From ad agencies to ethnographers and companies like Paco Underhill's Envirosell, lots of companies offer shopper insights about why customers buy or leave—and what it takes to encourage more sales. Usually, when it comes to shopper insights, it's the physical world of store layout, signage, shelving, etc. that's addressed. But when it comes to how much customers buy and whether they will return to buy again, there is a whole other dimension at stake and that's the realm of employee-to-customer engagement.

Of course, as an executive, witnessing these interactions all around you every day, you may feel you know how things are going. But do you? Could you be missing something? What do you do with these observations? Do you have precise metrics and specific language to discuss what's going on on your front line? If not, you could be missing key information. As Peter Drucker aptly quipped, “what gets measured, gets managed.” At Interaction Metrics, we've developed models specific to the task of measuring the customer service aspects of the customer experience.

Depending on your company and the kind of experience you offer, we will evaluate how your customer service associates interact using methods that include persona-driven secret shops and interviews with buying and browsing customers. In addition, if capturing a marketplace perspective is relevant to you, we will study your competition too.

You'll get a Shopper Insights Service Evaluation Report that includes:

• An objective metrics dashboard highlighting the big picture.
• Drill-down comparisons and details showing where to focus your efforts.
• Shopper insights into how you currently engage customers and what it will take to engage for greater gain.

From there, we can provide customer service planning or, we can equip your customer service trainers with all our recommendations, examples and other curriculum.

Here's a couple of examples of how a Shopper Insights Service Evaluation Report can benefit your company.

Perhaps you are an apparel retailer looking to increase average order size. We'll evaluate how well your staff:

• Greets customers—are they welcoming and positive? Or tired and annoyed?
• Sets the stage for sales—do they make sure every customer knows about your current sales or promotions? Or do the customers have to bring it up themselves?
• Offers to help—do the customers have to go back out to the shop floor to find different sizes? Or do your reps make sure every customer gets the perfect fit?
• Makes relevant product suggestions—do they help customers complete their looks with accessories? Do they gush about the amazing cut on your new jeans? Or do they seem like they could care less about what you sell?

Or, if you are a medical practice looking to boost your elective procedures volume, we take a critical eye to your appointments and consultation process and use realistic secret shops to find shopper insights that will keep your schedule full.

Our evaluation identifies critical decision-making factors for procedures (elective and otherwise) such as:

• Difficulty or ease of scheduling. Did the customer have to call 2 or 3 times just to speak to the right person? Or was the scheduling process simple and straightforward?
• Whether the customer was fully informed about financing and discounting options. Did staff explain the long-term value of the procedure? Have your associates checked if the customer is eligible for any discounts?
• If medical staff clearly emphasize the safety of the procedure. Has the customer been fully assured that they're in good hands?
• Whether staff differentiated your practice. Did they describe your doctor's experience? What about the practice's unique approaches or equipment?

Whether you need a multi-store study conducted in hundreds of locations or you have a single storefront that you think could benefit from shopper insights, let's discuss our persona-driven approach to secret shops and the specifics of our Customer Service Evaluation Shopper Insights methods.

Who benefits from Customer Service Evaluation Shopper Insights?

• Specialty Retailers
• Medical Practices: alternative, traditional and elective
• Big Box Stores: electronics, sporting goods, etc.
• Restaurants: chain and individually owned