Service Hero of the Month - November 2012

We are pleased to present this month’s Service Hero; Charlotte, a valued member of Boots, who works at their store in Leeds, United Kingdom.

Charlotte has been nominated as a Service Hero due to her personal and excellent Customer Service, noted as going out of her way to ensure that Boots' customers are happy and have everything that they need.  In a very busy location, Charlotte makes time to engage every customer as an individual and always has a smile to share.

We are always on the look-out for nominees for Service Hero of the Month so if you have experienced extraordinary Customer Service, whether during a Mystery shopping visit or at any other time, please email your nomination to shoppersupport@retailactive.com along with the reasons for your nomination, your nominee’s name and the company they work for.  Please include your details so that you can be contacted regarding your nomination for further details if needed.

To find out what Retail Active can do for your company to improve Customer Experience, please email info@retailactive.com.  If you are interested in becoming a Mystery Shopper, please visit www.retailactive.com. 

The rise of the e-card

Christmas is just round the corner and here at Retail Active our tree is already up and the office is covered in cards and advent calendars.  We’ve also started to receive a few e-cards, which has got us thinking.

As a mystery shopping company, we are thinking about the relationship between business and consumers, and particularly what a company’s behaviour says about itself and its relationship with its customers.

A quick search around the internet will find a lot of people decrying the e-card as pointless and impersonal.  The reasons given are all fairly similar, the ease of which an e-card is sent makes them feel less meaningful.  With a traditional card, you know the person sending it has thought about you as they chose, wrote and sealed the card, whereas with an e-card they may well have simply imported their email contacts and clicked 'send all'.  But these arguments are all on the assumption that it is an individual sending cards to another individual.  When a company sends greeting cards, they are taking your name from a database, using bulk purchased cards and preparing them in an automated envelope stuffer – probably the same one used to send your bills.

The process is not all that different from what they would be doing with the e-cards, so why not save the environment a bit and skip delivering actual cards?  The answer is fairly simple as it turns out. 

Most companies put a lot of work into not appearing faceless and corporate, they engage in massive programmes to engage their customers and ensure their customers think of them as something more than 'just another company' (we would know, we provide the mystery shoppers who check how they are doing!).  When you’ve invested this heavily in building that relationship with your customers, the last thing you want to do is give the impression that you are being impersonal.

With electronic communication ever taking the place of traditional modes of communication, it is safe to say that the e-card is here to stay (and the traditional card might be doomed), but for now, if you are a business who cares about your relationship with your customers, a well chosen traditional card is your only real choice.

Let us know! Will you be sending e-cards this year?

12 days of Retail Active

On the first day of Christmas, Mystery Shopping gave to me;
An email – “Welcome to the team!”

On the second day of Christmas, Mystery Shopping gave to me;
A local meal on my lunch break,
And I’m happy to be on the mystery shopper team!

On the third day of Christmas, Mystery Shopping gave to me;
Coffee on my commute,
A local meal on my lunch break,
And I’m happy to be on the team!

On the fourth day of Christmas, Mystery Shopping gave to me;
All of my Secret Santa presents,
Coffee on my commute,
Catching up with the girls on my lunch break,
And I’m happy to be on the team!

On the fifth day of Christmas, Mystery Shopping gave to me;
AN EXTRA PAY DAY!
All of my Secret Santa presents,
Two hour-long commute,
Did twenty visits on my lunch break,
I’m far too busy now I’m on the team!

On the sixth day of Christmas, Mystery Shopping gave to me;
Some make-up for the missus,
AN EXTRA PAY DAY!
All of my Secret Santa presents,
The coffee went cold in the rain,
Did twenty visits on my lunch break,
I’m far too busy now I’m on the team!

On the seventh day of Christmas, Mystery Shopping gave to me;
Toys for the children,
Some make-up for the missus,
AN EXTRA PAY DAY!
All of my Secret Santa presents,
Forgot to even pick up coffee,
No time on my lunch break,
And I’m happy to be on the team!

On the eighth day of Christmas, Mystery Shopping gave to me;
A much-needed night out dancing,
Toys for the children,
Some make-up for the missus,
IT’S ALL BEEN SPENT ALREADY?
I don’t even know James from Accounts,
I NEED CAFFEINE!
No time on my lunch break,
And I’m happy to be on the team!

On the ninth day of Christmas, Mystery Shopping gave to me;
A romantic meal for two,
A much-needed night out dancing,
“Barbie is SOOO last year!”
“Don’t you love me as I am?”
Another mid-month pay day,
How was I to know he was vegan?
THANK YOU for the coffee on my commute,
The local meal on my lunch break,
I’m so happy to be on the team!

On the tenth day of Christmas, Mystery Shopping gave to me;
My Christmas presents paid for,
But they messed up our order,
I trod on his toes,
What do you mean, you don’t like Barbie?
NO, YOU’RE BEAUTIFUL WITHOUT THE MAKE-UP!
IT’S ALL BEEN SPENT ALREADY AGAIN?
Had to re-wrap all of the presents,
Spilt the coffee on my commute,
Rescheduled the meal on my lunch break,
But I’m thankful I can get out of the house!

On the eleventh day of Christmas, Mystery Shopping gave to me;
Work to get me out the house,
My Christmas presents paid for,
“That’ll be to take away”,
Quick dash to the Pharmacy for plasters,
Thank goodness for gift receipts,
How is red the wrong colour?
How did we get through all this money?
Mixed up all of the gift tags,
Didn’t even get a chance to enjoy the coffee on my commute,
Christmas makes me crazy,
But I’m delighted to be on the team!

On the twelfth day of Christmas, Mystery Shopping gave to me;
A perfect Retail Active Christmas,
Some time to myself,
All the presents under the tree,
The turkey is in the oven,
Enjoyed our night out dancing,
Finally some peace and quiet,
You look gorgeous with that lipstick,
Every minute working was worth it,
Everyone’s happy in the end,
Drowned in a large glass of Bucks Fizz,
I love Christmas really,
And I’m delighted to be on the team!

If you would like to be a mystery shopper, Google mystery shopper jobs, or visit retailactive.com

Why choose Retail Active – Hotel Mystery Guest programmes

Why YOU choose Retail Active for your Hotel Mystery Guest programme?

As one of the leading Mystery Shopping and Brand Audit providers, we pride ourselves on delivering meaningful and concise reporting for the numerous Hotel and Resort companies that have already benefitted from our services. 

Many of our most established clients are Hotel and Resort corporations and our years of experience within this sector has helped us develop a unique approach to focus exactly on what is expected of a Mystery Guest programme. 

We help our valued clients gain a complete understanding of what their hotel service experience really is from a guest’s perspective.  At Retail Active we provide a complete solution, from initial research regarding your Mystery Guest programme to the final conclusions and recommended actions.

Our carefully selected global mystery shopper panel are always available to stay away from home and to give impartial feedback on their experiences.  Each mystery guest has been trained to spot the specific attributes of your guest expectations and the bespoke elements of your brand.

Our clients are enjoying unrivalled growth and success.  How much is poor service costing your business?  Find out what we can do for your company at www.retailactive.com.

Welcome to the team, Kimberly!

The UK’s leading Mystery Shopping and business intelligence company, Retail Active, is proud to announce the recent Client Account Manager appointment. 

Kimberly Morgan, from Oxfordshire, has been in the industry for over five years with more than two years in Account Management.  She has a background in finance and marketing and an MBA from the University of San Diego. Working with us for some time, she has impressed us to make recent developments in her role and this important appointment due to her deep, grass-roots understanding of the industry.

Julian Chamberlain, Director of Retail Active, adds, “We are very excited to have yet another brilliantly conscientious and client-focused individual on the team and I’m sure that Kimberly will delight our clients just as she has us at Retail Active.”

Retail Active is one of the leading and fastest growing Mystery shopping companies in the UK and now is a great time to join us.  See what we can do for your company by clicking here, or ask us at info@retailactive.com.

We are always looking for brilliant and driven individuals to join us as Mystery shoppers and you can via our Shopper Academy at www.retailactive.com.

Service Hero of the Month - October 2012

We are pleased to present this month’s Service Hero; Daniel, a valued member of Timpson, who works at their Fenchurch Street Station store in London, United Kingdom.

Daniel's hard work, dedication and enthusiasm for the brand he represents were evident during recent visits to Timpson, Fenchurch Street Station. His passion for great service and expert knowledge has helped his customers make the right choices for repairs and product purchases. We have received outstanding praise from customers regarding their experience, specifically stating that their opinion of the brand has been positively influenced as a direct result of Daniel's great advice and guidance.

To nominate someone who you feel should be recognised for their excellent Customer Service skills, please email shoppersupport@retailactive.com with your nominee’s name, the company they work for and the reasons for your nomination. Please also include your details so that we can get in touch regarding your nomination, in case we need some more information.

Remember, your nominee doesn’t have to be from one of your mystery shopping assignments and you don’t have to be working for our mystery shopping company to nominate someone.
If you would like to find out what Retail Active can do to improve Customer Service and Customer Experience in your stores, please contact info@retailactive.com.

Thank you to all of our Mystery Shoppers

Retail Active is the most innovative of all of the UKs Mystery Shopping companies, but we know that a lot of our great reputation is founded on the hard work of our mystery shoppers all over the globe.  With that in mind, it’s that time again – time to say a brief Thank You to our star Mystery Shoppers.

Thank you to Pauline from Berkshire:
Your help on our recent Shop-a-long project has been FANTASTIC and your willingness to help out at the last minute is always appreciated.

Thank you to Julie from Cornwall:
You are so happy to travel for us to mystery shopping jobs in the depths of Cornwall and always complete reports to a fantastic standard – you’re a true credit to the team.

Thank you to Martin from Bristol:
Even though you don’t drive, you’ll hop on a train for us for visits around your area and still manage to get home and have your reports online in good time – your dedication to work is admirable.

Thank you to Jill from East Sussex:
A new addition to the panel, you’ve already made a name for yourself within the scheduling team as friendly, reliable and, most of all, patient! 

Thank you to Melanie from Norfolk:
Another new recruit who has made their name with last minute visits being completed to a very high standard with great reportage – thank you, Melanie.

Last but not least...
A HUGE Thank You to every one of our Mystery Shoppers worldwide – we truly appreciate your hard work and dedication.  Without you, we would not be the UK's leading Mystery Shopping and Brand Auditing company.  You can join us as a mystery shopper, or see what we can do for you as a company, at www.retailactive.com.

Jet Setting with Retail Active

We always look to soar above and beyond expectations for Mystery Shopping companies and sometimes, we need to take that literally.  We are looking for Mystery Shoppers who are frequent flyers and would be available to complete secret shopping visits at airports worldwide.  We have regular air side visits available for many interesting, varied clients.

Retail Active are the UK's leading Mystery Shopping and Brand Auditing company and being one of our growing panel of secret shoppers you can reap its rewards;

•    Get paid for shopping with the best Mystery shopping company out there.
•    Eat in the world’s finest restaurants and stay at the world’s best hotels.
•    Improve Customer Experience and service through our innovative reporting process.
and...
•    Earn some cash for your holidays, whilst you’re in the Departure Lounge!

We have visits available at all main UK airports, so if you’re already a Retail Active Mystery shopper, please do let us know if you’re a frequent flyer by emailing shoppersupport3@retailactive.com.  If you’re new to Mystery Shopping, we would love to have you on board; please sign up at www.retailactive.com .  Air side visits are available online but if we know you are a frequent flyer, you can be offered Airport Mystery shopping jobs direct to your email without waiting for notifications!

Proofreaders Required

We are currently searching for experienced freelance proofreaders to expand our highly regarded Quality Assurance team.

Retail Active is the leading British Mystery Shopping and Brand Audit Company and as one of our proofreaders, you would be working closely with us to resolve any identified queries in an accurate and timely manner.  You will report to our Quality Assurance team leader and work with our Head Office team to sense-check and proofread reports generated from our mystery shopping jobs.

