Customer Satisfaction Surveys: Why Are They Important?

Customer Satisfaction Surveys

By Susan Reilly – Head of Sales and Marketing 

Customer satisfaction surveys are essential in the current business environment because they provide  insightful information about customers’ preferences, experiences, and viewpoints. In this blog post, we discuss the importance of customer satisfaction surveys and how they can help your business.

Customer Satisfaction Surveys Strengthen Ties With Clients

A strong relationship with your consumers can be built and sustained with the help of customer satisfaction surveys. You show that you value your customers opinions and are dedicated to giving them the best experience possible by asking for their feedback and opinions. Clients who use an open communication channel develop trust and loyalty because they feel heard and valued.

Strong customer relationships depend on satisfied customers. Customers can contribute real-time feedback with Customer Perceptions’ creative customer feedback platform, TellUsFirst, which helps businesses to improve their customer experience. Customers can share their suggestions for improvement through TellUsFirst and you can act on their suggestions quickly.

Track Progress

Customer satisfaction surveys are a valuable tool for monitoring the progress and development of your company over time. By tracking customer satisfaction levels regularly, you can discover patterns, identify areas for improvement, and evaluate the results of adjustments made in response to customer feedback. You can use this data-driven strategy to measure the success of your customer experience efforts and make educated decisions.

Businesses can track trends in customer satisfaction, Net Promoter Score (NPS), and feedback over time with the help of Customer Perceptions’ TellUsFirst solution, which offers analytical, user-friendly dashboards. Businesses can evaluate their performance, establish standards, and monitor changes in consumer satisfaction using this valuable data.

Surveys Support Business Decision-Making

One of the significant advantages of customer satisfaction surveys is the ability to obtain information and insights that assist in company decision-making. Businesses can better meet consumer expectations by identifying what customers value most and where adjustments are required.

The TellUsFirst service from Customer Perceptions removes obstacles to capturing date by giving companies access to affordable, real-time consumer feedback data. Regardless of size or location, businesses can use this tool to collect honest evaluations of their offering and customer service. Companies can make data-driven decisions that enhance consumer satisfaction by using these insights.

Fix Mistakes and Correct Poor Customer Service

Customer satisfaction surveys provide an opportunity to resolve any issues or negative customer experiences in a timely manner. When clients express discontent in their comments, you can act right away to fix the problem and turn a bad experience into a good one.

The TellUsFirst solution from Customer Perceptions helps organisations close the feedback loop by allowing customers to leave their contact information if they so wish . This feature demonstrates a dedication to addressing customer complaints and enhancing their experience by enabling prompt and customised responses.

At Customer Perceptions, we know how vital customer satisfaction surveys are to a company’s success. Our market research tools enable companies to understand their customers better, improve the customer experience, and make the right business decisions. To find out more about how we can assist you in maximising the potential of customer satisfaction surveys, contact us today.

How To Measure The Impact Of Customer Experience Initiatives

customer experience

By Susan Reilly – Head of Sales and Marketing

The success of firms in all sectors is now heavily influenced by customer experience. Giving your customers a positive experience can boost their contentment and loyalty, ultimately resulting in business growth. But how can companies evaluate the results of their attempts to improve the customer experience? In this blog post, we discuss the resources, advantages, and key performance indicators (KPIs) that businesses may use to monitor the results of their efforts to improve the customer experience.

What Measurement Tools are Available for Customer Experience?

Businesses can use various methods to assess the effects of customer experience initiatives. Customer surveys are one of these methods. Companies can get direct consumer feedback and gain an understanding of their satisfaction levels, preferences, and problem areas by regularly conducting customer surveys.

Cutting-edge technological solutions like TellUsFirst by Customer Perceptions provide the ability to receive direct client feedback whether in store or online. Customers can contribute real-time feedback about their experiences with TellUsFirst, allowing businesses to enhance their services and address customers issues in a timely manner. By giving customers a direct channel to share feedback both positive and negative, this provides companies with another valuable tool to improve customer experience.

Mystery shopping services is another approach to consider. By hiring people to pretend to be customers, mystery shoppers can assess the quality of the customer experience according to predetermined standards. This approach offers an honest and first-hand evaluation of the client journey, allowing organisations to spot areas for improvement.

Benefits of Measuring Customer Experiences

For businesses, measuring customer experience has several advantages. Firstly, it offers information on client satisfaction levels. Companies can determine opportunities for improvement by tracking how satisfied customers are with their experiences. Building strong customer relationships and improving the overall customer experience are some of the benefits that can result from improvements made as a result of this information.

