Secret Shopping Advantage

Like many business owners, I have to control my profits and losses, my staff and the sales out of my building. With the help of other managers, we have to ensure that every customer is being helped and ensuring that they can not get that we give better service than the other stores they might decide to shop. We have to set the standard.

About twice a week, we get a report that shows us the level of service that we are getting from my sales floor. For the first time in a long time, I saw an associate receive a 100 percent score. I was ecstatic. It was amazing. In my industry, it is easy to receive a 100 percent score but for some reason it is not likely. I was proud to be one of the managers that have taken part in his training.

That amazement turned quickly into disappointment. The next mystery shop I received on that employee was a 16 percent. A complete 180 degree turn around. I approached the associate to ask him what he thinks his reason for the turn around could be. He told me that there is no way that he did that badly of a job. He went on to tell me that he gives great customer service every single time. I showed him the report and said, “It looks like that is not the case this time.”

I am thankful for secret shopping. I know it is not possible to get to every associate (in my building there are 85 associates) in order to ensure they are delivering great customer service. With a secret shopping program I can coach and train my associates to achieve the levels of customer service that I desire them to be at. If they choose not to deliver great customer service, I have the option to use the report to hold them accountable. Without secret shopping, I could not get a true measure on how my associates are treating my customers. I am grateful for secret shopping and my customers are appreciative as well.

Self storage owners can use a secret shopping program as quality assurance and sales training. Secret shopping is a great way to gauge what really goes on in the office and begin to improve customer service.

Joel Little, experienced sales manager.

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Disclamer: This entry is intended to promote our partner StorageMart and some or all participants received compensation.

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