Our perfect proofreader would have meticulous attention to detail and an excellent understanding of the English language.  In addition, you should be available to work a minimum of 12-16 hours per week.  Our flexible working hours means that you can fit work in around your schedule, but we are currently prioritising those that can work full-time office hours and those that are available weekends or evenings.

The key responsibilities of our freelance proofreaders include:

•    Amending secret shopper reports to conform to our ethics policy.
•    Working with the Quality Assurance team to bring any queries to resolution.
•    Diligently proofreading mystery shopper reports and validating visits.
•    Working with the Operations team to ensure that any recurring problems are brought to light and resolved.

Retail Active is one of Europe's leading mystery shopping companies and we are looking for honest, accurate and reliable people to help us make a real difference.

 If you have the experience and skills to join us as a Freelance Proofreader, please contact Michelle by email at shoppersupport@retailactive.com for further information.

Retail Active Supports Movember

Being a Mystery Shopping Company we have a lot to say to our clients about how to engage their customers. We believe that a customer who is engaged and invested in your business (and this is basically true no matter what business you are in), is a customer who will stand by you. We don’t just mean that they’ll keep purchasing your product either; a good customer is like a good friend, and if you’re good to them they will move heaven and earth to help you, not because of what you’ve done for them but because they believe in you. So of course we hope you feel like we’re doing right by you, because no matter whether you’re a client or a Mystery Shopper you are incredibly important to us, we couldn’t do what we do without you.

Of course you might be justified for asking “What’s with the sudden love in?” well let me tell you. We’re about to talk to you about our beliefs, feelings, and a sterling cause which really knows how to engage you on a personal level. As a mystery shopping company what we tend to talk about is Mystery Shopping, Brand Audits, customer satisfaction surveys and the like. We really don’t talk about our beliefs and passions, we don’t know about other Mystery Shopping Companies (or indeed other companies generally), but talking about our beliefs always seems a little odd. Isn’t it something for the individual rather than a large company? Well of course it is, but it doesn’t mean that we can’t pull together to make a worthwhile difference, and throughout Movember we’re going to be trying to do just that.

For those who don’t know, the Movember Foundation is a charitable initiative aiming to raise funds and awareness for men’s health (specifically prostate and testicular cancer). During November each year they are responsible for the sprouting of moustaches on thousands of men’s faces in the UK and around the world. Each participant (a Mo-Bro) starts November clean shaven and grows a moustache over the course of the month. They essentially becoming a walking talking advertisement for Movember (talk about knowing how to use word of mouth to engage your audience). You can find more about them on their website. Here at Retail Active we’ll be getting together to support Movember and hopefully gather a fine collection of distinguished moustaches. So whether you come to us for Mystery Shopping Jobs, to keep your customer service in tip-top shape, or have just stumbled across this blog, we hope you’ll keep following us through Movember and perhaps even join us as a Mo-Bro!

Retail Active IT Development

Here at Retail Active we believe that reliability is at the core of our Mystery Shopping business. From every aspect of our work at the office, the vetting process for those applying for Mystery Shopping Jobs, and the hard work of our Quality Assurance team, we know that we’re giving the right results 100% of the time, a fact that is well received by our clients. Of course our approach to the technology we use to support our Mystery Shopping is exactly the same; we know its good (probably the best of any Mystery Shopping Company around) but because we rank reliability over quickly adding the bells and whistles we don’t get to announce exciting new features all that often.

The focus is always to keep our quality high, and almost all of development goes into new ways to improve the delivery of our core business (Mystery Shopping, Brand Audits, etc).

However, once in a while it’s good to give a nod to the extremely hard work of our IT department, recently they have been working flat out to release a load of updates which make certain aspects of our system quicker and easier to use but have probably been overlooked by most of our users. They’ve also been working on some big changes behind the scenes. All of this is in preparation for some big new features that we’ll be releasing over the next few months which we think everyone is going to be pretty pleased with. They don’t have bells and they certainly don’t have whistles, but we think that they’ll make such a difference to our clients that you’ll soon wonder how you ever lived without them.

We’re really excited about these releases and are confident that other Mystery Shopping Companies will be looking to emulate them. But at the end of the day nothing can emulate the extremely hard work of our IT department that has gone into making our system the best and most reliable Mystery Shopping system around.

Why choose Retail Active – Automotive Mystery shopping

Retail Active is the market leader of British mystery shopping companies and we also have strong roots in brand auditing, with numerous clients in several sectors.  Like our secret shopping reports, our audit reports are a snapshot of how businesses are performing, but they go one step further in to checking how compliant they are to company standards and what facilities are in place.

With years of experience as the leading brand auditing and mystery shopping company, Retail Active knows many of the problems that arise from running franchise operations.  Our audits highlight issues such as non compliant signage, inferior customer environments and incorrectly displayed POS; all of which could affect customer experience and sales.  Through a regular mystery shopping and auditing procedure, we can help save clients money.  We do this by ensuring that service and premises are maintained to a higher consistent standard throughout the franchise.

We have an International team of auditors who are detail conscientious, articulate and work to an exacting standard.  Retail Active provides a brand auditing and mystery shopping service throughout Europe, completing thousands of assignments each month to test service, quality and brand compliance.

We liaise with our clients to understand the emphasis of their audits, before preparing a custom audit programme to support their needs.  At Retail Active your Brand Audit will be completed perfectly, precisely and in a timely manner.

If you wish to enquire about the services Retail Active can provide, please email info@retailactive.com

If you are interested in becoming a brand assessor, please click through for more details on positions available.

If you are looking for mystery shopping jobs, or are looking to become a secret shopper, please sign up through www.retailactive.com.

Service Hero of the Month

Retail Active is the leading British brand auditing and mystery shopping company and we like to reward brilliant customer service and service excellence where we can.  Mystery shopping companies see it all – good service, bad manners and everything in-between through secret shopping reports and we believe that the best service should be rewarded.

Every month, we single out a customer service representative who has upheld high standards of customer service for their company and who we feel epitomises the idea of a ‘Service Hero.’

