When You Don’t Want Your Shoppers to Shop

We often mystery shop the same clients via multiple methods.  We do this not only to see how the web customer service experience compares to onsite customer service, etc.  But we also do this to compare consistency of response.  We ask the same questions, convey the same need, make the same complaint via the web, via e-mail, via the phone, and onsite.  And we like to see consistent quality in the response received.

But we rarely do.

Too many organizations run their customer service communications in service-based silos, and when this is done, inconsistencies arise.  Many businesses are frustrated with customers who “answer shop” (contacting the business multiple times until they get the answer they want).  However, if 3 different employees can give 3 different answers, imagine how many different answers a customer could get from 3 e-mails, a web review, an onsite visit, and 3 calls.  I’m not saying that many customers will make 8 contacts to get the answer they want, but customers who perceive inconsistency or lack of confidence on the part of the company often try a 2^nd or 3^rd time to get their need met.

When you think of customer service, don’t have the siloed thinking that narrows your definition of customer service just to calls or just to the web or just to visits to your facility or just e-mail inquiries, etc.  Think from the perspective of the customer who should feel that all methods should result in the same high level of responsiveness and quality.

Make your consistent quality keep your customers from answer-shopping.

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