Everything goes well in a company until the result of its billing arrives. If the final balance was positive, there is nothing more to think about: the same work strategy is followed and it is concluded that everything has been done perfectly.
If the company maintains the same numbers with respect to the same period of the previous year, the reaction is surely not as consistent.
The lines of action adopted are beginning to be reviewed and structural and operational changes are proposed.
However, when a company not only stops winning but loses, the search for the motives and the culprits begins wildly. What can be done? Where is the problem?
These are surely the questions that many entrepreneurs and managers ask themselves when faced with a similar situation.
In general, somewhat complex actions and solutions are proposed to change reality. It is thought that the shortcomings may be in the low quality of the products offered, in the service provided, or even in the limited variety of merchandise available, which gives the competition a greater competitive advantage.
But, in this task of analysis, an essential component is needed, which often does not receive its true value within this process: consumers and market opinion. Still today and in crisis situations such as the one indicated, the client is one of the last elements to take into account, when, perhaps, a small signal from him in previous stages can throw us the causes of these unfavorable results.
It is increasingly clear that demand is one of the main thermometers in the business. If there are buyers, there are sales, and therefore there is income for the company. Therefore, companies must take into account the quality of the care they provide to their customers.
And what is the best way to assess the degree of satisfaction of a demand with the offer of a product, a service or even with the treatment given by a seller at the time of a purchase? Being in the customer's shoes and this is achieved through the mystery customer strategy or mystery shopping, a simple and very efficient tool when it comes to detecting possible failures in the activity that you propose.
The most advantageous thing is that you do not need to be an expert, nor do you need to invest a lot of money to get this tactic going.
Who is not able to recognize a welcoming smile when entering a store, or a dose of cordiality at the farewell? And who doesn't notice when a salesperson tries to answer the questions they ask with sympathy, security and agility? Or detect that the monitoring is not being performed as it should be.
Even if it occurs over the phone, when talking to a bank agent, or when we request information from a travel agency, it is possible to detect possible failures in communication and customer service, which can often go unnoticed by the daily routine, generating possible damages in the medium and long term.
In addition, the same evaluation that is done on your own business can also be launched in the store next door, that is: mistery shopping is also a great tool to get to know the competition and learn about its weaknesses, strengths, advantages …
But, these are just some of the observations that can be made with a simple visit to a retail outlet or with a quick call to, from there, devise strategies to improve results.
However, what is perceived in practice is that it is difficult for the great managers to go out into the streets to get to know the operation of the company they run.
The CEO of an airline, for example, whenever he travels for his company, he does so as the CEO and not as another passenger of the economy class. So the idea that will be formed of the service offered will not reflect the reality lived by the majority of users. Ideally, these people would one day live as a mystery customer.
And this statement is valid in all sectors where there is great competitive rivalry.
There are many companies selling almost the same, at a very similar price. Customer service, together with the marketing strategy and the vendor's know-how, are surely the great differentiating elements that allow any company to offer a competitive advantage in such a homogeneous and fragmented market. But it seems that basic concepts like these are forgotten and what is perceived in practice is just the opposite. Our experience indicates that the mystery customer strategy must be carried out regularly and professionally.
What is clear is that no business remains dynamic without its main protagonist: the customer, because for him it is created, produced and sold.
Therefore, we must be very careful so that the kings of the business do not prefer the competition and become loyal customers and prescribers of our company.
Surely this way the mystery shopping will help the businessman and manager to know better the areas of improvement that our company has in order to be able to give satisfactory answers to the needs of the market.
