Media Release
Mystery shoppers lead to 10% boost for award winning animal attraction. Shopper Anonymous help power rise in visitor satisfaction.
Note to editors: Images & interviews available, also opportunity for journalists to go ‘under cover’ as a mystery shopper.
A Kent-based mystery shopping company has helped the world-famous wildlife park at Port Lympne, part of The Aspinall Foundation, address customer service issues resulting in improving the uptake of one of its main attractions by an impressive 10%.
Shopper Anonymous Kent (www.shopperanonymous.co.uk), part of the UK’s leading mystery shopping company, employed twenty mystery shoppers including parents, grandparents and single visitors to visit the top attraction ‘under cover’ and report on their experiences.
Managing Director of Shopper Anonymous Kent, Graham Seymour explains:
“Our mystery shoppers not only got to have a great day out at the attraction with their families, but were trained by us to look at a whole range of factors. These encompassed everything from researching their trip on the web and their experience at the ticket office right through to the food and customer service but also smaller things that can make all the difference to a day out such as signage, litter bins and even the cleanliness of the toilets."
“Over the course of a year our mystery shoppers reported back to us on their experiences and patterns soon emerged, with certain factors repeatedly being cited as not customer-friendly. We were then able to report these to Port Lympne and work with them and their staff to make the changes that really improved the customer experience.”
As a result of feedback from Shopper Anonymous mystery shoppers a whole range of changes were instituted, from asking all staff to wear name badges to training all staff in customer service, with training provided by Shopper Anonymous.
One of the most significant changes was in the promotion of The African Experience, an exciting four-wheel drive safari to see wildlife including zebra, giraffe and wildebeest. Following mystery shopper feedback, the location of ticket sales for the safari was changed, contributing to a 10% rise in ticket sales.
Other customer feedback included the fact that visitors loved the occasions on which drivers on the African Safari switched off the pre-recorded commentary and introduced it live, so the staff are now being trained to do that more often. Port Lympne also made changes to signage (including ‘You are here’ stickers on maps, a minor factor that makes a huge difference) and made sure that feeding times and keeper talks took place at the advertised time.
According to Port Lympne Retail Manager Gary Gould, the changes, though subtle, have made a big difference:
“The advice we received from Shopper Anonymous, tied with other marketing campaigns, saw almost a 10% rise in uptake of The African Experience Safari from 2009 to 2010."
“We are going into our second year using Shopper Anonymous and we are really happy with the service. Howletts and Port Lympne are committed to giving our visitors the very best customer experience at every stage. The reports we receive have made a big impact internally, helping to reinforce our culture of excellence in customer service across every aspect of the visitor experience. Off the back of the reports we were encouraged to put all our retail and safari staff through customer service training, ensuring they are fully equipped to give the very best experience to our customers. This training has actually been headed by Shopper Anonymous themselves, who can approach the training through their extensive experience from a customer’s perspective."
“Seemingly small suggestions like ensuring every member of staff wears a name badge, can make a big impact, and we will continue to use the mystery shopper reports to make sure we maintain our high standards across the board.”
The Shopper Anonymous work at Port Lympne continues, with regular reports from mystery shoppers ensuring customer service standards are kept up and attraction management know what their visitors really think.
Graham Seymour of Shopper Anonymous Kent says that there are a number of lessons that any tourist attraction can learn from Port Lympne’s experience:
“Staff should be encouraged to interact with visitors, even if they’re just selling them an ice-cream, as it makes people feel welcomed and makes staff feel like part of a team, not just a worker. An engaged customer is more likely to revisit and recommend to friends.”
“It is definitely worthwhile testing the business to see what customers really think, in real time, not just waiting for comments or complaints to appear in a comments box. Staff really do value training as it helps them become more engaged and loyal. A mystery shopper programme helps set the benchmark for staff behaviour and actions, something that is not always in place. How can staff live up to expectations if the expectation is not set?”
ENDS
For all media enquiries about Shopper Anonymous including images and interviews please contact Steve Bustin at Vada Media on 07803 729208 or steve@vadamedia.co.uk.
