Secret Shopping

I am the new guy at the Phonesmart call center and I feel the need to make a confession. I like to mystery shop. Its not my profession; I dont get paid to mystery shop. Its sort of an automatic habit whenever I go shopping. Whether I am buying a pair of shoes, a cell phone, self storage , or a box of crackerjacks, I am always evaluating the service I receive.

The reason behind this madness, I like being a loyal customer. Once a business earns my trust there is no reason for me to shop competitors. My life becomes much simpler and I gain back precious time that could have been wasted by shopping around. Also, as a regular customer I receive special treatment from the employees. Sales people recognize my face and know my name. They seem cheerful, as if I was a lost cousin, when I walk in their store. Its a win-win situation for me and the business; they earn my money and I receive great service.

I think my compulsion came from my retail experiences in the wireless phone industry. In my managerial role for a small retailer, I promoted customer service over sales. In many situations we weren’t able to beat or match a competitor’s price, especially against the larger retail chains. If we competed in the price war, we would get blown out of business. Instead, I trained my sales force to be wireless specialists, educators and problem solvers.

This is the way we competed, by being smarter and more helpful then the competition. We sold value over product, and gained trust through our knowledge of the industry. Our mystery shop scores were the highest in the region. Like self storage, a wireless phone customer is committed in a contract; therefore, the relationship continues after the sale. A customer needs to be reassured that you’re the best one to have that relationship with.

I really enjoyed the relationships we had with the repeat customers. They always seemed glad and at ease when they came in one of our stores, not tense and on guard. While taking care of their needs they would share stories almost about anything. Down the road customers could have received a better price, and they knew that. Because we were nicer, and knew what we were talking about, they had dealt with us. In the end, professional service is a better deal than saving money.

Now I find myself on the other side of the counter seeking the same relationship my former customers had with me.  

Brought to you by: PhoneSmart Staff . Your premier sales force

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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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