting expectations and even rework elements of your training and customer service programs. <\/span><\/p>\n

Even better, many secret shopper firms will allow you to customize the entire process. Dictate which locations you want shopped, how often these assignments are performed and what tasks need to be completed during each visit. Secret shopping may emerge as an integral part of your growth strategy, since you can gauge the effectiveness of specific initiatives or focus in on a particular concern. It\u2019s retail troubleshooting on a grand scale.<\/span><\/p>\n

How Secret Shopping Helps<\/b><\/h2>\n

Now you have a better idea of what secret shopping is. Of course, before you commit to making this an integral part of your own business model, you probably want a clearer picture of what kind of benefits working with secret shoppers can yield for your business. <\/span><\/p>\n

So let\u2019s run through some of the <\/span>biggest ways secret shopping can help<\/span><\/a> your bottom line:<\/span><\/p>\n