RETAIL ACTIVE JOINS MSPA EUROPE

Retail Active Mystery Shopping has attained the prestigious European membership of the Mystery Shopping Providers Association (MSPA).

The MSPA is the professional trade association dedicated to improving service quality using Mystery Shopping and Customer Experience measurement strategies.

To become a member of such a highly regarded organisation Retail Active had to demonstrate its professional standards and ethical approach to business.

Members span the globe with only a handful of carefully selected companies representing mystery shopping for the United Kingdom.

On the achieving membership Managing Director, Julian Chamberlain commented “Being accepted by MSPA is a huge privilege and one we take very seriously indeed. We recognise the importance and professional standing of MSPA. This is an association who tirelessly works to raise ever higher standards in our industry. Retail Active aim to be at the forefront of excellence and we are delighted to be endorsed by them.”

Retail Active, Start Electron, Fermi Avenue, Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Harwell, Oxfordshire, OX11 0QR
+44 (0)1235 438413
www.retailactive.com

Press inquiries: John Hemmingway 0115 960 5734 - 0786 764 1983 – john@jhcomms.com

Bournemouth voted the UK's top ‘staycation’ destination

BOURNEMOUTH has been voted the UK’s top ‘staycation’ destination after undercover researchers found that Basil Fawlty-style hotels have been banished.

While the worst excesses of the hopeless hotelier, immortalised by John Cleese, are being repeated at holiday accommodation up and down Britain, there are signs that in Bournemouth Basil has been given his marching orders.

Julian Chamberlain, managing director of Retail Active Mystery Shopping, one of Britain’s leading business intelligence agencies, said: “We didn’t have a single negative report from any of the Bournemouth hotels we visited.

“We did hear plenty of horror stories from many other areas but it would seem that Bournemouth has truly banished Basil.”

While Bournemouth triumphed, Fawlty Towers’ horror stories were uncovered in other resorts including its rival Blackpool.

At one B&B in Devon guests were astonished when the elderly woman owner shut the bar at 10.30 pm, announcing: “If you want your breakfasts in the morning, you will have to go to bed now.”

Mr Chamberlain added: “This year has been particularly important for the British hotel industry with thousands of British people deciding to holiday at home for the first time in many years.

“It may be 30 years since Basil Fawlty became by-words for everything that was wrong with British hotels but for many of this year’s ‘staycationers’ 2009 may he the first time they experienced British hotel hospitality.

“Many have been disappointed to find nothing has changed. But happily we can say that Bournemouth appears to have learned lessons and can virtually guarantee holidaymakers a Basil-free stay.”

Undercover agents carry out incognito visits to examine standards of customer service on behalf of clients.

In 2006 Bournemouth hotel chiefs embarked on an ambitious scheme to improve standards in the town’s hotels in time for the 2012 Olympics.

Mr Chamberlain told the Daily Echo: “The strategy appears to have paid off. It is quite unusual to give a major resort a clean bill of health but Bournemouth has given Basil his marching orders.”

STAYCATIONERS REVEAL THEIR HOLIDAY HORROR STORIES

The spirit of Basil Fawlty lives on: British 'staycationers' reveal their holiday horror stories The spirit of Basil Fawlty lives on: British 'staycationers' reveal their holiday horror stories

It's more than 30 years since he first graced our TV screens, but it seems Basil Fawlty is alive and well.
The worst excesses of the hopeless hotelier immortalised by John Cleese are still being repeated in holiday accommodation up and down Britain, undercover researchers found.

In one bed-and-breakfast establishment in Devon, guests were astonished when the elderly woman owner shut the bar at 10.30pm announcing: 'If you want your breakfasts in the morning, you'll have to go to bed now.'

In Blackpool, a couple were puzzled when another pair kept asking them up to their room for late-night drinks.
They finally lost their patience when they were sent a note via room service saying rooms 3, 24 and 38 would like to join them.
When they complained to reception they were told they had booked on a swingers' weekend, but nobody had told them.
In another case uncovered by researchers, a couple who booked a 'romantic weekend break' at a country house hotel were given an attic room which turned out to be infested by bees.
During the night they were woken by a buzzing noise, and one of the guests was stung. And a guest in a Morecambe bed and breakfast had to teach two hotel assistants how to make up the bed when they were sent with fresh linen after she complained about the cleanliness.

The stories were uncovered by research company Retail Active Mystery Shopping which sends out thousands of ' mystery shoppers' every year to monitor service and performance in B&Bs and hotels across the country.
Julian Chamberlain, the company's director, said: 'It may be three decades since comedian John Cleese created the befuddled hotelier Basil Fawlty for the TV series, but our reports show there are still some Fawlty Towers experiences to be had - especially in some of the smaller B&Bs.
'With the prospect of more British holidaymakers staying at home this year, it is vital that all hotels come up to standard.
'Generally, British accommodation has improved dramatically since the days of Fawlty Towers.
'But, as our reports show, there are still some areas where Basil Fawlty is alive and well.'
Hotel bosses who follow the Basil Fawlty approach to hotel management have not always come away unscathed.
Andy Hageman, 43, who runs the Mortons House Hotel in Corfe Castle, Dorset, was kneed in the groin and punched in the face after a terse response to a guest.

