Field Research is used to gain valuable insight into a company’s operations and performance. Business owners, executives, managers, and employees generally use this objective and actionable data to:
- Determine if policies and procedures are being followed
- Evaluate employees’ performance
- Assess overall customer service and satisfaction
- Identify areas and opportunities for improvement
The data obtained from this type of research provides objective, reliable information generally unavailable from other sources. Our clients tell us that it is invaluable in developing and improving their operations and customer interactions!
How Does This Type of Research Work?
Originally referred to as mystery shopping, this type of research has been standard practice since the early 1940s as a way to measure employee integrity and performance from undercover researchers posing as a normal customer. The researcher’s main purpose it not to shop, but to observe and provide a detailed report about their visit. Variations include:
- Site Visits
During a site visit a researcher enters your business and subtly observes and interacts with the employees then submits a written report detailing the visit based on the business’ policies and procedures. The undercover researcher may even perform specific tasks such as making a purchase, returning a purchase, registering complaints, or acting out specific scenarios necessary for the assignment.
- Phone Interactions
For many businesses the phone is the first and/or primary point of contact with your customers. Our telephone evaluations (i.e. Phone Shops) assess how your employees interact with customers during this important interaction.
Depending on your local laws, Phone Interactions may also be recorded to provide you with a valuable training tool. For more information about the recording of Phone Interactions, please visit our Audio Recording page by clicking HERE.
- Targeted Research
Do you have a specific time of day, day of the week or employee you need to evaluate? Targeted Mystery Shops can help provide valuable information for your assessment.
Such Targeted Shops can be especially helpful in evaluating the performance of a new employee or to investigate suspicious activity.
- Revealed Evaluations
Revealed Evaluations provide immediate feedback for your employees. These evaluations arm a researcher with a list of criteria the employee must cover during a customer interaction. If all criteria are met, the researcher reveals their true identity and gives the employee some form of immediate recognition for their hard work.