If you have read our previous blog post, you should have some understanding of all the factors that affect execution, so I’d like to talk about the strategies that we implement internally to maximize fulfillment. For context, about 65-70% of shops typically get picked up organically in our system each month, leaving us with the remainder that we need to go out and actively recruit people for. We have a dedicated scheduling team that works full-time all month long on this project, and here are some of the things they are doing:
Targeted Emails
Our software provider has a robust email system built into their platform that our scheduling team uses throughout the month to send emails looking for people to fill shops in the areas where we need help. We send hundreds of thousands of emails each month, but we need to be careful to follow the anti-spam rules and limitations, as well.
Targeted Calls
We can also make calls to our shoppers right through our software platform. From these calls, we build lists sorted with the most experienced and qualified shoppers at the top. This strategy works for finding extra bodies to perform retail shops or entertainment audits but is also very time-intensive, as our team makes thousands of calls per week.
Text Messaging
We recognize that not everyone checks their email and that they may be prone to ignore a phone call if it is coming from an unfamiliar number. In some instances where calls and emails don’t do the trick, we can also send text messages out to people.
Bonus Money
Sometimes as much as we may try to recruit a shopper, they may turn the job down because they feel it doesn’t pay enough or the compensation isn’t worth the time and effort that goes into conducting a thorough shop. So, if all else fails, we have a small surplus built into our fee structure for offering people more money in urgent situations at the end of the month.
Routes
When we have multiple available shops in close proximity, we will often try to bundle them together for shoppers. With the ease of access between multiple shopping points, they can have the opportunity to make a few extra dollars, and we can get more shops done. Of course, this depends on how much time the shopper has, as our model is designed to be flexible to accommodate their lives.
New Shopper Recruitment
We use referral programs, Google ads, Facebook ads, and many other means to find new people in certain areas. This strategy tends to be more of a long-term approach to building up the shopper pool.
Weekly and Monthly Meetings
We review our execution internally every week and at the end of every month to help focus our scheduling team on the right accounts. We will also brainstorm ways to change or improve programs with our clients to help increase execution.
As always, if you have questions about your program’s execution rate or the shopper pool that we have access to in your local area(s), please don’t hesitate to reach out. We strive to be as open and transparent as possible so that you can have a successful mystery shopping program built around collecting the feedback you are looking for.
If you are looking to implement secret shoppers into your marketing research to improve your customer experience, reach out to 360 Relay today.