Creating a Future That Works.

Background

The business analysis outcome was that in particilar one deparment - the mystery shopping department - was facing mainly the following challenges:

  • Very ressource intense work regarding mystery shopper search, mystery shopper administration, result processing and creation of the end reports for the clients.
  • Difficulties in finding mystery shoppers.
  • High error rate during data analysis.
  • Low employee satisfaction, working overtime was standard.
  • Low IT skill at adminstration employees resulting in high working hours.
  • Weak market position. Competition was organised much more efficient and professional.
  • No profit at year-end.

Regaring the general processes of the company the customer relationship management and the acquisition process were very ressource and cost intense.

 

Recommendation

  • Outsourcing of mystery shopper search and administration.
  • Optimising the data analysis and report creation by using a survey software instead of Word and Excel.
  • Implemtation of a CRM Software including udate of the IT infrastructure.
  • Introducing the "Love Story" priniciple for client relationship management.
  • Optimisation of several templates used for mystery marketing and acquisition activities.

Since the budget for organisational improvements was very low due to the poor profit situation high creative problem solving was required. The above recommendations required minimal costs.

 

Results

  • Decrease of labour costs by 50%.
  • Decrease of error rate for data analysis by almost 100%.
  • The organisation work per mystery shopper decreased from 2 hours to 10 minutes.
  • Improvement of employee satisfaction.

Despite of all the actions taken and the positive outcomes the market position of the departement remained weak in comparison to the competition. Without investing a larger sum in the technical infrastructure required for mystery marketing activities the company would not have survived on the mid-term.  Therefore the management decided based on the business analysis to end its activities in mystery marketing. Also in this process of change I was heavily involved in for example employee coaching and finding potential partners/buyers.

The company has developed itself very successfully and is now consulting 30 of the 50 leading Swiss and international brands such as Swisscom, Heineken, Emmi, Audemars Piguet and Ricola.

CONFIDENTIAL