Identifying and resolving problems that result in poor customer experiences is another benefit of measuring customer experience. Businesses can identify these pain points and take the necessary action to address them and prevent them from happening again. This proactive approach shows a dedication to client satisfaction and can significantly enhance how the brand is perceived in general.

Tracking customer experience initiatives over time enables firms to monitor their customer and marketing strategies. Businesses can evaluate the performance of their industries and make data-driven adjustments as necessary by establishing clear KPIs and routinely tracking progress. This cycle of continual development helps your growth and long-term success.

What Are The KPIs For Enhancing The Customer Experience?

Key performance indicators (KPIs) are crucial measurements that assist companies in gauging the success of their activities aimed at improving the customer experience. The following are some typical KPIs for enhancing customer experience:

Customer Satisfaction Score (CSAT): This KPI gauges customers’ general level of satisfaction based on their interactions with a company. Typically, post-purchase or post-interaction surveys are used to measure it.
Net Promoter Score (NPS): NPS assesses client loyalty and propensity to refer customers to a business. Detractors (unhappy customers) and promoters (loyal consumers) are valuable indicators of customer sentiment.
Customer Effort Score (CES): CES gauges how simple it is for customers to accomplish a task or solve a problem. Low customer effort is stressed since high effort can result in unpleasant encounters and dissatisfaction.
Repeat Buy Rate: The percentage of clients that make repeat purchases is shown by the KPI known as the repeat buy rate. A high rate of repeat business indicates contented clients who are likely to stick to a brand.
Customer Retention Rate: The proportion of customers who keep doing business with a company over a specified period is measured by the customer retention rate. A high retention rate indicates strong client relationships and a good customer experience.

Businesses can obtain important insights into customer behaviour by routinely monitoring these KPIs.

Ready to reduce bad customer experiences and improve the number of good relationships with customers that your business has? Then contact Customer Perceptions today.

The Crucial Role of Mystery Shopping in Today’s Competitive Market

By Susan Reilly – Head of Sales and Marketing

In today’s cutthroat business landscape, companies face intense competition and ever-increasing customer expectations. To gain a competitive edge, businesses must prioritise delivering exceptional customer experiences. This is where mystery shopping comes into play. Mystery shopping, a method of evaluating customer interactions through anonymous shoppers, has become an indispensable tool for organisations looking to understand their customers better, identify areas for improvement and stay ahead of the competition. 

In this blog post, we will explore the importance of mystery shopping in today’s competitive market and how it can drive business success.

  1. Customer Experience Differentiation: In a sea of competitors, businesses must find ways to stand out and differentiate themselves. Exceptional customer experiences have become a key differentiator in the market. Mystery shopping provides organisations with unbiased feedback on various aspects of the customer journey, including service quality, staff performance and overall satisfaction. By uncovering gaps and areas for improvement, businesses can take proactive measures to enhance their customer experience, exceed expectations and create a positive brand perception that sets them apart from their rivals.
  2. Identifying Operational Strengths and Weaknesses: Mystery shopping allows businesses to evaluate their operational strengths and weaknesses from a customer’s perspective. By analysing mystery shopping reports, companies can identify specific areas where they excel and leverage those strengths to their advantage. Similarly, it enables them to pinpoint weaknesses and address them promptly. Whether it’s improving employee training, refining processes, or optimising product displays, mystery shopping provides actionable insights that drive operational excellence and continuous improvement.
  3. Monitoring and Maintaining Consistency: Consistency is vital for building trust and loyalty among customers. Inconsistent experiences can lead to customer dissatisfaction and a negative impact on brand reputation. Mystery shopping plays a crucial role in monitoring and maintaining consistency across multiple locations or touchpoints. By regularly evaluating different outlets, departments, or even online channels, businesses can ensure that their brand standards are upheld consistently. This level of consistency builds trust, fosters loyalty and gives businesses an edge in an increasingly competitive market.
  4. Competitor Benchmarking: Staying ahead of the competition requires a deep understanding of their strengths and weaknesses. Mystery shopping allows businesses to benchmark their performance against their competitors. By deploying mystery shoppers to evaluate rival businesses, organisations can gain insights into what their competitors are doing well and identify areas where they can outperform them. This knowledge enables businesses to fine-tune their strategies, differentiate themselves and seize growth opportunities.
  5. Empowering Data-Driven Decision-Making: In today’s data-centric world, making informed decisions is critical for success. Mystery shopping provides businesses with tangible and quantifiable data about customer experiences. This data, combined with other metrics and feedback mechanisms, empowers organisations to make data-driven decisions. By analysing trends, identifying patterns and leveraging insights from mystery shopping reports, businesses can prioritise initiatives, allocate resources effectively and implement targeted improvements that drive customer satisfaction and business growth.

