Did you know that, according to the Mystery Shopping Providers Association (MSPA) Americas, there are more than 1.5 million mystery shoppers?
It’s like being a secret agent for a business but so much more fun! The best part is when we collect nuanced data from them!
In this blog, we will examine the benefits of a mystery shopping survey and how to create one effectively using a free template as an example. We will also discuss best practices and ways to analyze the results!
Mystery Shopping is a research technique that involves individuals posing as secret shoppers to evaluate various elements of a business. This includes every aspect, from product details to operations and customer service.
Now, the shopper, or agent, is tasked with observing and evaluating specific pre-determined aspects of the business, such as employee behavior, service speed, product quality, cleanliness, and adherence to company policies and standards.
The ultimate goal is to collect unbiased feedback from the perspective of an ordinary customer.
That brings us to…
A mystery shopping survey is a tool created to collect feedback from these secret agents. They play a huge role in assessing the overall customer experience and help improve quality and services.
Moreover, they give you ideas on how to build clear-cut strategies to improve satisfaction and increase sales!
Now, you might be thinking ..Can’t the age-old traditional survey do the job?
Well, it is technically possible, but bias might creep in. A transparent picture of the entire customer journey is vital to identifying minute issues.
Here is a Mystery Shopping Survey Template made with SurveySparrow! Feel free to use it and customize it to your heart’s desire.
Mystery Shopping Survey Template
With the wing feature, you can add new questions, remove the ones that don’t fit the bill, and add a touch of creativity to the pre-filled fields.
We’ll talk about survey creation with SurveySparrow in a bit.
Right now, I know some of you might be a little confused.
Oh, hey! Feel free to jump ahead if you’re in a hurry.
It all starts with pinpointing the specific areas that need to be evaluated.
The process involves these simple steps:
Having a clear objective is a must. Which areas do you want to improve thoroughly? Or is it the overall experience you want to gauge?
Do the employees warmly greet customers within the first 30 seconds of interaction? Can staff answer questions about your products or services accurately and confidently?
By defining these areas, you can narrow your research and create a roadmap for mystery shoppers.
This is like a mission briefing!
It describes the shopper’s role and outlines the aspects the shopper needs to access.
You also need to pay attention to the data collection methods here. The questionnaire can include multiple-choice, Likert scale, or open-ended questions for detailed observation.
Now is the time to gather your force!
Did you know that more than 300 mystery shopping companies are part of MSPA in North America?
These companies provide trained and reliable shoppers. You can also use online platforms and employee referral programs.
Now comes the exciting part!
The agents arrive at your store with a clear briefing and set goals. Remember that they are posed as regular customers, and no one knows their real identities. Okay, that’s obvious, I know! But you need to be extra careful here.
During this visit, the shoppers:
Once that’s done, it’s time for…
The agents take the survey and provide unbiased feedback. In addition to answering the outlined questions, they might add extra insights. With this information, you can identify the specific areas that need immediate action.
Now, it’s time to analyze the data collected from the questionnaires. By creating a raw report, you can understand your strengths and weaknesses.
Find out whether you excel at product quality or your employees need a slight nudge in customer service.
Did you get the gist?
These surveys clearly show what’s happening behind the scenes. With a little effort, you can have happy, energetic customers!
Now comes another important aspect: What do we ask the secret agents
It is crucial to first categorize the questions as per your requirements. A detailed and organized questionnaire can be much more helpful than a distorted one.
Here are a few questions that you can include in your survey.
Let’s start with…
Now, I’ll tell you how to use these questions to create a survey with SurveySparrow.
Creating a survey with the drag-and-drop form builder is as easy as pie! Whether you want to build from scratch or seek help from AI, the platform has a solution. Here, I will give you a simple guide on customizing a template.
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Once that’s done…
Hit the “Create New Survey” button to build from scratch.
If you choose the template, click “browse classic templates” and select the one you need! You can now search for a mystery shopping survey or click the above-attached template!
Here’s how you do it:
Make them your own!
Connect your questionnaire with favorite tools such as HubSpot, Mailchimp (or any other options) for quick and seamless data analysis!
That’s it. Your survey is ready to be shared! Wasn’t that easy?
You can share via email or WhatsApp or embed directly on your website. SurveySparrow will automatically save your work so that you can breathe easily!
Oh! That’s not it! Once you collect the data, visualize it on the executive dashboard, analyze it, and make informed decisions.
If you have any questions, feel free to reach out!
Well, that’s a wrap! Let’s sum it up:
You see, exceptional CX is not magic. It requires a lot of effort and time from each organization member.
With a mystery shopping survey, you can identify areas for improvement, benchmark against competitors, train your staff, and ultimately boost customer satisfaction!
So, what are you waiting for? Create your survey today!
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1. What common mistakes should be avoided while creating a mystery shopping survey?
2. How to Recruit Participants for a Mystery Survey
You can get help from:
Content Marketer at SurveySparrow