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Mystery Shopping As an Instrument of Marketing Research

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Mystery Shopping As an Instrument of Marketing Research ~------------------------ ... ----- ----------- -------- I OBCHOD A MARKETING MYSTERY SHOPPING AS AN INSTRUMENT OF MARKETING RESEARCH Pavia Stankovcl!, Marcela Vaculikovcl! 1. Introduction the project that is focused on two activities. That is purchaser's activities, which have to be carried Undoubtedly, quality staff members are a signi­ out inside the organization before the assignment ficant competitive advantage. The whole sale pro­ of the topic to the mystery shopping agency and the cess and its successful conclusion are dependent activities of the agency - preparation of the research upon the seller's behaviour, their knowledge about for the purchaser of the project. Purchaser and the a product, their readiness for dealing, appearance agency must closely cooperate on every activity: and the whole impression. People become an im­ • Selection of the agency by the purchaser and portant part for creating stable and long-term relati­ the preparation of a supply by the agency. onship. For evaluation of the sales communication Meeting of representatives from both parties. process can use mystery shopping method. • Arrangement and specification of requirements Mystery shopping (also called mystery customer on the conduction of the mystery shopping. research, situation research) is a research method • Specification of a contract, arrangement of that is based on the principle of so-called secret the conditions of the mystery shopping condu­ shopping. Secret shopping is used to find out the ction, contract signing etc. level of sale and the readiness of individual shops or • Preparation of a control sheet. their staff members to cope with the arrival of the po­ • Selection of inquirers (mystery shoppers). tential customer or with a telephone call. During the • Training of mystery shoppers. research process there is observed the seller's be­ • Preparation of the mystery shopper's time haviour and also the time spent waiting, form and the plan and a route plan. realization of the offer, interior, atmosphere, visage Second phase represents the process of and the neatness of seller and other features which mystery shopping itself. Secret customers visit can influence the success of the selling process. [2] or contact a branch office bye-mail of telephone, The concept of mystery shopping also appears whereas they behave according to a schedule as a part of the new and more elaborated method, prepared in advance. Mystery shoppers behave so-called mystery coaching. This term is a combi­ naturally; they can adapt the conversation to their nation of terms mystery shopping/calling (mea­ state of mind or their own feeling within the frame surement of the care of customers realized through of objective research. [4] The process of mystery candid camera or telephone tapping) and coa· shopping involves the following activities: ching (goal-directed guiding of teams). "The aim of - Visiting chosen brand branch offices ac­ mystery coaching" is according to authors PhDr. A. cording to the given plan. Rihova and MUDr. M. Kalenda "concentrated de­ - Filling out the control sheet by the mystery velopment of the quality of the care provided to cus­ shopper. tomers that is based on the detailed knowledge of the level of the care and on the estimate of the fields During the third phase - the evaluation - the which require changes in the overall approach, in agency draws up a final report with the use of the employees' behaviour and competence and in the know-how of the company. In the report there are company's processes and systems." [3] described obtained facts and stated strong and weak points: - Handing of the control sheet from the myste­ 2. Process of Mystery Shopping ry shopper to the responsible staff worker. Process of mystery shopping consists of three - Evaluation of the control sheet by an educa­ phases. (fig. 1) First, there is a preparation of ted staff member, analysis of the obtained strana 108 1 ! 2007 E+M OBCHOD A MARKETING Fig. 1: Process of Mystery Shopping I. A preparation of the project Determination of Selection of the mystery purposes shopping agency Selection of inquirers (mystery shoppers) and traning of mystery shoppers II. The process of mystery shopping Visiting chosen shop Filling out the control sheet by the mystery shopper m. The evaluation Evaluation of the control sheet analysis of the information preparation of the report Presentation of the report Implementation handing in the final of the suggestions recommendations and suggestions D Activities of the organization Cooperate between the organization and the agency Activities of the agency Source: own E+M 1/2007 strana 109 ,---------------------------~-.