In today’s competitive market, the importance of mystery shopping cannot be overstated. It serves as a powerful tool for businesses to understand customer experiences, identify areas for improvement and strategically differentiate themselves in the quest for success.

As companies navigate the challenges of a highly competitive marketplace, mystery shopping offers a way to gain a competitive edge. From understanding customer preferences to fine-tuning operations, monitoring the consistency and benchmarking against rivals, mystery shopping empowers businesses to make informed decisions, enhance the customer experience and foster long-term success. In this dynamic business environment, embracing the power of mystery shopping is no longer an option but a necessity for organisations striving to thrive in today’s competitive market.

Stay Ahead of the Game: The Latest Trends in Customer Experience

Stay Ahead of the Game: The Latest Trends in Customer Experience

By Susan Reilly – Head of Sales and Marketing

Customer satisfaction is a crucial component of the success of every organisation. Giving customers a positive experience can boost their contentment and loyalty and will boost your brand’s reputation. One way to ensure you meet and exceed customer expectations is by keeping up with the most recent trends in customer experience. We’ll look at some of the newest customer experience trends in this blog and how they can help your company.

Automation

The customer experience landscape is being completely transformed by automation. Thanks to technological improvements, businesses today have access to tools and software that can automate critical steps in the customer experience. Automation enables increased efficiencies and streamlined processes, from chatbots that offer immediate service to personalised email campaigns sent in response to client behaviour. Automating your customer experience strategy will enable you to provide timely, dependable service to boost client satisfaction.

Predictive Evaluation

Data and analytics are used in predictive analysis to foresee client behaviour and preferences. Businesses can make informed decisions and adjust their services to suit specific client needs by studying past customer interactions and purchasing trends. With the help of predictive analysis, you can also anticipate consumer needs, make relevant product or service recommendations, and develop unique customer experiences. This data-driven strategy improves customer satisfaction and creates positive customer relationships, encouraging loyalty and repeat business.

Customer Satisfaction Surveys

Customer experience surveys are essential for learning about the opinions of your consumers and getting feedback. You can get an accurate appraisal of how your customers feel about your company by regularly conducting customer surveys. These questionnaires offer insightful information about your strengths and opportunities for development. You can also make informed judgements and put processes in place that improve the entire customer experience by paying attention to what your customers say. You can get real-time feedback using tools like Customer Perceptions’ TellUsFirst, which allows you to continuously enhance your services and keep a positive relationship with clients.

Employ Experts

Employing customer service and customer experience management experts is crucial to guarantee a seamless client experience. These specialists are qualified to put customer experience-related strategies into practice. They can assist you with establishing a customer-focused culture within your business, training your personnel to provide excellent customer service, and creating customer satisfaction-focused business procedures. You can differentiate yourself from the competition and build enduring customer relationships by investing in professionals who recognise the value of a positive customer experience.

You can stay competitive by incorporating these trends into your customer experience plan. Effectively implementing and analysing these trends, however, can be difficult. That’s where Customer Perceptions comes in. Customer Perceptions, one of the industry’s top providers of market research products, provides an immediate customer feedback service called TellUsFirst. With this cutting-edge solution, your consumers can provide feedback in real-time, helping you improve your service and customer experience. You can assess customer experience, monitor standards, and acquire insightful consumer data with the help of Customer Perceptions’ expertise and customised solutions, which will help you enhance customer retention, sales, and revenue.

Contact Customer Perceptions to elevate your customer experience. Let us assist you in staying competitive and providing outstanding client experiences that promote business success.

Mystery Shopping Professionals Association (MSPA) Conference

MSPA Blog Image 4
This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is MSPA-Blog-Image-1.png

Emma Harte (CEO) and Susan Reilly (Head of Sales and Marketing) were both delighted to attend the Mystery Shopping Professionals Association (MSPA) annual conference in Varna Bulgaria earlier this month. This conference brought together almost 200 Mystery Shopping Companies to work together to share their experiences over the past number of years and also what the future holds for mystery shopping.

The theme of this conference was Assess|Adapt|Act and carried the theme of how we need to assess the current situation for both ourselves and our Clients, adapt to the changing environment and act on the learnings to ensure we are bringing our Clients the most insightful and up-to-date programmes we can.