For all media enquiries about Port Lympne and The Aspinall Foundation please
contact Charlotte Jones on 01303 234121 or charlottej@aspinallfoundation.org.
About Shopper Anonymous
Shopper Anonymous (www.shopperanonymous.co.uk) is an independent mystery shopping
company, specialising in improving customer service standards by providing businesses with constructive, non-emotive feedback through a mystery shopping program.
Shopper Anonymous programs are unique due to the quality of the observations. Shoppers are hand picked which means the quality of the feedback is accurate and written in a style that explains the experience in a full, constructive but honest manner.
About The Aspinall Foundation
Howletts & Port Lympne Wild Animal Parks were set up by the late John Aspinall with the aim of protecting and breeding rare and endangered species and returning to safe areas in their native homeland. The Aspinall Foundation is the charity which manages Howletts and Port Lympne Wild Animal Parks and it is funded solely from charitable donations and visitors to the
park. World leaders in conservation - The Aspinall Foundation working in conjunction with the parks have so far returned to protected areas of the wild Przewalski's horses, black rhino, Cape buffalo, pythons and gorillas.
Friday, 16 July 2010
Monday, 28 June 2010
Customer Disloyalty Schemes!
I was in Sevenoaks recently and nipped in to Costa for a lovely cup of coffee. At the checkout I was nicely offered the usual food upsell and was then asked if I had a Loyalty Card. I didn't, so was given a shiny new one which I put into my wallet.
Since then I have been to two Costa outlets, both in Motorway services. Imagine my surprise to see signs in both of these places "Sorry, we don't accept Costa Loyalty Cards here due to us being a franchise!
Now, call me old-fashioned but I thought it might have been quite important to honour the trust that a customer has in a brand by offering a similar experience in every branded outlet. Why destroy that brand loyalty by making some of their outlets different? And what does it say about the level of support that the franchisor is giving to the franchisee?
Arguably Starbucks is an even stronger brand than Costa so surely they wouldn't entertain this kind of approach? Well, at the weekend I was in the Midlands and happened to venture into a Starbucks on another motorway service station. I ordered my coffee and went to the till where there was a sign that said they were sorry that they were unable to accept Starbucks Loyalty Cards, due to them being a franchise! I couldn't believe it!
Whilst all this was happening, I received an email from one of our friends, Jurek Leon, who is a customer service guru in Australia. He was over here recently and was surprised to experience the same thing as me. He went a step further and took a photo of one of these signs, which you can see above, and commented that he has seen the same thing happening in Australia with other retail groups.
Jurek puts it quite nicely when he says:
"Smart franchisees realise that any losses they incur are more than made up for with the opportunity to make the businesses operating under their brand the preferred choice for their customers. So, if you are involved in franchising make sure this doesn’t happen in your group."
I couldn't agree more, Jurek!
Monday, 24 May 2010
Donuts
Walking along the seafront over the weekend I suddenly found myself laughing at a sign, as I seem quite often to do.
The sign, outside a refreshment kiosk used to say "Freshly made Donuts, 5 for a £1!". Inevitably, inflation has bitten and a new price has been inserted. It now says "Freshly made Donuts, 5 for a £1.50!". I thought I might like to take home some of this fresh, jammy confection but after rummaging in my pockets was unable to find a £1.50 coin, so I declined :-)
I have no idea why things like this make me laugh and was starting to recover as I passed another refreshment kiosk advertising "Takeaway's Avaible" (sic), a double whammy which I'm afraid rather set me off again!
Oh the joys of signage!
Have a lovely week.
The sign, outside a refreshment kiosk used to say "Freshly made Donuts, 5 for a £1!". Inevitably, inflation has bitten and a new price has been inserted. It now says "Freshly made Donuts, 5 for a £1.50!". I thought I might like to take home some of this fresh, jammy confection but after rummaging in my pockets was unable to find a £1.50 coin, so I declined :-)
I have no idea why things like this make me laugh and was starting to recover as I passed another refreshment kiosk advertising "Takeaway's Avaible" (sic), a double whammy which I'm afraid rather set me off again!
