91% Buy British

Retail Active the leading Mystery Shopping Company has surveys a panel of 2,887 people during July 2011 to ask if they would buy British products in preference to imported items.

Overall there is a resounding seal of approval for items made and sold in Great Britain with a staggering 91% saying that their preference is to buy British whenever possible.

There were regional differences, with buyers in Scotland and Wales having a preference to buy in their home country before wanting to buy British produce in general.

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

The survey went on to ask 'if given the opportunity would they purchase British in preference to imported products' in specific categories. Organic produce, outdoor and leisure, food and confectionery all scored in the mid to high ninety percent. However electronics, motors, home and furniture all scored disapointingly with 62% saying they would make British goods their first choice.

A core theme that ran through the feedback was that is often too difficult to identify British goods. 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 pride in British capabilities, quality and the limited impact on the environment being top reasons.

Julian Chamberlain, CEO of Retail Active Mystery Shopping, says “this is a fascinating insight into the psyche of the British shopper. We live in a shrinking world, where interconnectivity and communications have given rise to the global economy. Many UK economists celebrate globalisation, claiming that the market is working more efficiently than ever. However according to our research most people would buy British goods as their preferred choice, a fact that some experts may have overlooked?

This is great news for manufacturers and producers up and down the land. Retailers can stock British goods in the confidence that they are likely to sell well and command a small price premium.

4th Generation Retail Audit Plan

Retail Active the leading Retail Audit and Mystery Shopping Company has launched its impressive 4th generation retail audit programme to critical acclaim from retail industry insiders and experts.

The Retail Active audit approach is arguably the most advanced and meaningful way to identify, measure and correct poor compliance issues and gain business intelligence.

Over the past six years we have spent time refining, improving and amending our systems and processes. The 4th generation programme is leaps and bounds ahead of anything else in the market. We have had our team of developers in Tallahassee, Florida and in the UK working to ensure that the new programme is completely intuitive and proactive in its output.

Clients that have need working with us over the past few years are amazed at how the system can genuinely track and prompt improvements based on their own bespoke criteria.

Julian Chamberlain, CEO of Retail Active Brand Auditing and Mystery Shopping, said "We are constantly looking at ways to improve and our 4th generation brand audit system and process is exceptional. Providing an audit service with flawless execution is essential, especially as we work with some of the most recognised and prestigious brands in the world". Retail Active provides a holistic audit service that is second to none, generating brand accountability at every level within our clients businesses.

Retailers working with us can expect:

• Full visibility of their brand portfolio
• The opportunity to compare the visual and financial brand performance
• Substantially improved brand management and marketing control
• A proven way to save hours of wasted management time, resource and costly overheads
  

High Street Summer Service May Disappoint

Retail Active the leading Mystery Shopping and Brand Audit Company has surveyed 3,485 people during July 2011 to ask if they expect service on the high street to deteriorate during the summer holiday period.

An overwhelming 84% of mystery shoppers said that based on previous experience they expect service to worsen throughout late July to early September.

As tough times set in, companies working on tight budgets may struggle to cover staff holidays with well trained replacements. Retail Active's shopper panel believe that this is a core reason why customers fear there will be an impact on the service they will receive.

Julian Chamberlain, CEO of Retail Active Mystery Shopping, says "the perception that service may suffer over the summer period is much higher than we expected. Retailers need to do all they can to ensure continuity of service with competent and trained staff. Wherever possible they must look to improve this during the crucial summer trading period.

If the anticipation of poorer service were to turn to reality there is an obvious risk to service delivery and trading performance on the British High Street.

Our survey highlights the significant benefits of diligently planning holiday cover and ensuring that they have well trained staff, capable of delivering great service with strong product knowledge."

Retail Active has tens of thousands of Mystery Shoppers working undercover on assignments all over Europe. Mystery Shopping is a vital tool for any business looking to improve their performance and build staff competence and profitability.

It's not all bad news though. Retail Active says that 38% of shoppers said they expect far worse service when away on their holiday than they would in the UK.

The Wacky and Wonderful World of Mystery Shopping

Retail Active the leading Mystery Shopping Customer experience agency has shed light on some of the exciting assignments clients ask them to conduct.

According to Head of Operations - Daniel Smart, Retail Active Mystery Shopping are regularly asked to assess the customer experience for some of the most wacky, weird and wonderful experiences you could possibly imagine. He says "You just couldn't make it up! Whilst on the face of it some of the company's mystery assignments may sound a bit strange, each one has a serious business purpose. Our clients expect the very best, that's why they come to us" .

