Design A Mystery Shopping Program That Evaluates The Online Customer Experience

Customer Experience measurement can help your team unlock vital information about the way that customers perceive your existing platform.

The data provided by these programs can serve as an essential building block to any leading Customer Experience program because it comes directly from the mouth of the consumer. Traditionally, the focus of these programs is to measure employee performance within individual interactions, quantify customer effort and ensure adherence to compliance standards. However, as the interactions between brands and consumers becomes increasingly digital, the focus of these programs needs to make a congruent shift to match these changing customer desires. Find a vendor that will design a program that allows your brand to capture key data about online site performance, ease-of-use and its ability to maintain your overall brand identity.

One great aspect about online mystery shopping programs is that because the shopper does not have to leave their home, it requires less from the evaluators, making them attractive opportunities that are easy to fill. Typically, these programs will measure the eCommerce functions of your online identity, but they can also be granulized to measure more specific aspects like online service ability. Specifically, these programs should instruct evaluators to measure the time it takes to complete your ideal user experience, as well as monitor the way that employees or AI-technology interact with customers via a chat platform. Once you collect information provided by evaluators, you can pin down exactly which moments are underperforming and set up specific objectives to improve these points along the customer journey.

While it is important to monitor the direct human-to-human interactions on your site, these programs need to focus on technical aspects of your organizational website as well. In fact, in the next two years, it is estimated that 85% of a customer’s interactions with a brand will occur without any other humans.Thus, it is essential that the technical components of your digital Customer Experience are performing up to brand expectations, and those that do not will find that they are consistently ranking below those competitors that do make the necessary investment to create and retain a high-performance website. Digital mystery shoppers can help your leadership determine whether the technology on your site is functioning appropriately across all available browsers and platforms and will alert your team about any glaring missteps that may be impacting your digital brand reputation.

Another area to focus your online mystery shopping program on is omnichannel consistency. Advanced technology has adjusted customer expectations to the point where they desire a seamless transition between all channels provided by your organization. Whether they are phoning into a call-center, walking into your brick-and-mortar location or logging on to your website, there should be a consistent level of service being provided. According to DataMentors, businesses that do adopt omnichannel strategies have been shown to achieve 91% greater year-over-year customer retention rates, a key signifier of a great Customer Experience.

Without a measurement program, your leadership will be operating in the dark, making it impossible to be sure that any actions you take will be the right prescription for whatever struggles may be occurring within your Customer Experience platform. Implementing mystery shopping programs that instruct evaluators to measure the effectiveness, aesthetic and service provided by your brand’s website will help further cement your organization as a leader within the industry you encompass.

Online Customer Experience FAQs

How can a mystery shopping program evaluate the online customer experience?

A mystery shopping program can evaluate the online customer experience by assessing website performance, ease of navigation, checkout processes, and customer interactions through chat or AI. This helps identify areas needing improvement to enhance the overall digital experience.

Why is omnichannel consistency important in online mystery shopping?

Omnichannel consistency ensures that customers receive the same quality of service across all touchpoints, whether online, in-store, or via phone. Evaluating this consistency helps brands deliver a seamless and integrated customer experience.

What technical aspects should be assessed in online mystery shopping?

Technical aspects like website functionality across different browsers, platform performance, and response times are crucial to assess. Ensuring these elements work smoothly is essential for maintaining a high-quality online customer experience.

The true path to customer joy begins with immersion. At Second To None, we don’t simply ask your customers about their perceptions, observations, interactions, and experiences.

We truly become your customers.

Snapshot is our mystery shopping program, which has been core to our company since our founding in 1989. Whether in-store, online, on app, or beyond, we uncover key drivers of the customer experience that are responsible for improving customer satisfaction. You’ll understand what customers are experiencing each and every day. Learn more about Snapshot.