A common challenge within the Mystery Shopping industry is showing ROI. CX measurement is often one of several key business metrics that feed into the overriding goal of increased revenue, but isolating the value of CX measurement from a range of factors that work in step with one another can be difficult.

We work in partnership with our clients to build bespoke Mystery Shopping programmes that embed consistency in service delivery. We delight in the success of these partnerships, where we see a clear link between great service driving increased sales.

Our experience - and our data - shows us that operationally focused Mystery Shopping programmes that provide a regular drumbeat of feedback and engage the frontline service teams will lead to increased sales.

ABa Mystery Shopping Case Studies

1. Retail: Supermarket

Every store (c. 1600 stores) visited every fortnight, with mystery shopping performance linked to colleague bonus. Each store awarded medal status based on their mystery shopping results, with medal status determining bonus level awarded at year end.

Gold & Silver performing stores (i.e., performing consistently well for service) exceed annual sales targets.

2. Retail: Cosmetics

Quarterly visits to all counters across the UK with quarter-on-quarter improvement in the customer experience in Year 1.

When Mystery Shopping performance is tracked against sales forecasts, 90% of stores across the estate show clear correlation, with stores achieving consistently high mystery shopping scores having the strongest sales forecasts. This UK Mystery Shopping model is now being deployed across global markets, embedding the brand service framework in each country to drive revenue growth.

3. Retail: Luxury

Weekly mystery shopping visits to all stores across the UK to provide continuous, granular feedback on the customer experience. This data is layered with practical support, through the delivery of a regular schedule of service workshops for the Retail Ops Teams that deepens programme understanding and drives employee engagement.

CX performance is communicated every week via the tailor-made service dashboard; this provides the insight that allows the frontline teams to identify wins and maintain a continuous focus on service.

“Over the last 6 years, service and standards have seen a consistent improvement and sales have grown 34% over that time.” (Director of Retail)