Inside the Customer Experience

 

Mystery shoppers are supposed to remain anonymous while they are evaluating businesses. However, some companies will choose a slightly different route for their shops, which are typically called “reveal shops.”

 

These are typically shorter evaluations that are not traditional in the sense that they are evaluating the entire shopping experience; often times, they will be looking for one or two key behaviors – perhaps asking for identification from a customer purchasing liquor or tobacco, or a cashier mentioning a specific promotion.

 

Once the shopper completes their task, they are then to “reveal” themselves to the staff. Most times if the staff does well and meets the criteria, the shopper rewards them with an on the spot bonus, gift card, or other incentive as provided by the client.

 

This is a good (and fun) way to spot check specific performance points, especially when done well. I’ve seen this done several ways – sometimes the shopper only reveals him or herself if the employee does well and is to get an incentive; other times I’ve seen where the shopper is revealed no matter the outcome, which can be a little trickier. Years ago, Chuck E Cheese had an internal program in which the “shopper” was given red and green cards and were told what to evaluate. When they saw an employee doing what was expected, the “shopper” was to hand out a green card, and when they saw something that didn’t meet standards, they were to hand out a red card. The staff was then responsible for turning them into their manager. This was probably the one method I really didn’t like – it’s an awkward situation for both the shopper and the receiver of the red card, and I often times wondered how often the “red” employees were turning in their cards! Because it was an internal program and not handled through a mystery shopping provider, I wondered how well managed it was.

 

There are some things to consider if you want to try a reveal program:

 

1. Don’t replace your current program: reveals shops are meant to look for one or two specific things. It should not replace your full blow program because you won’t get the same detailed data.

 

2. Decide how to implement the reveal: some companies prefer to keep it truly positive, only doing the reveal when the employee does well and receives an incentive. I like this approach best because it’s more positive, is more comfortable for both the shopper and the employee, and employees will be more “on their toes” waiting for their opportunity. When employees don’t meet the standard, calling them out publicly in front of coworkers and the shopper, who is a stranger to them, can create a negative vibe for the program.

 

It’s also necessary to decide how the reveal will happen and if the shopper will reveal themselves to the employee they interacted with or the manager. It may depend on if you choose to reveal both positive and negative, or just focus on the positive. After all, it would be great fun for the employee to be rewarded on the spot – it could make their day!

 

3. Think through the effects of not being rewarded: this is especially true if you choose to have the shopper be revealed no matter the outcome. A few years back a shopper had to visit the bar in a restaurant to see if she was carded. She was then to reveal herself to the manager at the end of the visit no matter the outcome. Unfortunately, the bartender did not card her and she had to let the manager know. Instead of waiting for the shopper to leave, the manager confronted the bartender in front of the shopper and other customers. The bartender became visibly angry and got confrontational with the shopper to the point that she asked for an escort out of the restaurant.

 

This situation was handled poorly on many levels, but it’s good to learn from. Especially in cases where the staff doesn’t meet standards, it’s good to not only wait for the shopper to leave the building, but to handle it in a more private setting, perhaps after the shift is over.

 

I’ve also seen a case where a negative reveal was handled in a positive manner. A quick serve restaurant wanted to implement a reveal program in which the shopper would reveal his or her presence to the employee at the end of the shop no matter the outcome. However, they wanted the staff to know that not meeting the standards was not the end of the world, but it was something to be aware of and make better in the future.

 

To alleviate embarrassment and negativity, they provided the shopper with a very small trophy that depicted a plate of nachos with an inscription that read something along the lines of “it’s just ‘nacho’ day” (say that out loud and you’ll get it). It’s a fun way to turn a negative into a learning experience.

 

Reveal shops can be a quick way to check specific aspects of the experience and get the staff pumped up and excited to do well for you. If you’ve ever used a reveal shop, please share – we’d love to hear your thoughts!

“Would you like fries with that?”

 

A simple phrase can generate 10% to 40% more sales, according to a recent study in which 12 QSR’s were evaluated as part of a mystery shopping study.

 

While this study was limited in scope and it does not appear that sufficient data was collected necessarily (each of the brands were shopped twice at different locations for this study), it does bring home an interesting talking point. Results point to the fact that 54% of the interactions did not lead to an upsell or cross sell.

 

In talking with others about this topic, there are many reasons for failure to upsell or cross sell:

 

1. Employees (usually the younger crowd) may not feel comfortable doing this on a consistent basis. In QSR, often times teens are hired for their first job, and they need to learn skill sets to effectively cross sell and upsell. This is simply a matter of training and encouraging confidence when interacting with customers.

 

2. There may be cases of inadquate training. If employees aren’t familiar with the menu and/or promotions before being put on the front lines, they may not have the tools needed to be able to do this effectively.

 

3. Customers are always seemingly rushed these days, and employees may not want to “bother” them. Similarly, they may have attempted to upsell or cross sell to an unpleasant customer, which leads to a negative experience and they are leery to do this going forward.

 

4. During busier times, there may not be enough staff available, and employees are rushed to serve customers as quickly as possible and may “cut corners” by not upselling or cross selling.

 

During training of new staff, it is important to fully equip employees to be able to do this as a natural part of the conversation when interacting with guests. Continually review of menu options and promotions can help as well. Customers are more open to upselling attempts when it’s done in a natural manner that “makes sense” – if a customer is dining along and orders a value meal for dine in, asking “Would you like to add a second meal for only $3.00” probably isn’t the way to go. However, mentioning promotions or adding a dessert or larger beverage option might go over better.

 

Not sure how cross selling attempts can impact your bottom line? Take a look at our interactive cross sell chart to see the  numbers for yourself.

 

QSR’s have a good advantage with regard to upselling and cross selling over other verticals, such as retail or banking – take advantage of the opportunities and help your staff to consistently upsell and cross sell. It can go a long way for your bottom line.