Mystery shopping is a very effective tool used by market research companies to help retailers, organizations, property management companies, and other businesses measure the quality of services provided to the customer. It not only measures the quality of services but also suggests ways and means to improve on them.

The Origin

The concept of secret shopping originated in the 1940s. Today it is used by almost all types of businesses. department stores, hotels, restaurants, fast food chains, self storage facilities, health clubs, theatres, financial institutions, hospitals, gas stations and all other types of service providers.

Since these businesses are service providers, the quality of customer service they provide determines the success and failure of their business. In today's competitive world no business can afford to ignore customer service. In fact, the quality of customer service should be continuously monitored so that shortcomings can be discovered and rectified.

Techniques Employed

So how does mystery shopping work? There are several techniques used to determine the quality of service provided by a business. One of the most popular techniques is to send a trained professional to the business location. The mystery shopper will behave like a normal shopper. He or she will go into the shop, restaurant or whatever type of business the client has with an aim to give particular attention to certain factors. Some of the things that he or she will pay special attention to include:

* How the staff behaved?
* Was the staff helpful in answering the queries?
* Was the staff able to provide assistance when needed?
* Is the place clean?
* Were things easy to find?
* Was the staff prompt and courteous?

At the end of his or her mystery shopping assignment, he or she will file a detailed report. Some companies provide a checklist form in which the mystery shopper only has to tick the options. On the other hand, some companies require detailed written reports. The type of report filed often depends on the type of business being inspected.

Another technique used in secret shopping involves video monitoring. Though this is not as popular as the previous one, but it is quite effective. Video monitoring can provide a picture of employee behavior.

Provides Detailed Reports

Based on the report provided by the mystery shopper, the company will create a database and generate a detailed report suggesting the shortcomings and remedies. These reports are then used by business owners to identify their weaknesses and come up with strategies to address them.

For instance, if the problem lies with how the staff at the check out counter addresses the customers, then a training program can be initiated to correct the behavior. If it is found that the outlet is poorly maintained, then ways could be suggested to properly organize the outlet.

Businesses that have used mystery shopping services have seen drastic improvement in their customer service. Happy customers always mean more business, because they always recommend your business to their friends, acquaintances and family members. Furthermore, happy customers also translate into loyal customers.

Today more and more businesses are investing in mystery shopping services to improve their overall customer service and business image. It helps them formulate better business and marketing strategies. It helps them stay ahead of their competition.

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After the advent of the Internet, our lives have become a lot more comfortable. Earlier the information that was only available in physical journals, libraries, or business magazines are now easily accessible on the World Wide Web. Similarly, no matter in which part of the world you live, you can very easily stay connected to your friends and family through web. However, one of the best offerings of the Internet is online shopping mall. With browsing on the web you can easily find the biggest collection of products that can beat any large departmental store. You can quite easily compare the prices of different stores and find the best offer with best price and attractive shipping offer. Payment terms are also very simple on the Internet. There are innumerable advantages of shopping online; some of them are listed below.

Advantages Of Online Shopping

* Buying on the Internet is very convenient and quite simple. You can shop 24 X 7, any time of day. There are no weekly offs. You can shop for your product early in the morning, or late at night, there are no time restrictions.
* Online shopping can be easily carried out within the comfort of your home. You would not have to get ready, drive your car through traffic, or plan a week in advance for your market trip.
* The products that you purchase through Internet are directly shipped at the address you specify at the time of billing. So you save a lot of time and also your fuel expenses for transporting to and from the departmental store.
* Since there are no restrictions on the stock of products for sale on the Internet, online shops offer a far wider collection of products compared to their physical counterparts. So you ought to gain on this front also as you would be offered more options to choose from.
* One of the most important advantages that online shopping offer is the comparison buying. You can very easily move from one online shop to another with just a few clicks of mouse. While browsing different sites you can easily compare the available products, their prices, discount offers, and special offers such as free shipping. This will let you shop for the best bargain offer without compromising on the quality or price.
* Also, another important advantage of online shopping mall is that they can offer bigger discounts and exciting offers as compared to their retail counterparts. This is because they do not have to take care of any overhead expenses such as rentals, employee salaries, electricity bills, etc.
* In case of buying products on the Internet, there is no need to carry the burden of bundles of cash. When you buy products online, you are offered very convenient payment options. You can pay through your credit card or online banking transactions. For payment through bank, it is necessary that your bank has tie up with the website. Some websites also offer cash on delivery options wherein you have to pay in cash when you receive your order.

There is no doubt online shopping offers numerous advantages by bringing your desired products right at your PC screen. It would save your time, efforts, and a lot of money.