Perhaps you've already heard about the bosses of major retailers who decide to blend in with their customers for the duration of an incognito visit? Some have even gone so far as to publicize their actions with the help of make-up and costumes, so as not to be recognized.
Without going so far as to use all this arsenal, Augustin de Romanet, ADP's CEO since 2012, decided to try it out a few years ago, but came away surprised and disappointed by the quality of the service delivered.
What lessons can we learn from these incognito visits, and how can we avoid disappointment?
An unexpectedly disappointing finding
During his visit, Augustin de Romanet said he was "shocked" to have waited 90 minutes in the arrivals hall during rush hour, and made the point in a series of tweets in which he spoke of "awareness".
However, given the reaction of his followers, he seems to be the only one to discover these waiting times.
Is there a discrepancy between expectations and reality on the ground?
A gap between theory and practice
Augustin de Romanet's disappointment was mocked many times on the Internet, as users were well aware of these malfunctions and, in turn, failed to understand the boss's astonishment several years after his arrival at the helm of ADP.
However, as Augustin de Romanet explains, since he was aware of the need to communicate with its users, a number of solutions had already been put in place, which he felt were sufficient.
However, he could only observe the gap between the tools deployed and the result of the customer journey experienced and judged to be unacceptable.
Insufficient monitoring tools
The solutions created by ADP had their place, but only addressed part of the problems experienced by airport users.
The SMS alerts that send hourly traffic information, the devices installed to smooth border crossings or the implementation of real-time tracking software are certainly effective tools, but insufficient. They provide no information about how customers feel during their journey. The same applies to ADP's standards. Are they respected? Do they correspond to expectations? It would appear not.
This experience demonstrates an important point: while monitoring tools are essential for feeding dashboards, they cannot be used as the sole solution for customer satisfaction. Nor can they replace the human touch to verify reality on the ground.
How to avoid pitfalls during field visits?
If Augustin de Romanet had set up a program of mystery visits combining compliance control and customer experience, he wouldn't have experienced the shock of the gap between theory and practice.
The experience of this top boss demonstrates the benefits of mystery shopping.
Launch a program of mystery visits
Setting up a mystery-shopping program ensures that you are always in touch with what's going on in the field. Compliance checks, coupled with customer experience visits, are the winning combo for gaining the best possible understanding of your customers' journeys.
On the one hand, you check that your standards comply with your reference framework, and on the other, you listen to your customers' feelings. In this way, you combine factual scoring with subjective, but well-argued, feedback.
Deploying mystery shoppers in the field allows you to keep a grip on reality and stay in touch with your operational teams. It's the best way to understand what your customers are experiencing, so you can react quickly with corrective measures if necessary.
Real mystery shoppers in the field
Mr. de Romanet's initiative is commendable, as not all managers are confronted with the day-to-day workings of their operational teams. However, there are simpler, more lasting solutions for taking the pulse of the field. All you have to do is call in mystery shoppers.
These are real, seasoned consumers who, by answering mystery-shopper questionnaires, can highlight the strengths and weaknesses of the customer journey. In this way, the information gathered by these field experts helps you launch corrective action plans.
As you can see, there's no need to get out your cap and goggles to check whether your customers' experience meets your expectations. Our mystery shoppers are there to take up the slack and point out any irritants in the field.
