Mystery Shopping
Mystery shopping helps businesses increase sales by assisting in improving customer service awareness. Mystery shoppers are given a specific set of guidelines and questions before their visit so they can observe and take note of each criteria while it is occurring. Mystery shops will tell you WHY the visit was excellent and specifically what staff did to make it that way. Don’t leave it up to chance and HOPE that employees are following their training and displaying consistent core behaviors.
Who Mystery Shops?
The most recognized brands use mystery shopping to measure staff adherence to brand standards. These companies focus on the small things, the everyday, consistent actions of their staff. They are able to drive change by rewarding staff who are doing a great job as well as identify those who need more training. Employees like to be recognized for doing a great job, which in turn leads to staff retention and lower employee turnover.
Why Mystery Shop?
Mystery shop evaluations provide detailed information from an unbiased customer perspective of their experience. Businesses receive these reports on a consistent basis so areas of opportunity can be identified, hopefully before a poor experience reaches other guests. Mystery shops are an objective assessment of what took place during the guests visit.
Data Analytics
As data points are gathered through each mystery shop, clients can access results using A Closer Look’s proprietary reporting platform, allowing them to easily pinpoint areas of opportunity. Companies can segment the data in a myriad of ways so they’re not only focused on the top or bottom performing stores. There is value in finding out the customer experience in all the stores in between.
How Our Strategic Mystery Shopping Program Drives Value
Drive Operational Change
- Our clients use mystery shops to evaluate their training processes.
- Our clients use mystery shopping to set an operational benchmark and then increase that figure incrementally.
- Our clients use mystery shopping to stay on top of their operations and ensure that both current and prospective clients have an exceptional experience.
- Our clients build mystery shop programs to reflect their company culture.
Constructive Criticism and Coaching
- We work with our clients, upfront, to ensure the mystery shop program reflects their culture, goals and outlook.
- Our clients use mystery shopping in a constructive way, not punitively.
- Mystery shops are used to improve a company’s operations and employees, not belittle them.
- Our clients view mystery shop feedback as positive and encouraging, and it helps them to set goals and work to improve.
Competitive Market Information
- Our clients use mystery shopping to collect competitive pricing information.
- Our clients use mystery shopping to learn about their competitors’ quality and service differentiators.
Don’t Just Take Our Word For It: Hear What Our Clients Are Saying
“A Closer Look has been very easy to work with! During the pandemic, we pivoted to different types of mystery shops for our team members, as well as had an increased need for competitive market analyses because of the ever-changing market landscapes. Very happy to recommend A Closer Look to anyone who would like thorough, detailed, and swift mystery shops and competitive market analyses.”
– Vice President, MBK Senior Living
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What Our Clients Are Saying
“A Closer Look has been very easy to work with! During the pandemic, we pivoted to different types of mystery shops for our team members, as well as had an increased need for competitive market analyses because of the ever-changing market landscapes. Very happy to recommend A Closer Look to anyone who would like thorough, detailed, and swift mystery shops and competitive market analyses.”
Vice President
MBK Senior Living
“The old adage ‘Inspect What You Expect’ is so true. The staff never knows when a mystery shopper will stay, so every guest becomes a mystery shopper. We began with an average company score in the 80 percentile and ended last year in the 90’s. We have a goal this year to increase by at least 5% company-wide. Because of this wonderful program, our company is consistently in the top 5% of all of our brands. Thank you, A Closer Look, you help keep us on our toes and our guests, owners and associates’ benefit. You are the best!”
Vice President of Sales and Orgizational Development
Newport Hospitality
“Our company has worked with A Closer Look for the past 5 years. The level of partnership is foundational to our growth and we look forward to expanding our business with A Closer Look as our long term partner.”
Director of Ops Excellence
Main Event, Inc.
“After over 20 years of being associated with A Closer Look, I wanted to take a few minutes to express my appreciation for the outstanding service you have continued to deliver to our properties and Area VP’s throughout these years. The flexibility your company offers in reports, trending and analysis is unmatched by other like sources.”
Senior Vice President
Hilton Management Services Focused Service Division
“Leisure Care is incredibly proud to have A Closer Look as a trusted partner, resource, and expert with our competitive analysis and Sales Advisor evaluation needs. Their entire team is professional, courteous, flexible, and eager to support our evolution of senior living consumer assessments. Their willingness to partner and grow as we adapt and react to the ever changing marketplace is a breath of fresh air. Their operational support, coupled with excellent shopper evaluations, provides us the platform to strategize, thrive, and increase occupancy throughout our portfolio.”
Senior Director of Sales
Leisure Care
“Utilizing A Closer Look has brought our service to the next level! We constantly engage in discussions & enhancements with the team to ensure we stay at the top of our game. Floor & Decor would recommend them to any business looking to gauge service levels and get some real insights into their operations.”
 
Senior Manager Customer & Associate Experience
Floor & Decor
“The Regency Senior Living communities have partnered with A Closer Look for over a decade, and we continue to be extremely satisfied with the professionalism of the team and the ability to modify the program to our priorities. The reporting metrics are exceptional and help pinpoint areas of growth opportunities. I would not hesitate to recommend this company to my colleagues in our industry.”
Chief Operating Officer
Regency Senior Living
“A Closer Look has been instrumental in guiding our training and marketing initiatives to drive positive guest experiences as we grow. We are blessed to have a great vendor partnership with the team at A Closer Look!”
Vice President of Field Operations
Clean Juice
“Our company has utilized A Closer Look as a partner in gaining stronger intelligence into competitive market shifts as well as ways for improvement amongst our own communities. While it is almost impossible to get 100% accurate data in this industry, I have found great benefit in A Closer Look’s flexibility in utilizing our internal market survey forms as well as their timeliness and communication. We have been successful in utilizing the information to grow our communities not only in occupancy and revenue, but also in coaching and training abilities to strengthen our team.”
Corporate Director of Sales
Integrated Senior Lifestyles
“A Closer Look has been an amazing partner in our mission to be the coolest frozen dessert brand. While we strive to provide the most flavorful experiences to each and every guest, A Closer Look provides integral insight as to what our guests see and feel during their time with us. Their shoppers are thorough with visits and thoughtful with feedback, shopper reports are quickly ready for review and the reporting systems that A Closer Look provides are robust but user friendly. We are thankful for this program so we can pride ourselves with the WOW’s and work on any opportunities out there.”
Director of Company Operations
Jeremiah’s Italian Ice
“A Closer Look has consistently and thoroughly followed through with everything we have asked of them since the inception of our program. It’s one thing for a company to make promises on what they can do, but it’s quite another for them to actually follow through with such success!”
Chief Operating Officer
Build-A-Bear
