What’s the cost of mystery shopping?
Is it right for my business?
The benefits of mystery shopping are undoubted. Yet some businesses decide that this method of research is either expensive, outdated, or somehow inferior to online customer satisfaction surveys (CSAT).
Why is that? Mystery shopping is a long established method of customer research which is great for collecting content rich data. For customer insights teams, the decision to ask existing customers what they thought seems a logical one. Send out an email survey with an incentive and you will get hundreds of results at a fraction of the cost of mystery shop, job done.
Such beliefs can often lead to low response rates and ultimately disappointment. Digital technology has transformed mystery shopping and the cost of collecting the data required is now more manageable, even for small businesses. In addition, the advances in digital covert video recording mean that a video mystery shopping programme can now be in reach of even those who are on the tightest of budgets.
Is CSAT as cost effective as you think?
A well designed, short CSAT survey will mean the respondent is likely to be truthful in their answers, however if you start to add too much complexity the respondent will begin to resent taking part in the survey quickly diluting its effectiveness. Because mystery shoppers work within a defined brief they already know what they’re seeking to measure at the start of a visit, this allows you to gather data not available through CSAT. Add up the associated costs of customer satisfaction surveys to include print collateral, incentive offers and time spent analysing the data and the research can be far less cost effective.
Come back to mystery shopping?
Speaking from experience, we know that you can spend modestly on a mystery shopping programme that will help you to drive real results. A good mystery shopping programme can help change behaviour in your organisation
Whilst CSAT surveys have a valuable place in the customer researcher toolkit they should not be used in isolation. Mystery shopping provides a very real evidence based litmus test to measure brand standards and store performance. You can capture robust data across all locations within a given deadline using a specific scenario – this is impossible using CSAT.
With mystery shopping we can be sure of how long the process will take and when your results will be delivered. This quickly leaves clients with a robust review of the business which helps to make positive change and engage staff.
Additional benefits of mystery shopping
Apart from now being more affordable, mystery shopping comes with a range of additional benefits. These boost the efficiency of the customer training teams, delivering almost immediate results as operational managers and staff are given a real focus for improving overall performance.
What does this all mean for your business? For a start, the worries about the cost of mystery shopping unfounded. In fact, this type of research is truly cost-efficient and it can contribute to serious revenue maximisation when incorporated in the right customer strategy. Mystery shopping gives you flexibility, immediacy and an opportunity to accomplish a vast range of customer service goals.
Still not convinced? Read some of our client testimonials or give us a call! We’ll be more than happy to meet you and get to know your business better. You’ll get examples about campaigns we’ve done in the past, the cost and how these contributed to more effective business performance and customer engagement. Call us today for a free quote or to request a trial of our mystery shopping services on 01939 235555 or email us on enquiries@tern.co.uk
Other links that you may find useful
Mystery Shopping Return on Investment
How to Design a Great Mystery Shopping Survey
Mystery Shopping vs customer Satisfaction Surveys