The conference saw a number of experienced mystery shopping professionals present their stories on challenges they themselves had experienced over the past 2 years and how they adapted their processes in response.

Day 1

First off we had an introduction from the President of MSPA Europe/Africa Luis Duarte who opened up the 2-day conference. Luis spoke to us about the theme of the conference Assess|Adapt|Act and what this meant for Mystery Shopping Professionals. This set the context for the other Speakers that would deliver their findings over the coming 2 days.

First of the presentations was from Cyriel Kortleven, a Global Speaker. Cyriel talked to us about “The Change Mindset”. This was a really impactful presentation which told us the power of using phrasing such as “Yes, and…” instead of “Yes, but…”. Such a simple but strong way to allow us to see the potential in every challenge, and not the pitfalls. Through some group exercises, this message was really hammered home and we all left this session feeling so positive and upbeat. A fantastic opening session to have.

The rest of the morning immersed us in Case Studies delivered by other Mystery Shopping Professionals. One case study delivered by Juliana Goranova from Client X in Bulgaria (our Host country), showed us some unusual mystery shopping programmes such as sending mystery shoppers out to restaurant to take samples of the fin from a certain variety of fish. This was to ensure the restaurants were not serving a protected species of this fish. Juliana also spoke to us about the work they did with Charitable Organisations. This really was food for thought!

Another really interesting case study was presented by Jill Spencer from ReactCX – Money for Old Rope. This presentation was a powerful delivery how of we need to demonstrate to our Clients the return on investment of their programmes. Although this can sometimes be difficult to measure as some of the returns are intangible such as customer loyalty, staff satisfaction etc… Jill showed us some really useful ways of demonstrating ROI by working with our clients to gather the data we need to show this. This is something we have definitely taken on board and are working away on at the minute for our existing and potential clients.

The afternoon session on Day 1 saw us being divided into 3 different breakout sessions (depending on the colour of MSPA baseball cap we received). I attended the Proposition Zone and Emma attended the Global Zone. These breakout sessions were a good way to work with other Mystery Shopping Professionals to examine each of the themes and really discuss what the challenges/solutions were. One thing for certain in the Proposition Zone was that data is crucial to business and is becoming more and more the backbone of how businesses operate and grow. We chatted about exactly how we should be collecting data for our Clients, exactly what data we need to collect and what the future looks like here. The importance of Exploratory Workshops with our Clients pre-commencement of the programme is an important factor here.

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is Mspa-Blog-image-2.png

Day 1 ended with some fantastic networking opportiunites for all Participants and a lovely dinner in the International Casino and Hotel restaurant, and lots of lovely Bulgarian wine.

Day 2

After having a lovely dinner and networking event the previous night, Participants were buzzing on day 2 for what the day ahead holds with their new found friends/partnerships. The day was opened again by Luis Duarte – President of MSPA who recapped on what we had learned the day before.

We then listened to Tony Allens presentation of some fantastic new intuitive hardware that can actually check the age of shoppers in a store. He had the machines with him and demonstrated exactly how this worked. This seems like a fantastic tool for companies to streamline their age verification checks in-store. This was really an eye-opener on how technology is evolving for all aspects of business. If anyone would like more information on this hardware, please contact me on susan.reilly@customerperceptions.ie and I can get you more information.

Another really interesting presentation came from Hannah Weekes of ProInsight. Hannah’s presentation was titled “The Modern Mystery Shopper – Creating Brand Loyalty/Obsession”. This insightful session showed us the power of not only connecting with our Mystery Shoppers but Engaging them to the point where you are creating an obsession with your brand. It is so beneficial for us as a Company, but also for our Mystery Shoppers to feel part of an engaging community. We took lots of learnings home from this session. Thank you Hannah!

Finally, to wrap up the session Andy Firth, from Ipsos UK spoke to the group about how the world is changing so rapidly and what can we expect next. Andy’s insights were a perfect opportunity to encompass all we had learned in the past 2 days and really summarise where we were now, and how we need to be prepared for what is to come next. The good news was that there is so much opportunity for mystery shopping, regardless of how the world changes and it is up to us as Mystery Shopping Professionals to anticipate these changes and adapt our businesses to continue delivering powerful and impactful programmes to our Clients.