We invite all of our mystery shoppers to put someone forward for this award.  They don’t have to be a staff member for one of our clients – anyone who has stood out to one of our secret shoppers can be nominated.

We are pleased to present our September Service Hero of the Month, who will be setting our standard for our Heroes in the future.

Ricardo works for Elior – contract caterers – and is based at one of their Costa franchises in the UK.

Ricardo has been nominated for this award by one of his long-standing customers.  He always takes a personal approach to his work and remembers different customers’ orders from day to day, delivering perfect service and perfect coffees every time. His dedication and enthusiasm sets a precedent for all customer service representatives, and his attitude to all of his customers is warm, caring and that of a friend. 

If you want to nominate someone for our Service Hero of the Month, please email shoppersupport@retailactive.com with your nominee’s name, the company they work for and the reasons for your nomination.

Remember, the nominee doesn’t have to come from one of our mystery shopping visits or brand audits. They can be from your regular coffee-stop or supermarket – we are happy to receive all recommendations.

Please include your contact details in the email in case we need to get some more information from you with regards to your nomination.

If you want to become a mystery shopper for us, please visit www.retailactive.com or if you’re interested in our services, please email info@retailactive.com for more details on what we can provide for your company.

The Retail Active Difference

In order to be the best you need to learn from your mistakes.  Retail Active is the leading British Mystery shopping company and there is a reason for that.  We review and improve our techniques constantly, staying a step ahead of the competition and providing a high-quality mystery shopping and customer research service for all of our valued clients.  It’s important to be quick to recognise mistakes and just as important to fix them quickly.

Lack of Communication

From the client to us, from the secret shopper to the proof-reader, communication is key.  Too often, companies will come to us with complaints about breakdowns of communication and one of their key requests is an Account Manager that will be with them throughout their engagement with us.  We have built our Account Management around this ideal to ensure that all of our clients’ needs are listened to and met.

Managing Change

Every client is important to us and we go to exacting lengths to ensure complete client satisfaction.  Our own research tells us that clients want meaningful and lasting relationships with their service providers, so we don’t change any of our key relationship contacts without carefully checking first.  As we grow and gain new clients we continue to recruit new secret shoppers for new, exciting mystery shopping jobs.  All of our mystery shoppers are graded after each and every assignment. 

Lack of Groundwork

You wouldn’t promise to build a skyscraper without laying the correct foundations. All of our client projects run on a tried and tested system that is proven to provide reliable secret shopping and brand auditing results so when we make a promise, you can trust that we can deliver it.

Inconsistency of service

Secret shopping is a very different to brand auditing, or any of our other products and services.  We have a graded and profiled International panel where it is possible for someone different to be assessing your business at every interaction.  Our reporting style means that our processes are consistent, but our mystery shopper’s opinion is relevant, fresh, considered and timely.

If you would like to learn more on how we can help you, contact us on 01235 438413.

A BIG Thank you to our mystery shoppers all over the world

A BIG Thank you to our mystery shoppers all over the world.

Thank you to Leslie from Gwent:
You are always happy to help with our visits in South Wales and complete reports to an excellent standard.

Thank you to Barry from Aberdeenshire:
Your attention to detail is superb and your recent reports have been spot-on – thank you.

Thank you to Emma from Cheshire:
We can call on you for anything and we can trust that you will complete anything to a high standard, and on time. 

Thank you to Justin from London:
Your hard work on our stations project is unrivalled. You are a credit to secret shopping, and we are glad to have you on the team.

Thank you to Anoop from London:
You were allocated three last minute, high-priority test visits and completed them the same day with zero proof-reading queries, and you only joined us last month – you’re a star!

Thank you to Carole from Oxfordshire:
You joined us in July and have completed assignments varying from calls to detailed visits and we are grateful for your excellent reports. We managed to fit you in a hotel stay as a ‘thank you’ and we hope you have a lovely break away with your husband!

Thank you to Elin from Edinburgh:
You always manage to fit in our in-the-middle-of-nowhere mystery shopping jobs, and your help on our most recent project has been greatly appreciated throughout the scheduling team.

Thank you to Martin from London:
You’ve helped out on so many last-minute visits over the past few months for us and we truly appreciate your dedication – you’re our perfect mystery shopper.

Last but not least...
Thank you to all of our secret shoppers – you help to make Retail Active the leading British mystery shopping company.  For more information about becoming a secret shopper, or to make an enquiry about mystery shopping or brand audits, please visit www.retailactive.com

How To Turbo Charge Your Sales & Profits

Over the last year, Retail Active has played a vital part in the success of our client’s business performance.  We don’t pretend to be the silver bullet, but are very proud to announce the average YOY revenue increase experienced by our customers is over 18%, in a very challenging market. 

As a Mystery Shopping Company, Retail Active provides a holistic service to improve customer loyalty and satisfaction.  We use a range of products and services - from Mystery Shopping, Brand Auditing and Customer Satisfaction Surveys to Employee Opinion Surveys.  With all of our programmes we carefully research our client’s specific requirements, taking care to immerse ourselves in their culture, spotting opportunities to share our unique research capabilities.  Research is driven by our expert team to analyse results, spot trends and communicate ways to maximise behaviours, revenue and profits.

We often identify quick wins and over the years have learnt that 90% of customers who have left a store without making a purchase do so due to poor service.  In other words, poor service has forced 90% of your potential customers to buy your products elsewhere.

Your current customers should be your greatest asset in recommending your brand, your best way to increase profits, your most frequent visitors and your greatest critics.  Current customers, when kept happy, return more often, increase their spending and recommend you to family and friends.

70% of customers are prepared to pay more IF they receive a better service.  Improving your service would result in 70% of your customers being happy to pay more.

If you are wondering how customers rate your service, you can contact us on 01235 438413.
If your customers are spending more money, more often, are happy to spend more on your services and are shouting your praises from the rooftops - then you then you must be one of our clients.  If not, please visit www.retailactive.com to find out more.

