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Thread: Shhhh !! Secret Shoppers !!.....

  1. #1

    Question

    The company I work for has always relied on a service offered by "Michaelson & associates" to Mystery-shop our locations, and evaluate how we're doing our job. I don't know about the rest of you guys, but I have a problem with this.

    recently I received results from our last Mystery shop. Out of a possible 100 points, my store received an embarrasing 62. after scratching my head, and looking further into the results, I found that the person payed to shop my store was someone who had ordered from us before. Due to problems from our outside lab,His eyewear was received late. we were forced to give him a refund, and end result, was a very disguisted customer

    Then I found that the time he shopped our store was the busiest day and time of the week(saturday). This made it hard to take extra time with answering all of the questions,and possibly get a passing grade.

    Just want to know if anyone else has to deal with this bogus stuff?? I know it can give you an idea of how you are doing your job, but don't think it is a fair measurement,considering what I've told.

    eyeguy01

  2. #2
    Master OptiBoarder JennyP's Avatar
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    Unhappy

    Hi "new eyeguy 01":
    LensCrafters used to have secret shoppers... how we celebrated when that practice was
    abandoned!!! But we still have a set # of random phone calls on recent customers, (given without regard to type of rx, insurance coverage, whether they are a new rx or a remake, or time of day/day of service). I haven't heard of a perfect system for a multi-unit practice or chain of retail opticals. Obviously you'd want to figure out what business methods yielded the most happy patients and greatest amount of return business. And obviously you'd want to reward good service providers so that you can keep them, but no one method (so far) is gonna work in every area, in every market. So, while we work for someone else, let's just try to learn what works, and what doesn't, and hope someday we are in a position to affect such policies (blooming either there or in a new garden!)
    jP "my momma told me ...if you can't say something nice....."

  3. #3
    Sawptician PAkev's Avatar
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    Post

    My wife is mystery shopper for a marketing group that does evaluations at a local mall. This is a part time job for her which is done once every two or three months. Therefore, most of her evaluations are done in the evenings and weekends when she has some extra time. I would be willing to bet that this is when most retailers are evaluated by the external resources we are talking about.

    As someone previously indicated these evaluations have the potential to be subjective and don't always convey the average shoppers experience. However, arrogently denying there are any problems can eventually mean fewer customers through your doors unless the issues are addressed with a good faith resolution.


  4. #4
    Master OptiBoarder Cindy Hamlin's Avatar
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    My company has used and continues to use secret shoppers. It is all very subjective to each shopper. They are all given the same form, but it is subject to their interpretation of customer/associate.

    I had one instance where each and every year for 4 years it was a member of the same family. I placed a note in the patients' file for my associates and everyone knew their name. Needless to say, we did awesome!

    At another store, we had a person from a competing optical business who shopped our store. So needless to say we weren't as awesome as his place! I did go to his shop and find that we were far superior in customer service.

    I won't even bother you with details of the ones which misunderstood the questions and said we didn't do or give or present the "flavor of the month", only to see documentation the customer declined or received it!

    I agree that you can't totally disregard the system as it can help to uncover a multitude of sins. I advise you to investigate that encounter. Talk to the associate, check the patients records, etc. Our system had room for appeal and yours may as well. Stand your ground and defend you performance, if need be, or admonish the associate as appropriate!

    You will be amazed what you will find. Granted that refund customers are never going to be happy! Look instead for the records that you handled notification of delays and the refund process appropriately!

  5. #5
    Master OptiBoarder
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    Our mystery shoppers video us with hidden cameras, so depending on which day they come, they will either see a nice respectful customer service (boss in) or stood talking (boss off) or dancing on the chairs and making fake snow (boss out of country)

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