Latest Podcast



Featured Articles

Ofcom helps protect customers against unexpected roaming charges

Ofcom helps protect customers against unexpected roaming charges

UK service providers must notify customers when they connect to a different network

New rules from UK telecoms regulator Ofcom will protect customers when they use their mobile phone on a foreign network. In addition, customers will be alerted if they are inadvertently roaming, perhaps because they're near an international border.
Author: The Fonecast
0 Comments
Article rating: No rating

Global smartphone market is set for recovery, says new forecast

A new forecast from research specialists Canalys shows the smartphone market is set to recover next year. Worldwide shipments declined by 12% last year but that decline is expected to slow to 5% this year.
Author: The Fonecast
0 Comments
Article rating: No rating
Vodafone and Three plan to merge their UK businesses

Vodafone and Three plan to merge their UK businesses

New Hutchison/Vodafone network would be biggest UK operator

Vodafone Group plc and CK Hutchison Group Telecom Holdings Limited have agreed to combine their UK telecommunication businesses, respectively Vodafone UK and Three UK. The merger will create a large new network operator to compete with Virgin Media O2 and EE.
Author: The Fonecast
0 Comments
Article rating: No rating

UK mobile payment service Paym to close in March 2023

UK mobile payment service Paym will close on 7th March 2023. The service, which allowed users to make and receive payments using their mobile phone numbers, was launched in 2014.
Author: The Fonecast
0 Comments
Article rating: No rating
Qualcomm legal action moves forward in the UK

Qualcomm legal action moves forward in the UK

Which? seeks payout for Samsung and Apple smartphone owners

Consumer protection organisation Which? has been given permission by the UK's Competition Appeal Tribunal to represent Apple and Samsung smartphone buyers in a legal case against chip manufacturer Qualcomm.
Author: The Fonecast
0 Comments
Article rating: No rating
RSS

Opinion Articles

Wednesday, September 21, 2011

Not all mystery shopping is a complete mystery

Mark Bridge writes:

If you’ve worked in retail, you’re probably aware of the ‘mystery shopper’. This is someone who appears to be a regular consumer but is actually reviewing your performance. Perhaps they’re working for your employer, maybe they’re conducting an independent survey, they may even be reporting for a magazine or newspaper. But they’re about as welcome as a knock on the front door when you’re at home in the shower.

Mystery shopping as we know it now is around 70 years old. It’s usually aimed either to find out if things are working properly or to compare performance. So, if you work in a shop, you may find you’re being checked by your employer - and your performance may also be reported by a trade publication or research organisation.

The result, much to the delight of many employers, is that staff work hard to provide good customer service… just in case they’re being ‘mystery shopped’.

Why am I mentioning all this?  Well, imagine a situation where you know there’s a mystery shopper on the way. And imagine you know that your competitors aren’t aware of the mystery customer. What an opportunity, eh?  A few weeks of hard work and your company could top the charts for customer service.

Let me transport you now to Watford, home of mobile phone recycling company Mazuma Mobile. They recently asked Service Science to impartially evaluate nine UK mobile phone recyclers. The best performance overall came from Mazuma, which also claimed first place for best service quality and the fastest service. These results were announced in a celebratory press release earlier this week.

Now, I’m not doubting the integrity of Service Science. But it’s hard not to get the impression that Mazuma could have been at something of an advantage throughout the process. To be honest, I’d say it never looks particularly good if you’ve paid for a survey that shows you to be outperforming your competitors.

Then again, maybe I’m just a cynic.

Print
Author: The Fonecast
0 Comments
Rate this article:
No rating

Categories: Retailing, OpinionNumber of views: 16022

Tags: uk research opinion customer service recycling

Leave a comment

This form collects your name, email, IP address and content so that we can keep track of the comments placed on the website. For more info check our Privacy Policy and Terms Of Use where you will get more info on where, how and why we store your data.
Add comment

Recent Podcasts

Ofcom straightens out contracts, LG makes a curved phone and a mobile security company is accused of crooked dealings

Podcast - 30th October 2013

We start this week's podcast with Ofcom's announcement that it's clarifying the rules for fixed-term mobile phone contracts.

There's also a new curved smartphone from LG, accusations about a mobile security company, information about mobile phone thefts, a report into the UK's communications infrastructure and some quarterly results figures.

Author: The Fonecast
0 Comments
Article rating: No rating

The world of mobile payments

Podcast - 28th October 2013

M-commerce and mobile payments are terms that can mean several different things.

In this special podcast we learn more about the subject by talking to Tim Green, editor-in-chief of Mobile Money Revolution.

Author: The Fonecast
0 Comments
Article rating: No rating

What is HTML5 and what does it mean for mobile?

Podcast - 25th October 2013

HTML5 is often described as the shape of things to come; sometimes as the future of the web and sometimes as the nemesis of native mobile applications.

But exactly what is 'HTML 5' - and what does it mean to the mobile industry?

Author: The Fonecast
0 Comments
Article rating: No rating

New tablets coming to the UK from Nokia, Apple, Amazon and Argos

Podcast - 23rd October 2013

There's plenty of product news in this week's podcast, with a new Apple iPad and new tablets from Nokia and Argos as well.

We also talk about HMV's battle with the Apple App Store, new 4G tariffs from Tesco Mobile, Samsung's patent proposals and a complaint about coverage maps.

Author: The Fonecast
0 Comments
Article rating: No rating

Mobile app promotion - top tips and salient stats

Podcast - 18th October 2013

If you've created a mobile application, you'll want people to download it, use it and tell their friends. But how can you ensure that as many people as possible know about your app?

Today's podcast is designed to help with some of the answers. It was recorded in London at the very first App Promotion Summit earlier this year.

Author: The Fonecast
0 Comments
Article rating: No rating
RSS
First1112131416181920Last

Follow thefonecast.com

Twitter @TheFonecast RSS podcast feed
Find us on Facebook Subscribe free via iTunes

Archive Calendar

«November 2024»
MonTueWedThuFriSatSun
28293031123
45678910
11121314151617
18192021222324
2526272829301
2345678

Archive

Terms Of Use | Privacy Statement