Retail Active is a British research organisation, specialising in secret shopping, using carefully selected mystery shoppers.  If you are looking for mystery shopping jobs and would like to join our panel, please contact us. We take huge pride in being one of the globes most successful mystery shopping companies and are always looking for talented secret shoppers to join us.

Join Us Now

Exciting Mystery Shopping Opportunities


How would you like to get paid for doing the things you love? Visit high street shops, luxury hotels and holidays or sample the delights of your favourite pub?

Retail Active is the leading British mystery shopping company, sending thousands of mystery shoppers each week to sample and test our client’s brands and products. We are growing fast and are always looking for real customers like you to join us to help assess customer service and make a real difference to standards of retailing, leisure and hospitality.

You can sign up on our site for free at retailactive.com or find us by searching mystery shopping jobs on your search engine. You will be asked to complete a short test via our mystery shopper academy and should you successfully pass we will invite you to apply to join our panel.

You will be paid for you time and in return will be required to complete an online survey explaining your thoughts, together with any other feedback you can provide.

Tough market conditions mean companies from all sectors are having to fight for every penny and the standard of customer service is a vital ingredient in winning and holding on to business.

The importance of customer service has an increased relevance in today’s marketplace. More and more companies are turning to Retail Active for advice on how to improve their business performance.
Being a mystery shopper can be tremendous fun and very rewarding.  Its worth noting, however only to  apply to reputable Brand Audit  and Mystery Shopping Companies such as Retail Active mystery shopping.  Never be tempted to apply for mystery shopper positions without being able to telephone the company directly.

For more information on the exciting opportunities available please visit retailactive.com

Client Account Manager Vacancies

Client Account Manager Vacancies -  £28,000 per annum, Company car (or annual car allowance of £6,000 per annum). Bonus scheme and performance incentives.

We are actively recruiting Client Account Managers to join our team, based at our headquarters at the International Space Innovation Centre in Oxfordshire.

Working within the Operations Team you will ensure that your client’s requirements are delivered to their complete satisfaction.  This will involve regular meetings with clients to give feedback, share best practice and recommend improvements to their programmes

Retail Active is a fast growing business, with opportunity for those with enthusiasm and ability to develop their career to the highest level.   You will have previous experience as an Account Manager, be willing to travel extensively and looking for a challenge.  Those with specific mystery shopping or market research related experience will be considered favourably.

You will be responsible for proactively identifying further new business opportunities and promoting Retail Active through presentations and analysis.

This is a challenging and rewarding job requiring excellent organisational skills and ability to manage multiple projects.  Applicants will need to be confident with the ability to communicate effectively at all levels.

Retail Active has exciting plans for the future and it is essential the right team is in place to help us to become the mystery shopper company of choice.  If you would like to apply for this position please send your CV to info@retailactive.com, together with a covering letter, detailing why you believe you should be considered.

Retail Active sends thousands of mystery shoppers each week to conduct assignments and is one of
Europe's leading Mystery Shopping Companies.  We are also one of the fastest growing brand audit companies, working with some of the world's best known brands sending specially trained secret shoppers to assess the quality of service and products.

Closing date for applications is 28th September.

In addition to the Client Account Manager vacancies we are actively recruiting mystery shoppers of all demographic profiles. Those wishing to apply for mystery shopping jobs should apply at www.retailactive.com.

Mystery Shopping Alert

Over the past few weeks we have been made aware of honest mystery shopper applicants being targeted by tricksters.  Retail Active does not recruit mystery shoppers through an email, club, agency or list and advises those wanting to work for a Mystery Shopping Company never to part with cash in advance.  If you do then there is a very high probability that you will be defrauded.

Unsuspecting people, wanting to earn extra money, risk being scammed by bogus market research companies, who are trying to cash in on this increasingly popular activity.

Genuine mystery shopping companies like Retail Active advertise their contact number and can be called directly.  Always apply directly to mystery shopper agencies, If in doubt phone.

 Internet tricksters have angered genuine mystery shopping companies, like Retail Active, which is one of Europe's leading Brand Audit and Mystery Shopping agencies. The company gets calls from people all over the world worried that they have been duped - or are about to be.

 Retail Active's managing director, Julian Chamberlain says:

 "We are very angry that fraudsters are trying to exploit mystery shoppers who genuinely want to earn some much-needed extra income, as well as help improve customer service.

"We have received reports of people being asked for personal details when applying for mystery shopping jobs, which are then sold off to use on marketing lists - or for other uses, such as fraudulently accessing people's bank accounts.

"No reputable Mystery Shopping Company would ever ask for money in advance- so that is one  good way to establish if a company is genuine or not.

 All reputable mystery shopping companies provide training, so if there is none, the likelihood is that you are being conned.

The easiest way to be sure you’re application is safe is to register with a secret shopping company like Retail Active, at www.retailactive.com.

Operations Director

Salary: £48k, Bonus Scheme, Company Car, Incentive Package and Benefits
Based: Harwell, Oxfordshire


Retail Active is one of the fastest growing customer  intelligence companies in the UK. We work with some of the world's best known brands and are now looking to implement our aggressive growth plans in the UK and overseas.

We currently have a vacancy for an Operations Director, based at our office in Harwell, Oxfordshire. This is a pivotal role and vital to the company's future success. Reporting to the Managing Director you will be directly responsible for executing the company's business plan and daily operational activity. You will work closely with the Commercial Director and be responsible for the Operations Teams, ensuring flawless execution of the Retail Active proposition to complete client satisfaction.

Prior experience in customer research programmes is essential, coupled with an excellent understanding of customer experience in retail and hospitality environments. You will also have proven senior management (operational) experience in a high pressure environment.

You will have outstanding interpersonal and presentation skills, be commercially astute with an aptitude for strategic business development. Key to this role is your ability to drive growth by adding real value to both existing and new clients.

As Operations Director you will be responsible for leading your teams by example, forging strong high-level relationships with clients and for meeting demanding business targets.

This is a unique opportunity to join a dynamic business at an influential level with potential to reap substantial rewards and success.

