MYSTERY SHOPPING
The Case For Mystery
Shopping In Our
Fledgling Economy
By Walter Nyabundi
M
ystery Shopping in Kenya
and East Africa has long
been used almost exclusively
by companies in the financial services,
telecommunications and retail sectors.
Shopping is constantly being refined
through innovation.
While not an entirely new concept
in this part of the world, the benefits
and advantages that can accrue from
consistent and properly conducted
Mystery Shopping exercises are yet to be
fully appreciated by players outside the
aforementioned sectors. The country’s
hospitality sector especially is one that
would benefit immensely from regular
Mystery Shopping. Recently, I was privileged to attend a
workshop organized by the Mystery
Shopping Providers Association (MSPA)
Europe on the sidelines of the 2nd
Edition of the African Market Research
Association (AMRA) Africa Forum
hosted in Nairobi. What struck me
during our deliberations that invol ved
participants from markets as diverse as
Sweden, Belgium, Nigeria and South
Africa is that while every market has
challenges unique to it, there are a number
of shared challenges.
Mystery Shopping conducted properly
can optimize a company’s performance.
In established consumer markets such as
Europe and the United States, Mystery Key among these shared challenges is the
worrying dearth of competent mystery
shoppers, as well as the growing reluctance
by companies to invest in Mystery
Mystery Shopping in Kenya and East Africa has
long been used almost exclusively by compa-
nies in the financial services, telecommunica-
tions and retail sectors. While not an entirely
new concept in this part of the world, the ben-
efits and advantages that can accrue from con-
sistent and properly conducted Mystery Shop-
ping exercises are yet to be fully appreciated by
players outside the aforementioned sectors.
64 MAL23/18 ISSUE
Shopping as they opt for other methods
of gauging customer experience perceived
to be less costly such as crowdsourcing.
Nonetheless, Mystery Shopping especially
in advanced markets, continues to break
new ground with the evolution of exciting
variations. Some of the notable ones
are: Mystery Shopper Panels, Mystery
Shopping with Feedback, Employee
Implants and Integrity Mystery Shopping.
Incidentally, there is now software for
Mystery Shopping that is widely available
despite the eye watering financial outlay
required to make it viable. In markets
such as Belgium, France and Netherlands,
Mystery Shopping practitioners have
taken to hosting regular Mystery
Shopping Days for members of the public
primarily to grow their knowledge of it.
One might be tempted to ask, what makes
Mystery Shopping such an enticing
prospect compared to regular Customer
Satisfaction Surveys? First off, as opposed
to Customer Satisfaction Surveys which
are based almost entirely on respondents’
opinions, Mystery Shopping is fairly
objective. Mystery Shopping can also be
conducted as many times as your client
wants, while Customer Satisfaction
Surveys can only be conducted so many
number of times. Crucially, Mystery
Shopping measures moments of truth.
Properly implemented, Mystery Shopping
can improve Customer Experience
through the development of compelling
and impactful narratives.