Oh the joys of signage!
Have a lovely week.
Thursday, 20 May 2010
Prom delight!
Dear Graham
I wanted to write to you to tell you of my fabulous shopping experience in search of a Prom dress.
I had been looking for some time for a Prom dress, on shopping trips locally, Bluewater, Brighton and Bournemouth. Here in Eastbourne at ********** they said that there is not much stock left, it is towards the end of the season, most had chosen last November. In Brighton I looked through and tried dress after dress, nothing was right, it was just exhausting and disheartening. As a last resort, my mother said she thought she had passed a Prom dress shop in Tunbridge Wells. Before we left we checked on the internet for other Prom dress shops, and rang one, The Italian Wardrobe. On answering the phone the lady was very helpful and although did not have exactly what I was looking for, did say they have over 1,000 dresses in the shop and felt sure there was something there for me. I thought it was definitely worth a look.
We drove to the shop mum had passed previously first, and on entering was asked when Prom was and was told not enough time, they need at least 12 weeks notice. They had a few we could look at, old stock, some not so popular ones, none of which I liked, and a designer dress upstairs (£800) so we promptly left.
I did not think we would have any luck, until we stepped into The Italian Wardrobe, owned and run by mother and daughter for the last 17 years. We were greeted with a smile and "oh my what a slip of a girl, so slim" (which made me smile). They could tell just by looking at me my size and I was excitedly showed what they had. The owner's mother took my mother over to a chair sat her down and made her a cup of coffee, while I could look and choose what I wanted, but also the shop owner suggested some dresses she would like me to try. She thought I should show off my figure and get somthing that would hug me more. She chose a dress and colour I would never have chosen, but she said she knew her stock and knew what would look amazing on me. She helped me in and out of each dress, and once each one was on, I was to walk over and show my mother (who would be paying the bill), and when I tried on the dress that the owner chose it was absolutely stunning and I loved it and so did everyone else who walked in the shop off the street who saw it. I felt amazing in it and I was so grateful for the shop owner's help.
They helped me choose accessories for the dress which we brought and then said if I chose some shoes and came back, they would pin it up ready for alterations, which I did and said the dress would be ready in a couple of weeks or so, when they would ring. All this without an appointment, I could just walk off the street and get all this help and attention. Other girls came in also, tried dresses on and asked to hold it for them without even a deposit, and they did. They were really busy but still found time for everyone.
The Italian Wardrobe is a wonderful family business and I cannot recommend them enough for the fantastic service that they provide.
Ed: This is a genuine, unsolicited letter sent in to me by a real young lady. It's a fabulous example of a warm, friendly business that went out of their way to exceed expectations. They looked after the client brilliantly, increased the value of the sale in a helpful way that delighted the customer and signposted their after-sales service! This customer is already doing The Italian Wardrobe's marketing and PR for them! Wonderful!
I wanted to write to you to tell you of my fabulous shopping experience in search of a Prom dress.
I had been looking for some time for a Prom dress, on shopping trips locally, Bluewater, Brighton and Bournemouth. Here in Eastbourne at ********** they said that there is not much stock left, it is towards the end of the season, most had chosen last November. In Brighton I looked through and tried dress after dress, nothing was right, it was just exhausting and disheartening. As a last resort, my mother said she thought she had passed a Prom dress shop in Tunbridge Wells. Before we left we checked on the internet for other Prom dress shops, and rang one, The Italian Wardrobe. On answering the phone the lady was very helpful and although did not have exactly what I was looking for, did say they have over 1,000 dresses in the shop and felt sure there was something there for me. I thought it was definitely worth a look.
We drove to the shop mum had passed previously first, and on entering was asked when Prom was and was told not enough time, they need at least 12 weeks notice. They had a few we could look at, old stock, some not so popular ones, none of which I liked, and a designer dress upstairs (£800) so we promptly left.
