Mystery shop policies
OK, I'm in market 35, SC/NC, and Cingular has implemented a new policy for agents regarding mystery shop scores. If a sales associate scores below 85%, every employee at that store will be required to attend a mystery shop boot camp on Saturday morning at 7am, or Cingular will shut off their employee line. Apparently this policy came from the director of another market and is being implemented here in an attempt to increase mystery shop scores. I would like some feedback from other agents who have heard of this policy, or have experienced it, or who have insights on how to combat this policy. Thanks.
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Try doing well on Mystery Shops.
When I worked in wireless I was in a store that was much busier than most agent locations, and I always scored well. How? By knowing the program.
Know what you have to do, and do it with any customer that you are not 100% sure is not a Mystery Shopper. When you suspect someone might be, keep a blank shopper form and fill it out after helping them with any info you will need to dispute the score if it doesn't come back the way it should.
Do I think Mystery Shops are stupid and pointless? Yes. Most companies track a variety of metrics that are a better indication of your salespeople's capabilities than some shopper. But if a company is going to insist on a pointless exercise and attach a pena...
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When I worked in wireless I was in a store that was much busier than most agent locations, and I always scored well. How? By knowing the program.
Know what you have to do, and do it with any customer that you are not 100% sure is not a Mystery Shopper. When you suspect someone might be, keep a blank shopper form and fill it out after helping them with any info you will need to dispute the score if it doesn't come back the way it should.
Do I think Mystery Shops are stupid and pointless? Yes. Most companies track a variety of metrics that are a better indication of your salespeople's capabilities than some shopper. But if a company is going to insist on a pointless exercise and attach a pena...
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Good points, all. Thanks for the input. Problem is, I've had some of my people use the shopper forms correctly, and still get failing grades on the report. And I've had others who didnt use the form at all, didnt even follow the 6 step program correctly, and scored 90% or better. Furthermore, my agent already has a policy regarding poor scores: if you score 80%-84%, you lose half your commission for that month; if you score below 80%, you lose all your commission for that month. So the penalty we are already subject to is worse than the penalty Cingular wants to subject us to. Talk about pointless.
I obviously have larger problems with the Mystery Shop program. I dont want to get into those here. I simply want to know if anyone h...
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I obviously have larger problems with the Mystery Shop program. I dont want to get into those here. I simply want to know if anyone h...
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from what i hear, corp my be replacing mystery shop scores with customer feed back from calling customer care after activating.
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Sooner than you think 🙂
It's a better program, with a broader picture, and you don't have to worry about one person having a bad day while shopping you... I think it's a great idea.
It's a better program, with a broader picture, and you don't have to worry about one person having a bad day while shopping you... I think it's a great idea.
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I agree we have had a incorrect shop once at my location. We knew the customer was the mystery shopper and she spent almost an hour in the store. The sales rep covered everything but when we received the score sheet the shopper said she missed out on stuff. Needless to say we were all pissed and there is no real way to dispute this even if it is wrong!
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we have successfully disputed 2 mystery shops here in our store in mkt 35. how have we done this? we have installed a video camera that records all day and have forwarded copies up the ladder to prove the mystery shopper was incorrect in what was/was not covered. it works great and many others have started the same practice. if alot of stores did this they may drop the program because they will see what a waste of money it is to pay someone for a job that they are not able to perform correctly.
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dude i cant get into it too much because im busy. but go over features, and the whole brochure. plus add accessories and ask 4 the sale.
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In your hurry, you must have missed my point. I know how to pass a secret shopper score, and how to train my people to pass it as well. My problem is with the policy requiring all employees at a store to attend a class for remedial training when only one employee fails the test. It's the ol' one for all and all for one thing. Why punish 4 people for 1 person's failure? That's the problem I have, and want input on. Thanks for trying though, if you have further thoughts on the issue please do add them.
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Here's my 2cents..
First let me say I think the whole mystery shopping program is a joke, The shoppers are expected to remember to much stuff (more so than if they shop wmt, bb, or any other company). The feedback tool is a much better progam. With that out of the way... 😉
If they are "punishing" the whole store, that would make me want to make sure my co-worker is covering everything with every customer.. If they miss something, I work my way into the conversation and make sure it gets covered...
Most sales forces (contrary to belief) are a team, and should function as one... if there is a weak link, you help strengthen it up until it can support itself (or other action is taken).... If you know your coworker is weak in...
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First let me say I think the whole mystery shopping program is a joke, The shoppers are expected to remember to much stuff (more so than if they shop wmt, bb, or any other company). The feedback tool is a much better progam. With that out of the way... 😉
If they are "punishing" the whole store, that would make me want to make sure my co-worker is covering everything with every customer.. If they miss something, I work my way into the conversation and make sure it gets covered...
Most sales forces (contrary to belief) are a team, and should function as one... if there is a weak link, you help strengthen it up until it can support itself (or other action is taken).... If you know your coworker is weak in...
