"Undercover Customers" on the Hunt for Great Service

Providing outstanding service takes a tremendous amount of energy and concentration. Sometimes, however, we are so focused on our particular responsibilities that we tend to overlook things which are obvious and easy to find, yet potentially harmful to the goal of customer satisfaction.

Having a third-party observe the situation often reveals simple yet significant things that, if not rectified, will lead to customer dissatisfaction.

Sensor Quality Management Inc. (SQM) is a Canadian company that offers just that. They specialize in providing a third-party evaluation of service from a customer's perspective for hospitality related businesses - hotels, restaurants, banquet halls.

Their "undercover customers" will visit a business and go through the process of buying or inquiring about a product or service. As they do this, they take detailed notes about everything. The appearance of the building and the offices, chipped dinnerware in a restaurant, the state of employee uniforms, potentially dangerous equipment, and anything else tht will impact on the perception a customer forms when they patronize a business.
"If the wrong impression is created," says Creaig Henry, SQM Co-founder, "customers will take their money elsewhere the next time."

The next customer you serve might be from SQM, or the person on the telephone may be the one. You'll never know. But the information that SQM provides about the things that really bug customers or the things that help them form negative impressions will help you and your company develop solutions that work toward achieving 100% customer satisfaction.

For more information about SQM please call (416) 256-9597.