Agents beware! Mystery shoppers are on the loose and are coming to check out your agency soon.
Agency managers across the Middle East are being warned to be alert as mystery shoppers could soon be dropping by to test out the credentials of their sales staff.
Arabian Travel News has joined forces with mystery shopping specialist Grass Roots Middle East and North Africa to run a mystery shopping initiative that will see mystery shoppers anonymously review in person, four travel agencies each month.
They will visit a different location in the Middle East each month, starting with Dubai this month, and will test agents on several criteria.
The results of each exercise will be reported in ATN each month with particular emphasis on the best and the worst agent and an analysis of their scores based on the criteria.
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The aim of the exercise according to Arabian Travel News editor and ITP Business senior group editor Gemma Greenwood is to highlight the strengths and the weaknesses of travel agencies operating in the Middle East.
"In today's competitive environment, where the internet and direct-sell tactics of travel suppliers are proving a challenge to the survival of the traditional bricks-and-mortar travel agency, it is imperative that the travel trade provides the best customer service and offers product knowledge and a personal touch that other booking channels cannot offer," she said.
"We hope that our mystery shopping exercise will not only highlight what agents are doing right and identify areas for improvement, but also make agents aware that mystery shoppers are out and about, encouraging them to brush up on their skills and offer exemplary customer service at all times."
Grass Roots Middle East and North Africa general manager Jason De Winne said the benefits of a well-conceived mystery shopping campaign were numerous.
"An improvement in customer service; greater staff engagement; and thus better staff retention. In turn, this should increase sales figures and brand recognition," he explained.
"We believe that mystery shopping should be viewed as the foundation of change - inspiring people and stimulating results -rather than an exercise that simply ticks boxes."
How it will work
Each agency will be rated on a scale of one to five according to the following criteria.
• Store location
• Store presentation
• Customer service
• Product knowledge
• Initiative and up-selling of products and services
• Pricing
• Speed of service
Four agencies will be visited in a different Middle East location each month, starting with Dubai.
The initiative is expected to run for one year.
For more information email:
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Grass Roots specialises in the improvement of performance by ensuring that frontline staff have the knowledge and skills to perform, are regularly measured, given the motivation to improve and recognised when they do.
One of the key services it offers client organisations is measurement of customer service standards through tailored mystery shopping programmes.
Mystery shopping is the practice of using everyday shoppers to anonymously evaluate customer service. Grass Roots has been providing mystery shopping services since the early 1980s and now boasts a worldwide panel of more than100,000 shoppers.
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