If you utter the words Mystery shopping to store staff at a morning meeting, some of them may choke on their coffee. Mystery shoppers have long been dreaded by retail employees, as in the past, it was often about keeping covert tabs on staff. Here we share our thoughts and experiences, and offer practical tips on how to get the staff on board.
The most common myth about Mystery Shopping is that it is a means of spying on store staff or exerting control. We want to begin by dispelling this notion. A store visit by an observer should feel rewarding, meaningful and inspiring, as well as provide the store staff with insights and novel professional experiences. Here, we share three things that you should keep in mind when presenting a plan that includes store observers.
Three tips for winning over your staff
Use the term ”store observer”
The label of Mystery Shopper has long provoked unease and anxiety among store staff. The first step is to change it to Store Observer or Store Supporter instead. After all, it’s about the customer’s experience in the store.
Explain the purpose of store observations
Inform the staff well in advance that a project to enhance the customer experience is planned, what measures this will involve, and that store visits from observers will be carried out in the future. Also, emphasize that everyone will be clearly informed when the project reaches that phase.
Offer staff sales training
Tell the staff what will be measured and what they can do to improve the customer experience. All staff should be provided service and sales training on an ongoing basis, or prior to these visits. This creates a sense of comfort and even motivation and excitement for being visited by a store observer, or a Mystery Shopper.
Would you like to learn more about store observations? We would love to tell you more based on your current situation and needs. Contact us here!
