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This is Fred Ball for Zions Bank, speaking on business.
On a grading scale from A to F, what would you say the general quality of customer service is here in Utah? Average or above? Surprisingly, experts say we score at about a D-. The country as a whole has us beat, but not by much. Customer service nationwide scores a D.
So how can we improve? Well, some companies that consider customer satisfaction an integral part of their success have adopted a program for measuring the quality of service they provide. It’s called mystery shopping. The program involves anonymous individuals or mystery shoppers who act as regular clients for specific businesses. On assignment, they call on the business and then determine how well service is delivered. Employees are scored according to a variety of criteria that might include such things as appearance, manners and sales expertise.
It’s not a new a concept. But up until two years ago, Utah businesses had to look out of state to find a company that offered mystery shopping. It was at that time that Judy and Richard Bell realized they could provide those services along with the merchandising business they offered through their company Rocky Mountain Merchandising. Now, it is known as Rocky Mountain Merchandising and Research, and it’s what hundreds of Utah businesses rely on for determining their level of customer service.
Larry Christensen, who oversees the company’s mystery shopping division, said they evaluate everything from apartment management services to orthodontists. And they have access to a network of some 20,000 contracted shoppers throughout the western states who can match the profile of any customer.
Larry said Rocky Mountain’s services have produced substantial results. A local golf shop, for example, improved sales by $13,000 in one month. Considering that, Rocky Mountain Merchandising and Research might just be Utah’s solution to a better grade in customer satisfaction.
For Zions Bank, I'm Fred Ball. I'm speaking on business.