I did not think we would have any luck, until we stepped into The Italian Wardrobe, owned and run by mother and daughter for the last 17 years. We were greeted with a smile and "oh my what a slip of a girl, so slim" (which made me smile). They could tell just by looking at me my size and I was excitedly showed what they had. The owner's mother took my mother over to a chair sat her down and made her a cup of coffee, while I could look and choose what I wanted, but also the shop owner suggested some dresses she would like me to try. She thought I should show off my figure and get somthing that would hug me more. She chose a dress and colour I would never have chosen, but she said she knew her stock and knew what would look amazing on me. She helped me in and out of each dress, and once each one was on, I was to walk over and show my mother (who would be paying the bill), and when I tried on the dress that the owner chose it was absolutely stunning and I loved it and so did everyone else who walked in the shop off the street who saw it. I felt amazing in it and I was so grateful for the shop owner's help.
They helped me choose accessories for the dress which we brought and then said if I chose some shoes and came back, they would pin it up ready for alterations, which I did and said the dress would be ready in a couple of weeks or so, when they would ring. All this without an appointment, I could just walk off the street and get all this help and attention. Other girls came in also, tried dresses on and asked to hold it for them without even a deposit, and they did. They were really busy but still found time for everyone.
The Italian Wardrobe is a wonderful family business and I cannot recommend them enough for the fantastic service that they provide.
Ed: This is a genuine, unsolicited letter sent in to me by a real young lady. It's a fabulous example of a warm, friendly business that went out of their way to exceed expectations. They looked after the client brilliantly, increased the value of the sale in a helpful way that delighted the customer and signposted their after-sales service! This customer is already doing The Italian Wardrobe's marketing and PR for them! Wonderful!
Wednesday, 19 May 2010
Should staff wear name badges?
Yes, they should!
Some fascinating research backs this up. We have conducted research in the UK, Australia and New Zealand based on 116,000 measured shopping experiences which identifies that in those organisations where the staff are ‘caught’ wearing a name badge the overall rating for the customer service experience is 12% higher than in establishments where all the staff aren’t wearing a name badge.
So, if the customer’s perception of the experience can be influenced so much just by wearing a name badge, then why wouldn't we do it!
Name badges are great for customers but also for suppliers and anyone else who deals with an organisation.
Why?
Some fascinating research backs this up. We have conducted research in the UK, Australia and New Zealand based on 116,000 measured shopping experiences which identifies that in those organisations where the staff are ‘caught’ wearing a name badge the overall rating for the customer service experience is 12% higher than in establishments where all the staff aren’t wearing a name badge.
So, if the customer’s perception of the experience can be influenced so much just by wearing a name badge, then why wouldn't we do it!
Name badges are great for customers but also for suppliers and anyone else who deals with an organisation.
Why?
- They save regular visitors from embarrassment if they have forgotten someone’s name.
- In businesses where uniforms aren’t worn name badges help customers to distinguish between staff and other customers. It can be embarrassing when you mistake a customer for an employee!
- If someone knows your name you are no longer ‘Accounts’ or ‘Despatch’, you are a real person dealing with real people. That’s what customer service is all about whether internal (with other departments of your organisation) or external.
- The Law of Reciprocity: If the customer knows your name they are more likely to tell you their name.
- Accountability: It demonstrates that you are not hiding behind anonymity. You are accountable for what you do.
Wednesday, 5 May 2010
And the winner is...
Celebrating good customer service is not something we do often enough and yet customer service is something we talk about daily. How many times do you stand in a queue, leave a shop or hang up the phone feeling disappointed and/or frustrated? And how many people do you tell about that experience? And how many people will avoid this business because of it? We've looked at that here previously in the Customer Complaints Iceberg.
So it was with a refreshingly optimistic feeling that, as an invited guest of my Franchisor, Shopper Anonymous UK I walked into the 1066 Business Awards Ceremony at the Azur on the seafront in Hastings on Friday night. A whole evening of awards dedicated to the hardworking efforts of small businesses in the Hastings and Rother area. Several things struck me throughout the evening; the first thing to strike me was our own award for Best Small Business of the Year! How delighted were we! Another thing that became apparent was that even in the current climate many young people are taking risks, going out on a limb and bringing their ideas to life very successfully.
