Mystery Shopping is the practice of using trained shoppers to anonymously evaluate customer services, operations, employee integrity, merchandising, and product quality by sending a mystery shopper to an outlet to act as a customer and in the process observe the predefined purpose of the visit.

Mystery shopping becomes imminent when companies are experiencing decline sales, high customers’ complaints, check products’ pricing, employees’ compliance with company’s policy and when products assortment are no longer unique. It has the following benefits:

•    Cost-effective method of monitoring customers service standards.
•    An efficient way of identifying staff in need of training.
•    A regular summary of strengths and weaknesses.
•    An effective deterrent against dishonesty, poor service or bad practice.
•    A way of identifying retail outlets which are under-performing.
•    Improves customer retention.
•    Monitors and measures service performance.
•    Keep employees informed of the importance of serving customers well.
•    Monitors conditions of the facilities in the outlet.