(continues)
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yea our storeshave the same issue i guess its the shopper. i know a buddie that does it and he say's its a joke. the shopper's attitude control's the score most of the time. which is a shame.
as far a this school thing on saturday morning that childish. my company hasnt started or heard anything about as yet.
our sec. shop program is a put together by our company and the mall. and the person(s) that fail are handled accordingly. i thinks that suck for your employees though. maybe they are trying to make sec. shopping a team effort or something.
as far a this school thing on saturday morning that childish. my company hasnt started or heard anything about as yet.
our sec. shop program is a put together by our company and the mall. and the person(s) that fail are handled accordingly. i thinks that suck for your employees though. maybe they are trying to make sec. shopping a team effort or something.
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7pm Sat morning....what bs! It could be worse.....Nelson Mandella boot camp. That place is awful.
How about they put us poor scored folks on an episode of Maury Povich? His boot camps are insane.
Will
How about they put us poor scored folks on an episode of Maury Povich? His boot camps are insane.
Will
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Now there's a policy that makes sense! And the ones who score 100% get to go on Jerry Springer and have customer secret crush day!
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Very sweet! Or, maybe get to have a fight with that customer that has pissed you off like no other.
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Number 1)
Ask Cingular if they are going to pay your employees for said training
Number 2)
Ask Cingular where in the employee ANR line requirements does it state they have to meet minimum requirements other than employment to qualify for said line.
Punitive reinforcement versus positive reinforcement never works.
Ask Cingular if they are going to pay your employees for said training
Number 2)
Ask Cingular where in the employee ANR line requirements does it state they have to meet minimum requirements other than employment to qualify for said line.
Punitive reinforcement versus positive reinforcement never works.
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No problem man. I have shown them proof their mystery shop program is significantly flawed and all they can do is shrug their shoulders.
We were shopped this month in my mall store by the lady who owns the wicks and sticks three doors down. I was shopped two months ago by the same lady (and she used the same story) as a previous month. She still gave me a 90 and missed the exact same things as she did before.
Yet my stores are number one in features/opp, number one in rate plan mix, number one in opportunities, etc. etc.
We were shopped this month in my mall store by the lady who owns the wicks and sticks three doors down. I was shopped two months ago by the same lady (and she used the same story) as a previous month. She still gave me a 90 and missed the exact same things as she did before.
Yet my stores are number one in features/opp, number one in rate plan mix, number one in opportunities, etc. etc.
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How do you feel about the Cust Feedback tool Tex (if you have it in your area)...
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Hmm.. Ok here's how it works.
The "system" takes random customers (approx 10 per week) from each location and generates a message for them to call a number for a survey.
The questions asked are very similar to the mystery shop program, but it spreads results out a lil because it's done alot more often.
We've had it here in the northeast (mkt 3😎 for a few months now and it does give a better picture of the reps because it's being done multiple times a week instead of only once a month as the mystery shop does... Hopefully you'll get it soon in your area.
The "system" takes random customers (approx 10 per week) from each location and generates a message for them to call a number for a survey.
The questions asked are very similar to the mystery shop program, but it spreads results out a lil because it's done alot more often.
We've had it here in the northeast (mkt 3😎 for a few months now and it does give a better picture of the reps because it's being done multiple times a week instead of only once a month as the mystery shop does... Hopefully you'll get it soon in your area.
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Yeah they have talked about that but have not implemented the process.
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Look people, it's not rocket science. I was a rep then manager for a corporate store in market 35. I got shopped as a rep and mgr, the lowest score i got was a 94. All you have to do is understand the mystery shop form. If a customer tells you no they don't want to buy and asks for your card most likely you have just been shopped. OMG. Just tell them you want to repeat everything you just went over so you didn't miss any thing. This is not a big deal, just do your damn job!!!!!!!!!!
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I feel where your coming rom 6230.. but what about the shoppers who say you miss stuff when you know you went over it... A guy in our store was shopped 2 times in 3 months... He got the exact same score, and the exact same stuff right/wrong... After reviewing the tapes, the same guy(confirmed as the shopper) was in the store both times, but the second time he walked in to see who was working and walked out.. He never said anything to anyone other than he was just looking.
We actually got him banned from doing any shops for Cingular from then on, but it ruined this kids scores until we finally got them overturned...
There is no one watching the people shopping us. There is no accountability for them.
We actually got him banned from doing any shops for Cingular from then on, but it ruined this kids scores until we finally got them overturned...
There is no one watching the people shopping us. There is no accountability for them.
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We have gotten afew scores thrown out or adjusted just by being able to identify the shopper (male/female,hight,race,hair color, ect)i am in market 42. i have heard about them thinking of takeing away the demos if we fail. the agent i work for takes away 10% of are commission if we fail but gives us 10% for 95 or better
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