The hotel owner was paid thousands of pounds in compensation after Ian Peters attacked him as they rowed over a room.

Peters, a 63-year-old architect, had insisted he should not have to pay for his stay because he had been kept awake by noise from the kitchens.

But Mr Hageman refused to waive the fee, saying: 'What I can't stand about people like you is you come and stay at my hotel and expect to be able not to pay for it.'

Infuriated by the comment, Peters wrestled the hotel owner to the floor where the scuffle continued until the police arrived.

Peters, from Purley in Surrey, was then arrested and charged with assault. The hotel manager - likened to Basil Fawlty by former TV newsreader Sue Lawley - was off work for weeks as a result of the attack.

He sued Peters for loss of earnings and for the injuries he suffered. Although the case was due to be heard in a civil court, Peters agreed to settle beforehand by offering Mr Hageman a five-figure sum.

WE ARE COMPLAINING MORE ABOUT SHODDY SERVICE THANKS TO

We are complaining more about shoddy service – thanks to the Recession.

A record number of shoppers say they are prepared to complain about shoddy service.

Three out of four shoppers polled in a recent survey say they won’t suffer in silence any more – and will stand up to sloppy staff.

A major new survey by the Business Intelligence company Retail Active says 59 per cent of shoppers think service in the UK has worsened over the past year.

Retail Active’s director, Julian Chamberlain said: “This remarkable survey has given us a highly revealing snapshot of the effect of the recession on customer service and shoppers’ reactions.

“One very interesting factor is that 71 per cent said they would complain about bad service. This is the highest figure we have ever recorded and it shows British shoppers are no longer prepared to suffer shoddy service in silence.

“We are becoming more like the Americans and Continental Europeans in speaking out about the quality of service.

“More than a quarter, 27 per cent, of those polled said they complain more now than they did before the recession hit!

“A significant majority say they also expect more for their money in the current economic climate.

Eight out of ten shoppers went on to say they would refuse to shop again at stores with poor service.

However an astonishing seventy-eight per cent said they were prepared to spend more in businesses where they receive great service.

“The reasons for this decline in service standards could lie in demotivated staff, staff cuts and lack of investment in customer service and training.

“These findings will make essential reading for retailers. If they cut back on customer service and training, they do so at their peril. The figures show shoppers are put off by bad service and are taking their business to retailers who offer better service and value for money.

“Retailers are having to fight for every pound in tough conditions and just can’t afford to let standards of service slip.”

Julian Chamberlain said: “The survey shows that customers think the deterioration in service is due to lack of staff, demotivation, lack of training and staff being unhappy.

“The majority of customers said they were upset most by discourteous staff with more than half complaining about being kept waiting and being ignored.

“Inefficiency, poor presentation, lack of focus and staff chatting to each other, all rated highly on the customers list of dislikes.

Retail Active Mystery Shopping is one of the UK’s leading Customer Intelligence and Mystery Shopping companies. It sends out thousands of agents every year to monitor customer service standards for a wide variety of clients in the retail, leisure, automotive and travel sectors.

Clients include household names Porsche, Lexus and Toyota, P&O, Asda, and Center Parcs.

Julian Chamberlain said: “We can call on thousands of experienced consumers to give us rapid and accurate survey results.

“We specialise in working with our clients to monitor standards of customer service and to pinpoint areas where improvements can be made.

“As our survey clearly shows – customer service could be essential to survival in the current trading conditions. Customers are quite rightly demanding higher standards and their shopping behaviour is being influenced by how they are treated by staff.”

Top 10 Hotel Hates

What’s your top hate when you check in to a British hotel?

Researchers from the leading UK Mystery Shopping company Retail Active monitor standards in hundreds of hotels every year.

They’ve compiled the top ten pet hates – based on their extensive findings:


1. DIRTY ROOM : linen, carpets, bedding , other peoples belongings etc
2. NOISE : roads, banging doors, antisocial guests
3. UNWELCOMING CHECK IN : knowledgeable, miserable, uncaring staff
4. BEDROOM HEATING : too hot or too cold
5. BROKEN EQUPMENT : remote controls, hair dryers, mini-bar fridges
6. POOR FOOD : cold, not as described, poorly prepared, low quality
7. PARKING : dirty, poorly illuminated, unsafe/ not secure, away from the hotel
8. UNCOMFORABLE BEDS & PILLOWS
9. QUEUES, checkout and restaurants
10. POOR VALUE FOR MONEY

And just for good measure there’s a close runner-up at number 11 -
Leisure facilities being closed for maintenance or due to no staff cover

Retail Active’s director, Julian Chamberlain said: “With the British hotel industry poised to enjoy its biggest boom in home-grown tourism for many years – there are still too many examples of poor service.

“The standard is generally high – but our agents still come back with some horror stories.

“There is no excuse for some of the examples in our top ten hates and they dent the reputation of the whole industry.”

“Our job is to help companies improve their service to customers. The British hotel industry needs to root out these poor performers and give stay-at-home holidaymakers the welcome they deserve.”

Retail Active is based in Oxford and has a growing list of prestige clients.