| Without a doubt it is service that brings clients back for | | | | you are top of your game. |
| more. Whether you own a restaurant, bar, cafe or | | | | So how does it work? |
| coffeehouse, you want your customers to leave | | | | The Restaurant Mystery Shopper 'acts' just like a real |
| happy, and you want them to come again. | | | | customer, but this can include a script of behaviour, |
| However research shows that over 90% of your | | | | questions to ask, complaints to give, purchases to |
| customers will not complain when they are dissatisfied | | | | make, and measures to record, such as time it takes |
| and often you may not be aware of the 10% who do | | | | to receive attention from an employee or receive a |
| complain. Further more, dissatisfied customers will | | | | service, or the responses given to questions. |
| defect to your competition and will share their negative | | | | Great service is essential to business success. A |
| experience with up to ten of their friends and family. | | | | restaurant mystery shopper can point out the good as |
| Again, research shows that the main causes of | | | | well as the not so good. The happy humorous |
| customer dissatisfaction are: | | | | waitress might receive some well deserved praise, |
| - 69% poor customer service | | | | perhaps even a bonus as a result of the shopper and |
| - 13% poor product quality | | | | their glowing report. This kind of positive feedback |
| - 9% competitive reasons | | | | tends to rub off on the other employees, who want to |
| - 9% other | | | | be noticed as well for doing a good job. The |
| Considering that it costs five times more to attract a | | | | restaurant mystery shopper can be anyone, and they |
| new customer than it does to keep an existing one it is | | | | can come in at any time, so it compels your |
| essential to understand what your customers think | | | | employees to always do their best. This is how you |
| about your services. One option is to hire a restaurant | | | | want your business to be represented, is it not? You |
| mystery shopper or shadow shopper. | | | | want professional people who are happy and ready to |
| This simple step can pay big dividends. There are a | | | | assist your customers, and who genuinely care about |
| good many benefits to hiring a restaurant mystery | | | | meeting their needs. A restaurant mystery shopper |
| shopper to regularly visit your business. Knowing what | | | | can be an invaluable tool to help you keep your |
| kind of service your customers are receiving is the | | | | customers coming back again and again. |
| key to identifying the strengths and weaknesses in the | | | | The difficulty most people have with Restaurant |
| one on one interaction between staff and customers. | | | | Mystery Shopper Programmes is how use the |
| A good business manager understands that | | | | information it provides, so it is advisable to seek |
| customers hold strong opinions of what kind of service | | | | specialist advice on how to actually use the |
| they have received, whether they know it or not. This | | | | information. A specialist will provide tangible, "real life" |
| is arguably the single most important factor that they | | | | recommendations to help you correct problems and |
| will walk away with once they leave your business. | | | | improve your service. They will also be there to help |
| For example, say a customer walks into the restaurant | | | | you implement measurable and sustainable service |
| and the food takes a long time to prepare, the coffee | | | | improvement that will increase customer satisfaction, |
| is too strong and the order turns out to be wrong. This | | | | productivity and profitability. |
| could be a very bad experience for the customer and | | | | How Can Restaurant Mystery Shopper Help You? |
| they may choose not to return. A good restaurant | | | | - Identify underlying operational problems that hinder |
| mystery shopper can pinpoint this lack of service for | | | | service excellence |
| the business manager so that it can be improved upon, | | | | - Increase profits by revealing opportunities linked to |
| and new training or methods can be put into place at | | | | service delivery |
| the appropriate level of business so that there will be | | | | - Develop and implement realistic service standards |
| fewer delays and mistakes. | | | | that will improve overall service delivery |
| What exactly is Restaurant Mystery Shopper | | | | - Design specific training to meet the needs of |
| Programme? | | | | managers and staff |
| It is simply a highly effective performance | | | | - Encourage and reinforce positive service behaviours |
| management solution that might take the shape of a | | | | to build-on in areas that need improvement |
| customer service evaluation, a benchmarking exercise; | | | | - Access specific and detailed recommendations to |
| a customer satisfaction survey - any number of things. | | | | take your business forwards |
| The main point of Restaurant Mystery Shopper | | | | It's worth remembering that retaining your current |
| Programmes is that it helps you discover the facts | | | | customers is not only essential; it is the lifeblood of |
| behind your customer service standards, compliance | | | | your business. A Restaurant Mystery Shopper |
| and other front line activities and enables you to | | | | Programme can prevent the loss of your hard-earned |
| improve performance year on year to make sure that | | | | customers. |