As a provider of residential and retail food services for campuses across the US, the company desired feedback on how well employees met standards for customer service, cleanliness, food quality, and merchandising. Was the correct special advertised? Were wait times long? And, were employees in uniform and friendly? The mystery shoppers reported on these and other important areas. Confero developed separate, customized surveys for on-campus and retail eateries at the colleges, so that the company could compare results based on the type of location.
The program was challenging. Not all shoppers have access to campuses, parking can be difficult, and mystery shops needed to be scheduled around times when college was in session, but Confero met the challenges for the company, delivering the data that they needed. The company’s program continued for over 10 years, averaging around 500 shops per year. And, regions were offered the opportunity to order mystery shops on their own, whenever they wanted. Confero’s reporting helped management to measure trends for all four areas over time, making it easy for the organization to adjust training when needed. Mystery shopping scores were frequently averaging in the low 90s, showing the company’s commitment to ensuring excellent performance at all dining locations.