Key responsibilities of this position include:

• Delivery of the company business plan and financial objectives
• Management of the Completion Team, Quality Assurance Team, Account Management and IT Teams to ensure flawless execution of the Retail Active proposition
• Communication and delivery of agreed company KPI's weekly, monthly and quarterly and annually
• Attending high level meetings to ensure complete client satisfaction, representing the companies range of services whilst making a meaningful difference to client businesses
• Understanding client objectives and continually qualifying client needs through communicating to and meeting with clients at strategic and head office levels
• Compare revenue performance with market opportunity by product
• Fulfill ad hoc reporting requests as needed
• Maintain a well informed understanding of competitors activity, products and objectives
• Work with the Managing Director and Sales Director on relevant client acquisition projects, participate in company marketing and sales efforts where appropriate
• Seek every opportunity to represent Retail Active, its products and business interests with third party organisations and business partners
• Interact and foster outstanding working relationships with clients, be fully conversant with Retail Active products in order to help drive sales - and specifically on large, cross-discipline pitches and RFPs
• Delivering an agreed increase in overall productivity by focusing on streamlining current processes and implementing industry best practices
• Lead large national and international projects, from initial costing through logistical delivery and quality assurance
• Deliver business to grow at +30% per year while decreasing operating costs through process re-engineering and supply chain and people management
• To attend monthly Business Planning meetings and agree points of further action to deliver the company plan

Required Skills and Experience:

• Degree in communications, market research, business, or related field
• Extensive experience managing operations for a qualitative market research organisation
• Experience in leading and motivating teams to deliver outstanding results in a demanding environment
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, being used to present complex data in an interesting and easy to comprehend way
• Outstanding project management skills with the ability to establish priorities, manage multiple projects, establish time lines manage and appraise team leaders and employees to achieve objectives
• Experience working with top clients across multiple industries, including FMCG, Finance, Healthcare, Retail, Hospitality, Automotive and Technology
• Experience in successfully implementing new product innovation to the market place
• Excellent interpersonal skills with ability to interact professionally and effectively with all levels of employees and senior leadership
• Ability to operate effectively under pressure of deadlines. Ability to adapt quickly to change
• Leadership experience as demonstrated by successfully managing an organisation of at least 15 team members
• A commitment to maintain confidentiality of employee, client and business data 
• Strong strategic, analytical and critical thinking skills
• Good knowledge of PowerPoint, Word and Excel
• Experience managing large, complex domestic and multi-national projects across cultures
• Experience working with senior management to drive and implement key business strategies

Closing date for applications is 24th August 2012.

Retail Active is one of the fastest growing brand audit and mystery shopping companies in the UK. We work with some of the world's best known brands sending specially trained mystery shoppers to assess the quality of service at client's premises. Mystery Shopping is a fast growing market research technique and we are actively recruiting secret shoppers of all demographic profiles. Those wishing to apply for mystery shopping jobs should apply at www.retailactive.com. Alternatively applicants will find us by searching mystery shopper on Google.

European Queue Survey

Members of MSPA Europe have conducted a major, pan-European, survey of queues. This is the fourth survey of its kind conducted by MSPA Mystery Shopping Companies, with the results giving valuable insight and an interesting picture of the way customers experience service.

Mystery Shoppers from 23 countries joined queues in a range of retail types including grocery stores, banks, fast food outlets and travel ticket offices. Secret Shoppers reported on the time taken to reach the front of the queue and on the response of the member of staff to the queuing customer. Nearly 3000 mystery shopper queue reports were submitted, making this the largest survey of its kind.

Julian Chamberlain, MD of Retail Active Mystery Shopping and Brand Audits said "Frustratingly mystery shoppers could see ways in which the queue could be shortened, by opening more available tills, or bringing extra staff to assist, but noted that this very rarely happened.

"The research shows that Russia has the longest and slowest queues and Post Offices have the longest queues.

"Customers appear resigned to staying in the queue, but one in three was dissatisfied about the experience."

The surveys show that on average it takes almost 9 minutes to reach the front of the queue, 1 minute less than 2 years ago and still about the time taken in 2008, indicating that cost cutting changes made because of the recession may be having a real impact on customer experiences.

Retail active is a leading mystery shopping company providing research throughout Europe. Mystery Shopping is a valuable way to help organisations measure exactly how well, or badly, their customers are treated.

Become a Retail Active Account Manager

Retail Active the leading UK based Brand Audit & Mystery Shopping Company is actively seeking an experienced Account Manager to join them at their Oxfordshire based headquarters.

You will be responsible for promoting Retail Active through presentations and analysis, whilst proactively identifying further new business opportunities. Over the next few months we have several high profile clients joining us and there are exciting new opportunities ahead.

The primary purpose of a Retail Active Account Manager is to manage the commercial relationship with existing and new Mystery Shopping clients. This will involve regularly meetings with clients to give feedback, share best practice and recommend improvements to their programmes. Our clients look for well informed and proactive challenge to help them improve their proposition, therefore having the confidence to present compelling commercial information is essential.

Working with the Operations Team you will ensure that client programme requirements are understood and implemented to an exacting standard.

You will have previous relevant experience as an Account Manager, be willing to travel extensively and looking for a challenge to develop your career in a growing organisation. It is highly likely that you will work closely with our clients, possibly at least one day a week at their headquarters.

Applicants will need to be confident individuals with the abilities to communicate effectively at all levels. This is a challenging and rewarding job requiring excellent organisational skills and ability to manage multiple projects.

Julian Chamberlain, Managing Director of Retail Active commented: 'This is a crucial role and we are looking for the very best and brightest Account Managers to join us. We offer excellent opportunities those able to make an engaging and meaningful difference to clients and brand performance. We have exciting plans for the future and it is essential the right team in place to make Retail Active the secret shopper company of choice.

If you would like to apply for this position please send your CV to info@retailactive.com, together with a covering letter, detailing why you believe you should be considered.

Retail Active is one of Europe's leading Mystery Shopping Companies, sending thousands of mystery shoppers each week to conduct assignments.

