User support: Mystery Shopper Exercise
User support: Mystery Shopper Exercise
Mystery shopping is a suitable method to evaluate the more
informal types of user support eg reference desk enquires and
enquires received by telephone or email.
Mystery shoppers should be typical of real users, so recruiting
students to act as mystery shoppers may be the best option.
The process
You should brief the mystery shoppers by giving them a sample
enquiries and the answer they should expect. The mystery shoppers
should visit (or phone/email) the library on two separate occasions
to help to discover whether the level of service is being provided
depends on the individual staff they encounter or is of a similar
standard regardless of the staff they come into contact with.
The type of sample enquiries will depend on the services you
wish to evaluate. They may be simple directional enquiries, for
example, directions to a particular section of stock; procedural
enquiries, such as the number of items a student may borrow; or
more complex enquiries which require a higher level of staff skill,
for example, how to search a particular database.
Immediately following their visit, the mystery shoppers should
complete and return a feedback form similar to that provided below
(can be adapted for phone/email mystery shopping). This is
deliberately short and simple as the mystery shoppers will have to
fill it in some time afterwards.
Model feedback form
For each of the following questions, please rate how strongly
you agree or disagree with each of the following statements by
circling the appropriate number on the scale:
1. = strongly disagree
2. = disagree
3. = undecided
4. = agree
5. = strongly agree
a. I found the enquiry desk staff very welcoming and
approachable.
1
2
3
4
5
b. I received a full and accurate response to my enquiry.
1
2
3
4
5
c. The library staff checked that I had understood and was happy
with the response.
1
2
3
4
5
d. My enquiry was dealt with efficiently and professionally.
1
2
3
4
5
Further comments:
