There’s a right way and a wrong way to mystery shop a financial institution.
First, the WRONG way:
Recently, a colleague shared a story about his bank being visited by a returning mystery shopper wearing a bad disguise (sunglasses and fake beard). Upon leaving the bank, the shopper walked to her (yes, her) car and removed the disguise – in full view of bank staff and customers. As you would imagine, things didn’t go well and it was damaging to the bank and its employees and customers.
Now, the RIGHT way:
Mystery Shop service representatives with financial services industry experience consult with the financial institution to define goals. A local highly trained shopper recruited through the national MSPA (Mystery Shopping Providers Association) with as much as a years’ experience shopping financial institutions is selected to perform a quality, customized shopping exercise to meet the needs of the financial institution. Program representatives and the financial institution then review detailed feedback and data reporting to identify service gaps. The financial institution closes service gaps through learning, development and process changes. Follow-up shopping efforts then take place to help reassess changes.
Harland Clarke’s Mystery Shop service uses this circular process to support goal setting and performance measurement and provide ongoing evaluation for financial institutions.
How do you make sure the wrong way never happens to you?
Here are a few things to look for when selecting a mystery shop service. Choose a provider with:
- Financial services industry experience and focus
- Customizable programs and forms
- In-depth reporting and analysis
- Training and service standards
- Quality service measurement
- Extensive shopper training
Harland Clarke’s Mystery Shop offers all these services and more – minus the disguise. If you want to learn more about how Harland Clarke can help you measure interactions between employees and shoppers, gather account holder insights and identify areas for performance feedback and coaching, visit our Mystery Shop webpage.