We see clients across industries using mystery shopping programs to drive results, but few businesses rely on customer experience as heavily as retail. It has often been said that almost everything in business can be copied, a logo, a product, even a mission statement, but no one can replicate the experience your customers have in your store. In retail, it’s the combination of staff knowledge, service quality, and store presentation that defines the brand.
We spoke with Roy Hannah, General Manager of Spencer’s TV and Appliance, to hear how he uses his mystery shopping program to create a customer experience that aligns with the Spencer’s brand promise. His insights show how these programs uncover actionable insights that drive performance and satisfaction.
Q: Can you provide an overview of your business? How long have you been in business and how many employees? What is your role and how long have you been there?
A: Spencer’s TV and Appliance has been a family owned and operated business in Arizona for 44 years. We have 10 locations and a central warehouse. Two years ago, we became an Employee Owned ESOP company, giving staff a stronger stake in the business. We have just over 200 employees currently. As General Manager, I wear many hats, I am one of the buyers, manage a store location, oversee some advertising, and more. This role gives me a comprehensive view of both operations and the customer experience.
Q: Where are you headed as a business? What kind of growth or management goals do you have?
A: If you aren’t growing, you are falling behind. Our goal is to be the leading appliance retailer in the Phoenix market. That means offering the lowest prices, providing the best customer service, and having the most knowledgeable sales team in the industry. Achieving the largest market share requires consistent performance across all locations, and mystery shopping gives us a way to measure and maintain that standard.
Q: What challenges were you facing, and what motivated you to solve them?
A: The biggest limitation to our growth has always been finding great people. People make or break the business, and we are constantly looking for the right team members to join the family. Our motivation will always be serving our customers, employees, and their families to the best of our abilities. Mystery shopping helps us continually train and evaluate our services to ensure they meet the high standards our customers expect.
Q: Why did you choose our Mystery Shopper Program to help solve this problem?
A: It gives us a behind the scenes look at the way we are serving our customers and allows us to use it as coaching to keep our staff sharp.
Q: What kind of shops are you conducting? How have you found the process?
A: We send shoppers to all 10 locations, and each location is shopped monthly. The shoppers focus on asking product questions to test staff knowledge as well as service level. They also evaluate the location for attractiveness, merchandising, and product placement. Since we are part of BrandSource, and other brands in the family use mystery shopping, we can benchmark each location’s performance against other brands. The process has been easy to customize, and communication with your team has been great.
Q: How have you and your company benefited from your mystery shopping program?
A: Staff tend to make better decisions knowing shoppers will come in to ask questions they should know. Benchmarking locations against each other encourages friendly competition and pride when good scores come in. Recognizing top performers sets the right standards for the rest of the brand locations and reinforces a culture of excellence.
Q: What would you say to other businesses facing similar challenges as you did?
A: Don’t rely on your past accomplishments to carry you forward. It’s what you do today that counts. You need to earn your customers business every day, which requires constant upkeep and growth.
Q: Would you provide us a quote that sums up your feelings about your mystery shopper program?
A: You don’t know what you don’t know. Take the opportunity to shed some light on your people from a different angle, and you’ll be surprised at what you learn. On one hand, you’ll confirm that some team members are doing exactly what they should, and you can recognize and praise them. On the other hand, you’ll find areas where you can and should improve. Mystery shopping, as demonstrated by Spencer’s TV and Appliance, goes beyond simple evaluation. It provides actionable insights that drive performance, accountability, and a stronger overall brand experience. For retail businesses, understanding how customers experience every touch point is essential to staying competitive and delivering consistent high quality service