Salary, circa £34,000 pa including car allowance and benefits.

Companies Look to Retail Active Mystery Shopping

More and more companies are increasingly turning to mystery shopping to give them a commercial advantage over their competitors.

Tough market conditions mean companies from sectors are having to fight for every pound and the standard of customer service is a vital ingredient in winning and holding on to business.

Julian Chamberlain, managing director of one of Europe's leading Mystery Shopping companies, Retail Active, says there has been a dramatic increase in approaches from national and international brands looking for help in improving their levels of customer service.

Our carefully selected mystery shoppers give businesses essential feedback on the performance of their staff and collect other important market related information.

Julian Chamberlain said: "Retail Active is growing fast. More and more companies are turning to Retail Active for advice on how to improve their customer advocacy. Clearly, the importance of customer service has an increased relevance in the current market and big international household names are taking it very seriously indeed.

"Good customer service can hold the key to a company's success or even survival in these trying times."

"Our highly experienced mystery shoppers give rapid and accurate assessments of customer service and produce reports which can be acted upon within 24 hours."

"Understanding customers and their needs has never been more important, in a market where they hold the upper hand."

Retail Active has major clients in the automotive, retail, leisure, food and drink and public service sectors.

British Consumers Complain More

Leading Mystery Shopping Company 'Retail Active' has repeated its survey of high street consumers to identify consumer's propensity to complain about shoddy goods and service.

Retail Active conducts an annual survey to track the performance of customer service and 2,781 people have participated in the survey over the past three months.

More than half of the High Street shoppers say customer service has worsened significantly across all sectors of high street retailing and reports a further decline in service compared to a year ago.

This major new survey concludes that 64 percent of British consumers believe service in the UK has worsened considerably over the past year.

Retail Active mystery shopping say more and more people are prepared to complain about shoddy service than ever before. Four out of five people polled in the survey said they will not suffer in silence any more - and will stand up to sloppy staff.

Retail Active Managing Director, Julian Chamberlain said: "Retailers are having to fight for every pound in tough conditions and just can't afford to let standards of service slip any further. The survey shows that customers think the deterioration in service is due to lack of staff, de-motivation, lack of training and staff being unhappy. "Nearly a third, 38 percent, of shoppers polled said they complain more now than they did before the credit crunch in 2008!

Retail Active is one of Europe's leading Mystery Shopping Companies and conducts Brand Audits, Secret Shopping and customer satisfaction surveys to over 170 companies in the UK and Europe.

The company is always looking for new secret shoppes and assessors to help with Mystery Shopping and Brand Auditing.

New Exciting Assignments

Over the next two months we will be releasing a whole range of exciting new assignments. We are looking for people just like you to join us to assess customer service throughout Europe. You could be eating in fine restaurants, having a pint (or two) at your local or going to the cinema as a Retail Active mystery shopping professional.

Retail Active conducts secret shopping throughout Europe, sending thousands of secret shoppers each month to test service and quality. We are always looking for new mystery shoppers to join us in our quest to be one of the world's top Mystery Shopping Companies.

We are a growing company and are very loyal to our team; we always give those that do a great job the opportunity to do some of the best assignments. This could be staying in a five star hotel or on a funded shopping trip where you can keep luxury purchases.

If you are not a Mystery Shopper with us currently, please apply online at www.retailactive.com and go through our Shopper Academy. From time to time we are also looking for Auditors to help us conduct Brand Audits as well as Customer Service Interviewers.

Retail Active is a leading Brand Audit and Mystery Shopping Company with significant growth plans.

Join us and help make a real difference to customer service, everywhere!

Customer Service Interviewer Vacancies

Retail Active the leading British Brand Audit and Mystery Shopping Company is currently recruiting experienced customer service 'Exit Interviewers' to work with us on an exciting new project.

This could be an ideal part time job with likely earnings of £200 for working over a Saturday and Sunday.

Opportunities exist throughout the UK and Republic of Ireland.

You will need to be confident, well mannered and approachable as it will involve speaking with shoppers as they leave a store. Our clients are leading retail businesses and expect the most diligent and professional service to be provided by our team members. You will be filling in short questionnaires with them, which then need to be entered on the Retail Active online portal. Having an iPad or tablet would be helpful but is not essential.

Having Field Marketing, Exit Survey or Brand Auditing experience is a definite plus, however honesty, reliability and wanting to deliver a great job is equally important.

Register your interest by email to shoppersupport@retailactive.com and please include your Shopper Number on the email.

If you are not a Mystery Shopper with us currently, please apply online at www.retailactive.com and go through our Shopper Academy. Please be advised that you need to be a Mystery Shopper with us to accept Exit Interviewer work.

Retail Active conducts secret shopping throughout Europe sending thousands of secret shoppers each month to test service and quality. We are always looking for mystery shoppers to join us in our quest to be one of the world's top Mystery Shopping Companies offering outstanding mystery shopping services.

Recruiting Brand Assessors

Retail Active is a mystery shopping and brand auditing company that's growing fast and we are looking for the very best people to join us.

We have lots of exciting new assignments starting over the next few months. You could be helping us evaluate the service at petrol stations to posh restaurants all over the UK and continental Europe.

It helps if you have had previous experience as an assessor or mystery shopper, but it's not essential. You will need to be honest, reliable and keen to help us make a real and meaningful difference to our client's business interests.

The key competencies you need are accuracy, empathy, outstanding communication skills and a keen eye for detail. Retail Active works with many of the globes best known brands and you will need to be able to work under pressure and meet tight deadlines.

Retail Active is one of Europe's leading Brand Audit and Mystery Shopping Companies. Each year our carefully selected Brand Auditors and Secret Shoppers visit companies to test their level of quality and service.

If you would like to join us visit www.retailactive.com and complete our online application.

Earn Extra Cash By Getting Paid For Shopping

Mystery shopping is an ideal way to earn a bit of extra cash and actually get paid for shopping.

The UK's market-leading Mystery Shopping company, Retail Active, says it is becoming an increasingly popular activity and they have thousands of shopper on their books - ready to buy anything from a luxury yacht to a basket full of supermarket shopping.

