Phone Secret Shopping

Gaze out at a crowd these days and you’ll most likely see a mass of people’s foreheads instead of a sea of faces you saw just a decade ago. Ten years ago, everyone had a cell phone to their ear; today they’re all texting, with heads bowed. But the trusty telephone is still the tool most people use to find information on businesses, knowledge that can only be efficiently gathered through a live phone conversation, a simple, old-fashioned exchange of questions and answers. An engaging phone interaction is the key to the successful sale of products and services. That’s where RBG’s phone secret shopping programs come into play. Our highly trained phone secret shoppers coupled with our recording technology have helped thousands of clients achieve and maintain that cutting edge.

Phone secret shopper reports may consist only of simple Yes/No/NA  answers, solely text narratives, or a combination of the two. Whatever format RBG and their clients decide is best for their particular account, the criteria for analysis remains fairly consistent.

Greeting & Tone

Many customers are put off, albeit slightly amused, at the unnaturally long greetings a number of large corporations embraced in the 21st century. By the time customers sits through, “Good morning, thank you for calling PQR, my name is Balthazar, how can I be of excellent service to you today?” a good number forgot why they called. Research has found customers prefer their calls to be answered concisely with the company name, employee name, and offer of assistance in an upbeat, approachable tone.

Knowledge & Procedures

Ideally, the person answering the phone can provide reliable information without hesitation, which instills a strong sense of trust in the customer. If the associate needs to ask a peer for requested information, the customer appreciates being asked if they mind holding, not just left hanging without notice. If hold times exceed 1 minute, it’s preferable for the associate to offer a call-back within 5 minutes.

Attitude

An associate’s attitude is usually detectable by their tone of voice, an observation RBG’s seasoned phone mystery shoppers easily identify. A voice can convey a genuine concern to help the customer as well as sound bored, disinterested, or even hostile. Narratives and recordings on RBG phone secret shopping reports depict in detail the impression the associate made during the call.

Closing

A strong closing on a phone call is as important to a customer as a firm handshake at the close of a major purchase such as a home or car. It can be a common, established parting remark such as, “Have a nice day,” or something more innovative like, “Is there anything else I can help you with today?” or “We look forward to seeing you.” Whatever phrase is used, it must come across as 100 percent sincere.

Anonymity

Protecting phone secret shoppers’ privacy is important to RBG. To shield their phone numbers, RBG telephone shops have portals built into the reports that not only display anonymous numbers on caller ID but also record the calls from start to finish. This feature confirms the call content and hold times, and reflects the demeanor of the associate providing the customer service, all accessible to RBG clients for independent review.

If you love secret shopping and would like to join a fun environment in a growing company, then apply today for our phone secret shopping opportunities.