Two phrases were repeated throughout the evening. When the award winners for each category were asked what the secret of their success was, their answers usually included the phrases ‘attention to detail’ and ‘outstanding customer service’. The George Inn in Robertsbridge won the award for Customer Service Business of the Year AND best Overall Business of the Year. The owners of The George spoke very highly of their team and insisted that the customer’s viewpoint was considered in every facet of their business.
I think everyone in the room vowed to ‘up their game’ even more and take their business out of the mediocre and into the outstanding. In this competitive market place with highly discerning customers, ShopperAnonymousUK stands by its belief that customer service is the key. If your aim is to take your business into the ‘outstanding’ you need to APPRECIATE the customers, offer something unique or personal and work on retaining the customer base you already have. It is worth noting that the successful businesses at the 1066 Awards dinner also seemed to endorse our view that ‘customers’ includes YOUR OWN STAFF. If you treat your staff and colleagues as customers you will be rewarded with loyalty, commitment and hard work. With a powerful and positive team, unified in their commitment to their customers, it is far easier to take your business into the ‘outstanding’.
Logically then, the winner is, and always will be…..excellent customer service!
So it was with a refreshingly optimistic feeling that, as an invited guest of my Franchisor, Shopper Anonymous UK I walked into the 1066 Business Awards Ceremony at the Azur on the seafront in Hastings on Friday night. A whole evening of awards dedicated to the hardworking efforts of small businesses in the Hastings and Rother area. Several things struck me throughout the evening; the first thing to strike me was our own award for Best Small Business of the Year! How delighted were we! Another thing that became apparent was that even in the current climate many young people are taking risks, going out on a limb and bringing their ideas to life very successfully.
Two phrases were repeated throughout the evening. When the award winners for each category were asked what the secret of their success was, their answers usually included the phrases ‘attention to detail’ and ‘outstanding customer service’. The George Inn in Robertsbridge won the award for Customer Service Business of the Year AND best Overall Business of the Year. The owners of The George spoke very highly of their team and insisted that the customer’s viewpoint was considered in every facet of their business.
I think everyone in the room vowed to ‘up their game’ even more and take their business out of the mediocre and into the outstanding. In this competitive market place with highly discerning customers, ShopperAnonymousUK stands by its belief that customer service is the key. If your aim is to take your business into the ‘outstanding’ you need to APPRECIATE the customers, offer something unique or personal and work on retaining the customer base you already have. It is worth noting that the successful businesses at the 1066 Awards dinner also seemed to endorse our view that ‘customers’ includes YOUR OWN STAFF. If you treat your staff and colleagues as customers you will be rewarded with loyalty, commitment and hard work. With a powerful and positive team, unified in their commitment to their customers, it is far easier to take your business into the ‘outstanding’.
Logically then, the winner is, and always will be…..excellent customer service!
Wednesday, 10 March 2010
Dirty Words or Sexy Words?!
Which words turn you on? Some may admit that the odd dirty word can be a turn-on (!) but we've just spent some time looking at some dirty words that have most certainly been a big turn off!
Yes, we've just been having a review of the thousands of reports we produce on a regular basis. It's quite interesting to see which words in the reports correspond with a poor experience and I'd like to share the following "dirty words" with you!
Compare and contrast this to some sexy words which have correlated with a great experience and a definite turn-on:
I know which words turn me on more! How about you?
Yes, we've just been having a review of the thousands of reports we produce on a regular basis. It's quite interesting to see which words in the reports correspond with a poor experience and I'd like to share the following "dirty words" with you!
- Messy
- Confusing
- Cluttered
- Empty
- Unkempt
- Unwelcoming
- Littered
- Faded
- Ignored
Compare and contrast this to some sexy words which have correlated with a great experience and a definite turn-on:
- Smile
- Engaging
- Rapport
- Warm
- Tidy
- Abundant
- Bright
- Cheery
- Welcoming
I know which words turn me on more! How about you?
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