Perks include, free travel, hotel stays, holidays, eating in top restaurants, the chance to experience great brands or sometimes even a free tankful of petrol.

Retail Active's managing director, Julian Chamberlain says: "It's a great way to make some extra money - a sure fire way to make some spending money. Rates vary depending on the job and it can be up to £200 a day. We look for people who are reliable, honest and able to fill out an accurate report on their experience.

"Our clients are the best in their sector and want to learn how well their sales and service staff are representing their business. The most successful way to reliably test this is to use one of our team to rate how well they do, known as a mystery shopper.

"It is vital undercover work which helps keep businesses on their toes - but sadly you have to give back the luxury yacht!"

Retail Active is one of Britain's leading Mystery Shopping companies and supports over 170 brands with brand audits, secret shopping and customer satisfaction surveys. If you would like to become a secret shopper apply online to www.retailactive.com 

Proof Readers Required

Retail Active the leading British Mystery Shopping and Brand Audit Company is looking for experienced UK based freelanced proofreaders to join our highly regarded quality assurance team.

As one of our valued proofreaders you will liaise closely with us to resolve any identified queries in an accurate and timely manner. You will report to our quality assurance team leader and work with our head office team to seek further information and possibly make a final edit to reports where appropriate to do so.

It is essential that you have an excellent understanding of the English language and meticulous attention to detail. In addition, you should be available to work a minimum of 12-16 hours per week.

They key responsibilities of our freelance proofreaders include:

• Amending secret shopper reports as required in accordance with our ethics policy
• Liaise with our quality assurance team leader to resolve proofreading issues
• Diligently proofreading mystery shopper reports and evidencing their visit
• Feeding back key information to our Operations team in order to avoid the recurrence of any identified issues

Julian Chamberlain Managing Director of Retail Active commented, "Our proofreaders play a critical part in ensuring the quality of customer experience reports meets out exacting standard. Every report if diligently checked before sending to our clients. It's very rewarding knowing that the feedback you are checking will be considered at the highest level. It is a fascinating job where people can select the hours of work to meet their own lifestyle."

Retail Active is one of Europe's leading mystery shopping companies and we are looking for honest. accurate and reliable people to help us make a real difference.

If you have the skills and experience to join us as a Freelance Proof Reader please contact Jo Jarvis by email at jo.jarvis@retailactive.com for further information.

Customer Service, Exit Interviewers Required

Retail Active Mystery Shopping is looking for experienced customer service 'Exit Interviewers' to work with us on an exciting ongoing project.

You will need to be confident, well-mannered and approachable as it will involve speaking with shoppers as they leave a store. You will be filling in short questionnaires with them, which then need to be entered on the Retail Active online portal.

Having Field Marketing, Exit Survey or Brand Auditing experience is a definite plus, however honesty, reliability and wanting to deliver a great job is equally important.

There is the potential on this project to earn £200 over a weekend and availability is limited so please get in touch as soon as possible.

Register your interest by email to shoppersupport@retailactive.com and please include your Shopper Number on the email.

If you are not a Mystery Shopper with us currently, please apply online at www.retailactive.com and go through our Shopper Academy. Please be advised that you need to be a Mystery Shopper with us to accept Exit Interviewer work.

Retail Active is one of Europe's leading Mystery Shopping Companies and conducts Brand Audits, Secret Shopping and customer satisfaction surveys to over 170 companies in the UK and Europe

Buy British

Retail Active the leading UK Brand Audit and Mystery Shopping Company has surveyed a panel of 3,178 people during March 2012 to determine if they would buy British products and services from British companies in preference to foreign produce and goods.

The survey shows a huge seal of approval for British goods and services with a staggering 92% of people surveyed saying that they would buy British whenever possible.

There are some regional differences with UK buyers expressing a preference to buy own country produce, in the first instance. However, there is an overwhelming desire to buy British ahead of European, American and Asian like for like goods.

Yorkshire topped the list as the county most passionate about buying British.

One theme that ran through the research was that its often too difficult to identify British goods. However, where shoppers did identify UK goods they are prepared to pay a little more for them.

Retail Active went on to ask why people felt so passionate about purchasing UK goods, with support for British companies, quality and keeping profits in the UK being top reasons.

Julian Chamberlain, CEO of Retail Active Mystery Shopping, says "This is a fascinating insight into the minds of British Shoppers. Our survey highlights some great news for manufacturers and suppliers up and down the land."

British companies can rest assured that the buying public want their goods in preference to overseas imports. Retailers can stock British goods in the confidence that they are likely to sell well and command a small price premium.

Retail Active provides secret shopping throughout Europe sending thousands of secret shoppers each month to test service and quality. We are always looking for mystery shoppers to join us in our quest to be one of Britain's top Mystery Shopping Companies offering outstanding mystery shopper services.

Assessors Required

Retail Active the leading UK Brand Audit Company is looking for assessors with previous experience of auditing to join our International panel of audit experts.

Our clients are leaders in their sector and want to make a step change in performance. We are looking for outstanding assessors to help us evaluate clients business delivery. If you have undertaken audit work in the past 12 months and have a track record of success we would love you to join us.

As an assessor you will need to be articulate, detail conscientious and work to an exacting standard. You will receive full training and will be rewarded for doing something you really enjoy anyway.

Five Reason to Join Us:

1.  Help make a real difference
2. Have Fun!
3. Experience great brands
4. Work will a highly regarded team
5. Increase your core competence

Retail Active is a fast growing brand audit and mystery shopping company and there is plenty of scope for those who want to help improve customer service. We are also one of Europe's leading mystery shopping companies and part of the Sequential Solutions Group.

Retail Active provides brand auditing and mystery shopping throughout Europe, completing thousands of assignments each month to test brand compliance, service and quality. We are always looking for assessors to join us in our quest to be on of Britain's top brand auditing companies, offering outstanding auditing and mystery shopper services.

If you have the drive, ability and experience to be a top rated assessor join us here at Retail Active www.retailactive.com .