Unless you’ve just returned from a sabbatical in the Alaskan interior, you’ve probably noticed that these are unusually intense times we’re living in: the headline of every newspaper and the highlight of every cable news segment is singularly focused on just how perilous it is to even go outside. Hyperbole aside, you could be forgiven for thinking that now’s the time to hunker down and just concentrate on weathering the storm that is 2020. Trim expenses, reduce payroll. You might even believe that your mystery shopping program is a luxury you should do without until the world is right-side up again.
Shep Hyken contributed a column to Forbes yesterday that discusses the importance of trust, and how critical that is to the relationship between company and customer—now more than ever, as his title says. This shouldn’t surprise anyone, of course. He cites a survey that was conducted on the “decision-makers with 100 or more employees and more than $250 million in annual sales” in just about every sector of the economy and found that 98% of regarded the customer experience as important, with a further 83% believing it was critical for retention. As Hyken astutely points out, “if you chase a sale, you’re looking at a one-time transaction. If you chase a customer, you’re looking at a relationship”. The foundations of a relationship? Trust and loyalty, of course.
Given the importance of the customer experience—that is, everything from the sales process to customer service—we’re not really talking about a luxury you can dispense with as you wait for everything to go back to normal. Everyone has a lot on his or her plate right now, but people remember how they’re treated. This simple fact should both inspire and frighten every business owner out there. Do well and you’ll have a lifelong customer who evangelizes your business; do terribly and you’ll be dealing with the opposite.
Given the uncertainty and added stress of what 2020 has wrought so far, now is the time to double-down on providing your customers with the best experience possible. You can’t do that without testing and training. None of this is easy and no one is perfect. So, as always, that’s where mystery shopping comes into play.
The Brandt Group has always tailored surveys to fit the needs of each of our clients. Now is no different. Several of our clients have indeed asked us to probe their COVID–19 preparedness, for example, observing how well their staff is maintaining social distancing and hygienic practices. This stuff is important! This kind of feedback isn’t just to help make sure your business avoids a citation; we’re trying to help you ensure your customers feel safe when they shop with you.
Public trust and customer loyalty are worthy investments indeed. Reach out to us today and let’s start taking the steps to ensure that your business does more than weather the storm: let’s kick it into high gear and emerge from 2020 stronger than ever.