After a hugely interesting 2 days, we wrapped up with an amazing traditional Bulgarian dinner on the Beach with some super entertainment. We heard stories of Bulgarian history, listened to some traditional music, watched some traditional dancing and even got to see two wonderful people demonstrate Bulgarians ritual of firewalking! As conferences go, we have to say that the Bulgarian hospitality for the duration of our trip was outstanding. Such a wonderful place to visit. Even with the extremely sore heads on Friday morning, we were sorry to be leaving such a beautiful city.

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is Mspa-Blog-Image-3.jpg

Well done to all at the MSPA for organising such a fantastic experience for its members!

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is MSPA-Blog-Image-4.jpg

Tips for Creating a Successful Customer Experience Strategy

Easy Tips for Creating a Customer Experience Strategy

Business leaders in 2022 will need to be heavily focused on improving their customer experience (CX) strategies if they hope to succeed.

In order to thrive in a post-pandemic world and adapt to the changes the coronavirus has brought about, businesses will need to leverage the resources and solutions available to them. Only then can they overcome the challenges of building deeper connections and relationships with their customers.

In this blog, we will cover some of the fundamentals of customer experience and three useful tips for creating a successful CX strategy for your business. 

What is a Customer Experience Strategy, and Why is it Important?

Customer experience (also referred to as CX) describes your customers’ interactions and experiences with your business from the first interaction to becoming a loyal and happy customer. Customer Experience and Customer Service are not the same thing. Customer service (the assistance offered to customers before and after they purchase a product) is only one part of the customer journey, whereas CX encompasses the entire customer journey. 

In a nutshell, a customer experience strategy describes your company’s approach toward creating the best customer experience possible for your business’s current circumstances.

A positive customer experience is an integral part of Customer Relationship Management (CRM) because it increases the chances of repeat and loyal customers. Businesses increasingly recognise that their customer experience can differentiate them from their competitors. Unlike price or product range, which only win over customers for as long as you can keep up with or beat your competition, customer experience helps you build strong, long-lasting relationships with customers.

According to research, customers not only make purchase decisions based on customer experience, but they are also willing to pay more for a good experience, and even forgive mistakes made by companies they are loyal to.

Three Tips for Creating a Good Customer Experience Strategy

Always be Prepared

Research and preparation should be the first step in most projects you undertake, and your customer experience strategy is no different. You will need to conduct thorough research into your target market to ensure that your strategy is targeted at the right audience. 

Focus your research on three main areas: 

  1. Customer Personas – You are theoretically inventing someone who represents your ideal customer. The customer persona can represent customers you would like to acquire as well as customers you currently have. You need to understand your customers’ demographic profiles, behaviours, needs, wants, motivations, and pain points to ensure your strategy enables you to connect with them. To start creating personas, you should conduct customer interviews and analyse your data to derive meaningful insights relating to various customer types.
  2. Empathy Mapping – Empathy maps help businesses better understand customer needs. With this approach, teams can build a complete picture of the customer and what actions they might take based on their beliefs, emotions, and behaviours. To make sense of the customer’s experience and preferences, empathy mapping uses the four quadrants of ‘think’, ‘feel’, ‘say’, and ‘do’.
  3. Stakeholder Mapping and Management – A stakeholder management process entails understanding the attitudes of stakeholders before making changes to how you do things. The purpose of stakeholder planning is to know what stakeholders need and wish to see, how to influence them, what risks may occur, who is important to inform about changes, and who might have a negative impact on the change you are planning.

Create an Emotional Connection with Your Customers

A competitive market requires you to have strong relationships with your potential customers before they make a purchase decision. This isn’t easy. The process of building a relationship with clients and maintaining it naturally happens, but connecting with new clients requires more effort. It takes an emotional connection before a lead decides to make a purchase. Once they become a customer, that emotional connection only gets stronger. An emotional bond is the most valuable part of customer loyalty and will help improve your customer retention.

Regularly Optimise the customer journey

The entire customer journey must be considered when creating a great customer experience. Understanding the entire interaction with the customer and how it is received at every touchpoint is crucial. You need to monitor your current strategy and keep note of what is working and what isn’t. You can then adjust your strategy where necessary to ensure that your CX strategy is delivering the desired results.

Focusing on the customer’s journey, and identifying problems within it, can help create a better customer experience. Additionally, this allows your teams to brainstorm ideas to improve business relationships, reduce friction, and increase growth. 
At Customer Perceptions, we have over 25 years of experience in providing market research solutions to enhance our clients’ customer experience, gain insights into their competitors, increase their customer retention, monitor their standards, and increase their sales and revenue. Contact us today for a reliable solution to improving your business operations and customer experience strategies.

