Elaine Buxton Elected Treasurer of Mystery Shopping Providers Association
Raleigh, NC. — October 1998. —
Elaine Buxton, Executive Vice President of Confero, Inc., recently attended the first official meeting of the Mystery Shopping Providers’ Association held in Dallas. The purpose of the meeting was to form that association, elect officers, and approve a provisional operating committee’s selection of an association management company. Ms. Buxton had served on the operating committee since an initial meeting was held in February of this year to form the group. Ms. Buxton was elected Treasurer of the MSPA. The membership voted to restrict membership to entities which provide mystery shopping services to other companies. There are about 75 MSPA member companies.
About Elaine Buxton:
Elaine joined Confero is 1986, after managing operations for Wedgwood China Marketing Ltd. In Frankfurt, Germany, a $12 million 31-store division which marketed Wedgwood products to NATO forces in Germany, Italy and Belgium. In 1987, she returned to the U.S. and joined Confero. She was named President of Confero in 1999.
Elaine was deeply involved in the formation of the Mystery Shopping Providers Association. She has served on the Operating Committee which formed the Association and then serving on its Board of Directors for the past year. She has also served on the Meredith College Board of Trustees. More local efforts include serving as President of the Raleigh Professional Women’s Forum. Other volunteer activities include being on the Cary Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors and as Board Chair of the non-profit Life Experiences. Elaine earned a BSBA from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and an MBA from Meredith College.
About Confero:
Confero, Inc. is a customer experience measurements firm specializing in mystery shopping services and customer satisfaction surveys for retail, automotive, banking and food service businesses. Formed in 1986, Confero conducts mystery shops in the U.S., Canada and Japan. By using its over 130,000 independently contracted mystery shoppers. The firm is a charter member of the Mystery Shopping Providers Association (MSPA). Also, it is certified by WBENC as a Woman-Owned business. Additionally, they are accredited by the Better Business Bureau.
About MSPA:
With more than 275 member companies worldwide, the Mystery Shopping Providers Association has a diverse membership. It includes marketing research and merchandising companies, private investigation firms, training organizations and companies that specialize in providing mystery shopping services. Its goals are to establish professional standards and ethics for the industry. Additionally, it strives to educate providers, clients and shoppers to improve quality of service. Thus, improving the image of the industry and promoting the membership to other industry associations and prospect clients.