Like each ecommerce company that wants to compete favorably in the marketplace should know, it is extremely important to regularly re-evaluate products and services. In 2023, businesses will be under increasing pressure to deliver first-class customer experiences, and improving service delivery will be critical to that end. Customer feedback is undoubtedly the best way to measure brand performance, but this method is not without limitations. Therefore, there is a need for an alternative or additional method of assessing how closely a ecommerce company conforms to the standards set by the owners. While mystery shopping continues to be overlooked, it remains a valuable resource for generating data that is useful in providing the best possible experience to customers and prospects.
WHAT IS MYSTERY SHOPPING?
Mystery shopping is a service where individuals or brands are hired to communicate anonymously with a business and provide structured feedback and detailed feedback about their experience. It is a powerful marketing research method applicable in many different industries, including ecommerce. When using this technique, secret shoppers who are trained evaluators play the role of regular customers and engage the brand, evaluating aspects such as customer service and the quality of the sales process. They then complete detailed reports or surveys, and companies can use this feedback to improve the customer experience.
According to ResearchAndMarkets.com, the global mystery shopping market size is expected to reach $9.61B by 2027 with a CAGR of 9.1%. This is statistical proof that this marketing research method is still relevant today. While customer feedback is critical, there are some limitations. For example, customer feedback may be hampered by self-selection because the individuals who volunteer do not necessarily represent the entire customer base. Also, customer feedback can be delayed, preventing the company from resolving issues in real time. In addition, customers can be limited in depth, denying businesses the comprehensive overview they need to improve their services. Mystery shopping addresses many of these limitations by providing the completeness and objectivity of the feedback businesses need to succeed.
DOES MYSTERY SHOPPING HAVE A ROLE WITH ECOMMERCE?
Traditionally, people associate mystery shopping with physical stores. Typically, trained and contracted secret shoppers go to physical stores to purchase goods, interact with staff members, or assess the physical location, depending on their objectives. Therefore, industries such as retail, restaurants, hospitality and travel, and health and fitness will readily use this technique to rate their services. Since customer experience is just as important in e-commerce as it is in other industries, online businesses should use this research method.
There are several ways to use Secret Shoppers for your ecommerce store. Website functionality is a common target for review. Mystery shoppers can evaluate the ease of navigation, the complexity of the checkout process, the efficiency of the search functionality, and other technical aspects that impact the user experience. Similarly, mystery shoppers can help measure the efficiency of customer service representatives support. In addition, the shoppers can help companies decide on their product quality and even compare competitors' experience with that of the brand contracting them. Therefore, e-commerce companies should recognize that mystery shopping is also a valuable tool in their industry.
WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF MYSTERY SHOPPING IN ECOMMERCE?
A report from Accenture suggests that 80% consumers are willing to pay more for a better experience. So the question is how far your company is willing to go to discover insights that can help you deliver a richer experience. When done properly, mystery shopping is an effective way to assess and improve your operations. Here are seven proven benefits of this seemingly simple method:
IDENTIFY STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES
The first and most obvious benefit of mystery shopping is identifying areas where a company excels and areas that fall short of industry standards. This method provides a well-rounded and objective picture, making it preferable to rely solely on customer feedback which may be biased or skewed. Mystery shoppers will provide detailed information that highlights both sides of company performance, helping companies develop strategies to leverage their strengths and correct their shortcomings.
For example, if a company is implementing a new POS system and wants to know how it contributes to the user experience, Secret Shoppers can be used to test the feature. If the feedback is positive, the brand can boast about the smoothness of the checkout process as part of its marketing campaign. Rather, a negative review will serve as a queue for executives to return to the drawing board. Therefore, a company can learn a lot about itself through mystery shopping.
ANALYZE THE COMPETITION
In an industry as competitive as ecommerce, it is imperative to keep an eye on your closest rivals. A company can learn a lot from analyzing competition, ranging from strategies worth copying to practices that help them attract customers. Mystery shopping can be used to evaluate competitors' customer service, pricing strategies and overall customer experience. According to BigCommerce, 43% of online shoppers research products while shopping. Customers actively compare your companies to similar brands during their decision-making process. Therefore, your company should take a similar approach when analyzing the competition to discover insights to move forward. With the help of secret shoppers, your brand can perform this comparative analysis at a reasonable cost.
REVIEW TRAINING PROGRAMS
According to TalentLMS, brands that offer extensive training programs to their employees earn 218% more income per employee than their counterparts that offer less extensive programs. This shows how important it is for companies to invest in the proper training of their staff. However, after the training comes the evaluation, and mystery shopping can be useful to assess the extent to which the staff responds to the training given. For example, a company might hire secret shoppers to rate the friendliness and problem-solving skills of customer service representatives. The feedback will lead to decisions to intensify training programs across the board or for specific team members.
IMPROVE EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE
Employee performance will always be directly related to the customer experience. For example, when customer service representatives quickly handle questions and make important product recommendations, customers feel satisfied at the end of every interaction. Likewise, a well-performing logistics team ensures that products arrive at customers early and unharmed. Top performance is therefore essential, and mystery shopping can help with that. Informing employees that trained assessors will occasionally interact with them helps them stay sharp at all times. It guarantees that the staff will provide equal and fair treatment to all customers as they have no knowledge of the identities of the secret shoppers. Mystery shopping can also provide insight into the specific training programs to be designed for staff, further contributing to better performance.
IMPROVE PRODUCT QUALITY
Products are representative of the brand's offering, so regular work must be done to optimize quality. Mystery shopping is an excellent way to identify errors or defects in the products on the market. The secret shoppers' feedback can reveal how these products contribute to the customer experience. Companies can then initiate actions, such as product redesign or restructuring of the production process. This ensures that brands continue to bring only the best possible products to market at all times, improving their brand image and customer loyalty.
CHECK COMPLIANCE
Each brand must have policies, regulations and procedures that define the organization and must be strictly adhered to. Mystery shopping is a structured approach that allows companies to assess the extent to which top managers meet the standards. This can help brands quickly curb unethical behavior such as customer discrimination and indiscretion when handling personal data. Corrective measures can then be taken immediately, so that the business runs at the highest possible level year after year.
INCREASE IN SALES AND TURNOVER
If you add up all the benefits of mystery shopping, companies that adopt this tactic will undoubtedly experience an increase in sales and revenue. This is because improving the experience improves individuals' willingness to patronize a company. It also improves satisfaction and loyalty while reducing customer churn. This allows the company to earn more and spend less, leading to a profit margin that supports plans to expand and scale.
In conclusion, mystery shopping is an option worth looking into ecommerce companies that are not satisfied with the insights that customer feedback generates. It is an alternative that can be efficient and cost effective, especially when trained and experienced secret shoppers are employed. Think of this market research method as a way to significantly improve your business and customer relationships.