3 Reasons Why Customer Experience Increases Sales

3 Reasons Why Customer Experience Increases Sales

Do you remember a time when, from the second you walked into a store, you were greeted by friendly staff, a welcoming atmosphere, and the entire experience left you feeling great? You likely left the store with a huge smile on your face, itching to tell your friends and family about the amazing experience you had and thinking that you need to go back to that store. 

Now think back to when you had a terrible experience trying to buy something or order a service. The anger and frustration made your blood boil, and you swore to yourself that you would never use that business again. 

These two feelings show the importance of Customer Experience (CX). CX is the result of every interaction a customer has had with your business and the impression your brand leaves in their mind. The entire customer journey determines whether they will return to your business or not, which is why a customer-centric CX strategy is vital to the success of your business. 

This blog will discuss three reasons why customer experience is essential to your business success and how a positive CX will drive sales and increase your revenue. 

Customer Retention is More Profitable Than Generating New Customers

The business world has a lot of controversy regarding which is better, customer retention or acquisition. However, the fact of the matter is that customer acquisition, while rewarding, can be highly time-consuming and expensive. 

As a business, building loyalty and a positive association with a new customer takes time and money. In contrast, the costs associated with repeat business are considerably lower, from both a sales and a marketing standpoint. With repeat business, your ad spend is lower because you have already built a connection with these customers, so you have a better chance of making a sale. The book Marketing Metrics explains that the sales conversion rate for an existing customer sits at around 60 – 70%, whereas an entirely new prospect has a conversion rate of only 5-20%.

It is vital to build a CX strategy that is centred around long-term customer loyalty. Repeat customers are statistically far more likely to make a purchase when they visit your business. They are also generally willing to spend much more because they are satisfied with their customer experiences and know the level of quality and service they will receive. 

Customer Experience is Free Word-of-Mouth Marketing

The impression that your customers have of your business is now far more likely to be shared thanks to the help of social media platforms and the internet. If your customer experience is positive, loyal customers will become advocates for your business and share their experiences with others, helping attract new customers at no extra cost to you. When your customers share their positive experiences, it piques the curiosity of others, so people are encouraged to interact with your brand to see the top-notch service for themselves. 

While a negative online review can deter prospective customers, positive online reviews strengthen the online presence of your business, increasing the visibility of your brand and attracting new clientele.

A Better Customer Experience Sets Your Brand Apart from Your Competitors

When your business provides a customer experience that exceeds expectations, you take your customers on a journey that breeds an emotional connection and loyalty. You won’t need to ‘remind’ customers why they should use your services or buy your products because they will already know. 

A review conducted by SuperOffice determined that 86% of buyers are willing to pay more for better customer service. So even if your competitors may have lower prices, if your customer experience surpasses theirs, customers will be more likely to use your business. When developing your CX strategy, consider rewards programs like coupons, free shipping offers, and lower prices for repeat customers, especially if your company operates in the e-commerce sector. It will set your brand apart and increase the positive perception of your business even more. 
Customer Experience is a foundational element of the success of your business. If you need assistance improving your strategy or are curious about how you can improve your customer experience, contact Customer Perceptions today or visit our website to view our list of expert services.

How Mystery Shopping Can Benefit Your Business

How mystery shopping can benefit your business

From the outside looking in, one may think that the more customers a company has, the higher its profits. However, this is not necessarily the case. Anyone with retail experience will tell you that building a network of loyal, repeat customers is the cornerstone to the success of your business. 

Suppose your customer service, staff performance, or customer experience is not up to par. In that case, customers won’t return to your business, word of mouth will spread, and you will eventually lose income. As a business owner or executive, rectifying any problem areas in how your business is run can only be done after the problems have been identified. This is where mystery shopping programs come in. 

Many businesses, especially in the retail and hospitality industries, aim to identify problem areas in their business performance by using mystery shopping agencies. Mystery shopping is a process whereby an independent person is hired, through an agency, to masquerade as a customer and perform an evaluation of your business to determine customer satisfaction and service quality. The hired mystery shopper will be an anonymous consumer and have no connection to you or any of your staff. This is to ensure that all reports remain unbiased. 

The mystery shoppers will visit your business and rate their experience in an unbiased, professional, and thorough manner. They will complete a detailed report of the entire customer journey to their superiors, who will share the information with you so you will be aware of how customers perceive your company’s service and their experience as a whole. 