----.. - OBCHOD A MARKETING information, preparation of the report for the can be used in the wide range of commer­ purchaser. cial sphere; - Presentation of the information gained in survey can be realized in competitive or the research of the sale process quality, comparable shops; handing in the final recommendations and data can be used for effective development suggestions. of staff workers; mystery shopping leads to increase in 3. Control Sheet customers' contentment, increase in the efficiency of the firm, effectiveness of the The control sheet is the basic document for process and to the improvement of the both purchaser and the mystery shopping pro­ company image. vider. Through the control sheet we can check in detail the sale process that is focused on the Disadvantages and limitations of mystery given topic and particular services. Control sheet shopping is a supplementary instrument of evaluation of has to be provided and analysed byeduca­ the mystery shopping which evaluates especially ted staff member; following parameters: [4] necessarily, the workers who conduct the - the first impression, interior, behaviour of staff research have to strictly follow the princi­ workers, their neatness and appearance; ples of ICEjESOMAR and corresponding - the first contact, addressing, beginning of legislation concerned with data protection the communication; must not be carried out for other reasons - extent to what customer's needs were than research (for example for supervision found out; of the activities of identifiable persons/ - communicative skills of the seller; individuals that could be used for their - scope of supply, advantages and discounts possible disciplinary recourse); provided; it is not allowed to make an audio or - realization of the selling itself, supplemen­ a video record of the mystery shopping tary sale; process, unless the respondent agrees in - providing information about after-sales advance [1]; service, contact on the customer service, workers are obliged to minimize the violati­ guarantee periods; on of the standard activity of the examined - sand-off and acknowledgements. subject; duration of survey (proceeding of mystery The control sheet contains a list of criteria, for example appendix 1; each of them can be evalua­ shopping itself) should not exceed the usual length of the selling process. ted by a certain number of points (for example from o to 5) and mystery shopper's notes. Moreover, control sheet confirms the performed activities and 5. Outline of the Situation of Mys­ informs about the questions asked through the sale tery Shopping Agencies in the process. Total amount of points from the visited brand branch office represents the staff quality, le­ Czech Republic vel of staff and provided offer and also proves that There is The SIMAR association in the Czech the services were presented to customer. Republic, which observes the ethical rules and correctness in development and which also 4. Advantages and Disadvantages created ethical standards for work in the mystery shopping field. ESOMAR association (European of Mystery Shopping Society for Opinion and Marketing Research) is Advantages of mystery shopping similar to SIMAR association and has the same provides immediate answers for the questions aims within the frame of the whole world. In addi­ in the real situation and on the given place; tion, some organisations in the Czech Republic every piece of information is analysed by are members of ESOMAR association too. Myste­ educated staff member (mystery shopper); ry shopping in the Czech Republic is mostly pro- strana 110 1/2007 E+M OBCHOD A MARKETING vided by companies that offer complex services shoppers are those who appreciate good service in the field of the market research, public opinion and enjoy being reimbursed for doing what co­ research. There can be mentioned several exam­ mes naturally. ples: Kleffnamm a partner CR, s. r. 0., DM Czech s. r. 0., Brand Brother s. r. 0., United Interactive, References: NMS - Network Media Service s. r. 0., Incoma, s. [1] Ceska agentura pro podporu obchodu/Czech r. 0., Stem/Mark, a. s., GFK Praha, s. r. 0., Tomas Trade: Mystery shopping [online]. Praha: c1997- Langer, Ppm Czech, s. r. 0., etc. 2005 [18.10.2004] [cit. 1.9.2005]. Dostupny The price list of marketing agencies for mys­ zWWW: tery shopping (10-minute visit done once per http://www.businessinfo.cz/cz/ clanky/ sl uzby/ month by one inquirer in two brand branch mystery-shopping/1 000477/19444/ offices) is in the range between 11 500 CZK [2] HEINZ, V. AKADEMIE Dr. Orlity, s.r.o.: Mys­ and 20 000 CZK. Some agencies charge extra tery shopping - Tajny nakup [online]. Praha: for the presentation of the research - the price c2002-2005 [7.9.2003] [cit. 1.9.2005]. Dostup­ meets 5,000 CZK. However, the realisation of nyzWWW: regular visits in 45 brand offices in the whole http://www.orlita.cz/nowwwiny.php?start=1 country moves the price notably higher that is [3] KALENDA, M.; RIHOvA, A. ImageLab - Moder­ between 70,000 CZK and 160,000 CZK per nf rfzenf: Mystery coaching [online]. Praha: c2005 month. There can be some discounts in case of [cit. 1.9.2005]. Dostupny z WWW: regular visits, usually up to 15 % of the sugges­ http://www.imagelab.cz/?36 ted price on agreement. Presented price offer [4] Network Media Service s.
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