"Over the last month we have been asked to test customer service at man-made beaches in shopping centres, fly off on holiday to test flights and hotels, attend conferences in Florida and dress as wealthy business people to check services at some of London's most prestigious venues. Perhaps one of the most striking jobs has been to purchase a boat valued over a million pounds. Unfortunately for the Mystery Shopper they had to cancel the order a couple of days later."

Retail Active has had an incredible year with trading significantly ahead of expectations. We work with some of the most recognised brands on the planet. Earlier this year the company moved to new prestigious offices at the internal Space Centre in Oxfordshire.

"It's an exciting time for our team too! Our business is very process driven, so being involved in special assignments that are fun and different makes the job more interesting and we love a challenge."

Commenting, Julian Chamberlain CEO of Retail Active said - "It may sound like a lot of fun. However, behind the scenes is an intensely serious business working hard to ensure that we deliver meaningful information that makes a lasting difference to our client's business performance."

Engage Your Team And Make A Real Difference?

Retail Active the Mystery Shopping and Brand Audit Company has surveyed 732 British companies to determine how motivated they consider their staff to be in the current economic climate. Staggeringly 497 (68%) of the companies participating in the research thought staff motivation was good but had no formal way of measuring corporate culture and employee satisfaction.

Asked if they had used Employee Satisfaction Surveys in the past, 24% said ‘never’ and 83% said they hadn’t undertaken a staff survey within the past 5 years.

Contrastingly, those companies had surveyed their staff do so on an annual or biannual basis, stating that understanding employee motivation and attitudes plays a vital part in delivering their corporate plan.

Whilst many of the companies surveyed had no tangible insight into the motivation of their workforce, those that had conducted research recorded a decline in employee satisfaction over the past year. However, businesses stated that surveying employees enabled them to react to their workforce dissatisfaction.

Julian Chamberlain, CEO of Retail Active Mystery Shopping, says “there has been an alarming decrease in staff satisfaction at companies up and down the country. Our survey highlights the significant benefits’ in understanding how ‘staff feel’ about the company they work for and what would make them become more engaged.

“Understanding customers and their needs has never been more important, in a market where they hold the upper hand. You can’t deliver this without a motivated and engaged team”

“More and more companies are turning to Retail Active for guidance on how to make Employee Engagement the cornerstone of delivering a memorable customer experience strategy.

Given Retail Active’s experience as a Mystery Shopping Company, we know just how critical employee engagement is to sustaining motivation and building commitment, whilst improving business performance.

How engaged are your employees?

Mystery Shoppers Wanted

Fancy eating in some of the UK’s best restaurants and getting paid for it?

Retail Active the top Mystery Shopping Company is looking for people to work undercover to assess levels of service in a chain of fine dining restaurants. This is a fantastic opportunity to visit restaurants in every part of the British Isles and eat gourmet food for free.

Retail Active’s CEO, Julian Chamberlain said: “This is a great opportunity to have a fantastic meal and to experience wonderful food in some of the most prestigious restaurants in the world.
“You will be treated just like any other guest – but secretly you will be making notes on your experience and treatment.

“All we ask is for an accurate and meaningful report, which will provide inside information on the standards of service and quality of food and drinks.

“You will have a great time and help to improve customer service.”

If this doesn’t appeal to you Retail Active offers mystery shopping in a wide variety of business sectors, from high street fashion and luxury holidays to coffee shops and fast food operations.

Retail Active is one of the UK’s leading Mystery Shopping and Brand Audit companies and has prestige partners in the Automotive, Food and Drink, Government, Hotels, Leisure, Retail and Travel sectors.

If you would like to become a mystery shopper, join us by completing the online application at www.retailactive.com

Retail Active - We are hiring!

Account Manager – Excellent Salary and Prospects

Retail Active the leading Brand Audit and Mystery Shopping Company is growing fast and we are looking for exceptional people to join us.

We’re looking for dynamic and passionate individuals who are used to working in a fast paced professional environment.

As Account Manager you will have outstanding presentation skills with the confidence to deliver our unique research in a compelling way. Primarily, you will be responsible for forging solid relationships with clients at all levels, providing them with key insights that will make a meaningful difference to their business performance.

In this role you be responsible for delivering new successful customer experience programmes, giving you unrivalled exposure to some of the world’s best known businesses. Previous experience of mystery shopping and brand auditing is essential, as is having a clear understanding of retail and hospitality environments. Operations Management experience would be extremely advantageous to your application.

This is a unique opportunity to join a highly regarded company with exciting opportunities for the successful applicant.

If you have the relevant background and would like to apply, please send your CV with covering letter to info@retailactive.com stating why you believe you should be considered for the job.