Start Your Secret Shopping Program Now!
-
Warning: gzinflate() [function.gzinflate]: data error in /home/totalq/public_html/wp-includes/http.php on line 1787
It is well into 2008, and now is a great time to explore a brand new secret shopping year. Have you thought about your current plan or implementing a new agenda this near year to help increase your storage business? What about re-vamping your sales management training with a secret shopping program? Or, are you planning on the same agenda you had last year? Have you thought of any storage procedures that you would like to implement or change this year? The same routines your employees followed last year will likely result with similar outcomes this year. As with every new year, you should always strive to better your company, your employees and yourself. Come up with new guidelines, including secret shopping procedures to take the next step on the success ladder.
The first noticeable change our company made this year was that we started the hiring process much sooner. We now have plenty of time to get our new hires trained and well versed in the storage industry. Our spring storage rush is approaching fast and our summer storage season even faster. Our company has always believed in internal monitoring with a secret shopping program. The type of prospective applicants we have had recently seemed much more experienced and available for consideration for the openings we have available. Maybe the change in the type of applicants we had is due to the over spending during the Christmas season or the college students moving to Columbia during the Winter break. Either way, it has made a noticeable difference. We are planning to do the same at the start of each year seeing the results we encountered this year.
We will continue to hire about every 3 weeks until our call center cannot bear to add any additional employees. This way we have plenty of time to prepare for this summers expected high number of storage inquiries. We know they will only continue to increase as we get closer and when we are in the heart of the summer season. Overstaffing will not be an issue since we will fill any open time with additional storage sales training exercises. Plus, by starting an early training regime we can monitor the staff with our own evaluations.
During the storage training regime, we can usually predict who will make it in the required training time frame before we send them to the wolves to see if they can make it on their own. Those who are motivated and sincerely interested, will do anything to make it will make it work for them. Those that show this type of interest should be given a second chance. Invest in them as they are trying to invest in your storage company. These dedicated personality types usually tend to be there for the long hall making your turn-over rate smaller than normal. And, surprisingly they can also end up being one of your tops storage sales professionals. Taking risks are part of the business. Make sure that your secret shopping program is set up to handle new employees as well as old employees.
Letting these people go without the extra attention will just set you up for the next trainee who walks through your door. So, find their weaknesses and encourage them with the idea that even the best of the best need extra training to stay on the storage team. Secret shopping is a great tool for this job. If they have a great personality and an ambitious drive to learn the storage trade, then invest in the additional training time with them. Secret shopping will help your employees see their strong and weak spots. It is important to not give up on someone you think would be a great employee. Everyone has their own learning pace and secret shopping will help you determine what areas the employee needs to work on.
Do not try to overload them with monotonous training regimes, instead give those breaks so that they can work on other projects and feel needed in other areas. This builds their confidence and shows them that they are needed within the company. Secret shopping can be a program that helps boost your sales, try it.
Disclamer: This entry is intended to promote our partner StorageMart and some or all participants received compensation.
View 
Subscribe via 