Here are some of the benefits of hiring a mystery shopper to evaluate your business: 

Get Valuable Feedback from a Customer’s Perspective

Mystery shoppers are trained professionals, so when they visit your business as a customer, they will take note of every aspect of the customer journey from start to finish. No matter how big or small an issue may be, it will be noted. This is a lot more effective than waiting for reports from your management or waiting until an actual customer brings forward a complaint. 

This attention to detail and knowledge of the retail sector will help your business pinpoint specific areas for improvement that may have been flying under the radar. When you know how your customer experience, satisfaction, and brand perception are seen from a customer’s point of view, you can make the necessary changes to improve customer retention. Not only can this improve your customer loyalty, but the improvement in your business image can attract new customers.  

Gives You Insight Into Staff Performance and Internal Procedures

Even if your employees are fully proficient in the business’s Standard Operating Procedures (SOP), sometimes the top-down approach to company standards and procedures still doesn’t have the desired effect at a store level. Even if your management department provides reports on business operations and staff behaviour, personal biases may hinder their ability to see problem areas (whether intentional or not).

The unbiased perspective of a professional shopper can provide you with actionable insights into your employee integrity and whether your operational procedures are working. Not only will this show you areas where further training or action may be needed, but the mystery shopper can also give you the following valuable insights: 

  • Are your current operational procedures working at a store level?
  • How do your employees handle customer complaints?
  • Are your sales representatives selling actively or passively?
  • Does your staff have relevant product knowledge?
  • Did your team acknowledge the customer when they walked in? (Smiling, greeting, or offering help; Or was the customer ignored?) 
  • Are employees presentable and abiding by the company dress code, if there is one?
  • How do employees act when there isn’t a manager around? 
  • Are legal requirements and professional standards being met?
  • Are your staff members on their cellphones in front of customers? 
  • Suggestions and recommendations for improvement. 

Valuable Research into Your Competitors 

Competitiveness is rife in the retail industry. If you know how your competition performs, what they’re doing, their business values, how they treat their customers, or how their layout works, you can see where you rank in comparison and how to improve. This will provide you with the competitive advantage your store may need to provide better customer service and put your store steps above your competitors. 

Mystery shopping combines qualitative and quantitative market research, using professionals trained to evaluate an experience in a storefront environment. This doesn’t just help businesses like retail stores, but any company that offers some level of customer service. Contact Customer Perceptions today if you are located in Ireland or the UK and want to know more about mystery shopping or other ways you can improve your business performance.

Supermarket Superheroes

Supermarket Superhero infographic

By Linda Martin, Client Account Manager

An Industry Excelling

Over the past year, Irish supermarkets have faced the demands of providing superior customer service, whilst operating as an essential business through a pandemic. They have dealt with and overcome the significant challenges of delivery restrictions, panic buying and purchase limits, along with implementing new processes to make their customers feel safe in stores. 

Now, as we see restrictions begin to ease, we asked consumers to tell us how they feel about their local supermarkets. During the month of May, we conducted a nationwide survey to gauge consumer attitudes towards the customer service in stores, shopping preferences, change in shopping habits over the last 12 months and their experience of online shopping solutions.

Where are Irish Consumers Shopping?

We asked our consumers where they complete their main grocery shopping and Aldi came back as a clear favourite, with 32% of the vote. This was closely followed by Lidl at 23% and Tesco at 20%. In fourth place were Dunnes Stores on 14% and Supervalu at 8%.

The majority of Irish consumers we surveyed reported that they are making frequent trips to their supermarket, with 51% going 2-3 times per week, while 32% go at least once per week… So what factors are important when choosing where to shop and why they should remain a loyal customer to the brand?

Price and value for money (92%) and product range (73%) were rated as the top factors that consumers consider when choosing a location. Consumers are also looking at the availability of special offers in store (57%) and the location of the premises (46%). 94% of Irish supermarkets are offering free parking to their customers, a factor which cannot be overlooked when consumers are considering where to shop. Loyalty cards also influence the decision on where to shop for some 24% of consumers.

With the range of choice, service, and value on offer, are retailers doing enough to keep their customers returning as loyal shoppers with the brand? 33% of consumers in our survey confirmed that they have switched retailers in the last 12 months, but why are they switching? “Money offer vouchers”, “shorter queues” and “better product variety” are just some of the most commonly cited reasons that encourage consumers to move away from their regular supermarkets. In addition, “click & collect charges” and “special offers” also play a key role in the decision.

