From time to time, you may find yourself in a rut that you’re struggling to get out of. It could be that you haven’t stuck to the healthy eating plan you’d intended to and don’t feel bikini ready for your upcoming getaway in the sun. Or maybe the light has lost its flicker in your love life and you’re keen to get it back on track. We’ve all been there or thereabouts…
Unfortunately, the same can happen in your business. So, if you feel like your business has hit a bit of a lull, it’s time to kick a new lease of life into it!
Take yourself on a Mystery Shopping Trip
Mystery shopping has been around for decades. Its premise is that a stranger is paid to use the services or buy products from businesses and rate them on how good the experience was. However, the kind of mystery shopping trip we want you to take is a little different…
Aim High
Take yourself out on a beauty shopping trip, pick a salon or spa that you’ve always wanted to go to and have aspirations of your place being similar to. The idea is to go and see what it’s really like from the minute you walk in the door to the feelings you experience when you leave. It’s a totally self-indulgent form of research which is why we absolutely love it!
Pay Close Attention
When you conduct your mystery shopping salon adventure, pay attention to every single detail and compare it to how you currently do things. Think about:
How they greet you-
Including from initial point of contact, whether this is on the phone, messenger or in person. Are they warm, smiley and friendly? Prompt and courteous? Are you acknowledged as soon as possible? Consider what would improve the experience, how does it compare to your own business?
How is the service?
Are they thorough and informative during your consultation? Do you feel at ease, calm, relaxed and comfortable? What is it, in particular, they do to give you these feelings; language, tone, confidence, product knowledge, body language, eye contact, smiles, reassurance. We’re sure the service you provide is also very good so it may be only very small details you are looking for to make an improvement in your own business.
What are their complimentary services like?
Have you been offered a drink, snack, or something to read? If so, what is their crockery like? Personally, I like to drink tea from a Wedgwood bone china cup, we’re not saying you need to go to this level, but when you are paying for a service and experience it is nice to feel that you are receiving something more than you could at home and so these sorts of touches add to the feeling of indulgence and luxury. A green tea might be a nice accompaniment to a detoxifying or purifying facial. Some luxury hand cream to use in the toilets (which you could retail to boost income).
Would you go back?
Enjoy your time, soak it all in, and then go back to your own business and repeat this process for your own business. Analyse it, in the same way, to establish how you can make improvements. It’s a great way to not only pamper yourself for a change but to also seek inspiration and guidance at a time when you’re not feeling creative or motivated. Another alternative is to get a professional mystery shopper or a trusted (and honest) friend in to do this for you. This will give you more objective feedback but be prepared to accept the criticism and use it constructively to improve.
