Going Undercover in the Heart of Sherwood Forest

The BBC2 Business programme Working Lunch went undercover in Robin Hood’s old lair in the heart of Sherwood Forest – for a modern-day mystery shopping expedition to the popular holiday resort of Center Parcs.

BBC TV reporter Rob Pittam joined a “secret service” team from Britain’s leading mystery shopping company Retail Active – as they checked on the standard of customer service at the resort.

Retail Active mystery shopping carries out undercover surveys for a wide variety of businesses across the UK, to help employers improve service levels and reward examples of excellent service.

Rob said: “There is a secret army of undercover shoppers at work across the country. Posing as genuine customers, they compile reports on the kind of service they receive. It helps companies to keep their customers loyal – especially during a recession.

“Center Parcs is one of Retail Active’s clients and we were invited to join them on one of their secret missions.”

Retail Active’s managing director, Julian Chamberlain said: “Companies like Center Parcs, who are keen to maintain the highest standards, come to us looking for ways to get feedback about their customers and ways to make a real improvement. We are part of that.

“We are seeing an increase in business during the recession – companies really want to learn more about what their customers think about them.”

Center Parcs’ management say information from mystery shoppers is vital to find out what the Center Parcs experience is like for their guests.

Sharon Matton , Center Parcs UK Guest Services manager said: “It is very dynamic, we get the information back from the mystery guests within 48 hours of the visit.

“If there is anything we need to look at or improve upon – we can do so straight away.

“We also use mystery shoppers to recognise excellent behaviour and we have some great examples of that.

“We don’t look at it as snooping – we have been very clear with our colleagues from the beginning that it is a learning tool. They actually welcome the comments and feedback.”

PICTURE: BBC2 Working Lunch reporter Rob Pittam with Janet Westwood and Julian Chamberlain from Retail Active, as they prepare for their undercover mission to the Center Parcs resort in Sherwood Forest, Nottinghamshire

Earn Extra Dosh Working as a Mystery Shopper

This article appeared in The Sun newspaper, Thursday 22nd October 2009


Earn extra dosh working as a mystery shopper

Join the secret service!


Fancy being paid to eat in top restaurants, go on holiday or test luxury yachts?

You could do all these things as a mystery shopper.

The job is an increasingly popular way of topping up your income and enjoying valuable perks. It also fits around your lifestyle. Paul Prowse, from financial advice website Moneymagpie.com, says almost anyone can be a mystery shopper.

He says: “All you have to do is be an actual customer in a shop or restaurant or hotel then say what you think of them afterwards. “You don’t need any qualifications but you do need excellent observation skills, a good memory and strong opinions.”

“Typically, you’ll be given a brief and a checklist of things to look out for. You need to follow your instructions (without letting anybody know you are testing them), evaluate the response and then provide feedback – usually through an online questionnaire. “For example you might go to a pizza restaurant, order some pizza and judge the cleanliness of the restaurant, the helpfulness of the staff, and the quality of the food.”

Paul adds: “Pay rates vary from company to company and depend on the work. Generally, you can expect to earn £5 - £25 per task plus expenses.”

“Make sure you find the right mystery shopping agency for you. Some department stores, like Selfridges, run their own schemes. But never pay to join a company – it’s likely to be a scam.”

Linda Smith signed up with Retail Active Mystery Shopping and ended up posing as the owner of a luxury yacht to check out facilities at a swish marina. The 57- year-old business studies teacher from Southampton says: “It is a great way to earn extra pin money and have fun as well.”

“I’ve never owned a boat but I had to read up on them and about tides so I could ask the right questions. Then I was asked to visit all their other marinas, where they gave me the red carpet treatment every time.”

“I’ve also had to check out the NHS by phoning hospitals and testing the quality of service delivered to patients.“

“You always get a full briefing on the background to the job and the questions you need to ask”

Julian Chamberlain, of Retail Active, says: “We employ thousands of mystery shoppers. It is perfect if you want a second income or you’re a student.”

“Payment depends on the size and nature of the assignment but we’ve just paid some shoppers more than £200 for a single job.”

“Plus you’re keeping businesses on their toes.”

RECESSION HITS CUSTOMER SERVICE ON HIGH STREET

More than half of High Street shoppers say customer service has declined since the recession began to bite a year ago.

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

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.



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.

“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 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, Asda, and Tesco.

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.”

Further detailed information about the survey is available at www.retailactive.com

Lexus Wins J.D. Power Award for the 9th Time

Lexus the luxury car manufacturer has won the prestigious J.D. Power Award for a remarkable 9th time.

The 2009 UK Vehicle Ownership Satisfaction Study (VOSS) is the successor study to the UK Customer Satisfaction Index (CSI). It is based on the evaluations of over 15,700 online interviews from UK car owners after an average of two years of ownership. The study included 101 models and 29 brands.

The survey covers four measurements of satisfaction and 67individual attributes; owners provide detailed evaluations of the dealerships and their vehicles.

'Lexus consistently delivers an exceptional ownership experience for customers in the UK,' said Susan Barnes, European automotive director at J.D. Power and Associates.

Julian Chamberlain, managing director of Retail Active Mystery Shopping, one of Britain’s leading business intelligence agencies, said: “We are very proud to work with such a highly acclaimed brand that delivers such consistent excellence.

“Retail Active has supported the Lexus network for the past two years, working with them to raise the standards of the retail network. Retail Active operates at the forefront of excellence and we are delighted to work closely with Lexus GB, this award is testimony to the excellence they deliver.”

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

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.