E-Commerce

With the rise in e-commerce services being offered by Irish retailers, why do 86% of Irish consumers still prefer to shop in store as opposed to availing of delivery? According to our research, only 10% of customers regularly use their local supermarkets online delivery service and similarly, only 7% of customers are using Click and Collect. Up to 93% of customers say that they find the online systems clear and easy to navigate, yet their preference still remains to travel to the supermarket and complete their shopping in person. When asked why consumers are being discouraged from using their stores delivery service, the main response is that they prefer to pick the freshest products themselves in store. Alternative product options or substitutions being placed in the delivery, is another factor that comes into consideration.

89% of customers are aware of an additional charge for the delivery service and 36% were happy with the availability of delivery dates and times. With the increase in the number of retailers now offering Click & Collect services, how do consumers rate the availability of products and the collection process? 45% say that their main grocery store offers a collection service and 44% of customers have previously availed of the service. Of the customers that regularly use the service, 75% have easily located the designated parking spot at the store. We were keen to find out how consumers feel about Click & Collect services and while some say they are “very happy with the service” and “all items received are of good quality and in date”, others have had a different experience, commenting that there were damaged goods in their orders, or replacement items and short-dated stock included.

Covid Regulations

Over the past 12 months, retailers have worked tirelessly to adapt their services to ensure a safe shopping environment for their customers. We asked shoppers to weigh in on the Covid-19 precautions put in place in their regular supermarkets and more importantly do they feel safe while shopping in store. All supermarkets we researched have protective measures in place, such as sanitiser (97%), floor markings (89%), covid-19 signage (88%), Perspex screens (93%) and sanitising stations for trolleys (84%). Customers are observant of social distancing measures in place, with 86% agreeing that staff are respectful of guidelines and 72% feel that numbers are being monitored sufficiently instore. However, all factors considered, 91% of consumers say that they feel safe in their main regular grocery store.

This report outlines current sentiment among Irish consumers regarding supermarkets, their products, services, and solutions.

A total of 270 consumers were surveyed across Ireland.

Report published: May 2021

One Million Mystery Shops

1,000,000 Mystery Shops

By – Susan Reilly, Head of Sales and Marketing

 

Customer Perceptions, having been in existence for almost a quarter of a century now, have completed over one million customer satisfaction/feedback assessments in this time.

What does having one million pieces of feedback mean? It means we can pull together some fairly robust statistics as to exactly what your customer wants.

One thing for sure is, times have changed, whilst 10 years ago, the primary focus for customers was a “good price”, this has dramatically changed since. Customers are now much more complex when it comes to the decisions they make. Below you will find the key drivers resulting in higher satisfaction levels and ultimately higher spend and likelihood for repeat business.

1.) Feelings.
It might be unusual that we talk about feelings when it comes to your customer, however feelings matter. Fact! Customers want to feel loved, to feel wanted, to feel important, to feel valued. Take a minute to make your customer “feel” special. The more feelings a customer can attach to a store, the more memorable the event, hence the more likely they are to return.

2.) Time.
Time is key to customers, and everybody has less and less each day. Nobody wants to “waste” time. Queues are the single most annoyance when it comes to shopping. A queue will deter a customer before they even fully step into your store. You have no chance if your stores have long queues. We need to be ahead of the game, ensuring we are utilising every tool in our reach to minimise the time spent queuing and waiting. Efficiency is key.

3.) Knowledge.
Customers hate bluffers. They can spot them a mile off. Don’t put staff in front of customers if you have not trained them in fully on the products. This does your reputation considerable damage. Staff need to be confident in what they are selling, and also need to be confident in saying “I don’t know, but let me get the answer for you”.

4.) Promises.
Empty promises are a pet peeve for customers. Don’t tell your customer that you will give them a call in 2 days time if you have no intention of doing so. If you commit to something, you must deliver. Have a robust system for recording when following up calls must be made and stick to it. The system should be transparent so any staff member can pick up the calls if needed.

5.) Answer Me!
How many times have you felt like screaming this down the phone, or to your laptop screen when you just want somebody to answer your question. Customers want to talk to you, and they want to talk to you through a variety of channels. Keep the lines of communication open at all times. If you have a phone number listed on your website, then answer the call when it comes through. If you have an email address listed on your website, then answer the email when it comes through. If you have a facebook page, then answer your messages….. see where I am going with this? If you list a channel for your customers to communicate with you, then you absolutely must have this channel manned in a timely manner, i.e. within a 24 hour period max.

Make sure to follow our Linked In page, and check out our blog section on our website regularly as we will be telling you exactly how to achieve each of these points in much more detail.

Our first tutorial on making the Customer FEEL good, is coming soon…………….