• Mystery Shopping your Customer Experience

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    Updated: 15th April, 2025 | Created: 14th February, 2022
    Proinsight Staff Chloe

    Chloe Kinch

    Director of Client Success | Proinsight Mystery Shopping

    Whilst the first lockdown to stop the spread of COVID-19 feels like a lifetime ago, thankfully, lots of businesses in the retail sector are now able to welcome customers into their stores though and many consumers are happy to be swapping online shopping for in-person shopping again.  

     

    You may recall seeing a blog we wrote last year about how businesses in the UK are keeping their customers safe and whilst a lot has changed since this time in terms of law and restrictions, it is still important that as a business owner you are doing all you can to protect your customers. Customers value safety measures, such as; wearing masks, encouraging hand sanitising and regular cleaning, and a Mystery Shopping Covid-19 Recovery Audit can help you ensure you’re not hindering your own success by not actively keeping your customers safe.   

     

    What is a Covid-19 Recovery Audit? 

     

    Here at Proinsight, we worked hard during the midst of the pandemic to create our Covid-19 Recovery Audits. These special mystery shops are designed to measure how safe your customers perceive your retail store to be and how they feel when visiting your store at this moment in time. Our audits can be customised to suit your unique requirements and we will work closely with you to ensure they’re as beneficial as possible for your business. 

     

    Why is it important to ensure your customers feel safe? 

     

    It goes without saying that it is essential that your customers feel safe when visiting your store, even now when the worst of the pandemic is predicted to be behind us. Lots of people are still very cautious about venturing out and getting back to a pre-pandemic ‘normal’, and they will be worried about the increased risk of transmission in places like retail stores. By going above and beyond to ensure your store is perceived to be a safe place, you can prevent the pandemic from having a negative impact on your sales and your success in 2022.  

     

    When you work closely with retail mystery shoppers, you can get a useful insight into your new customer journey. The feedback you receive about the coronavirus precautions you have in place will enable you to make any required changes, ensuring your customers feel comfortable shopping with you at this time. Ultimately, the safer customers feel when they’re in your store, the more likely they will be to return and this can prevent you from losing out on all-important sales as you recover from lengthy closures over the past couple of years.  

     

    Of course, how you handle coronavirus safety precautions will also have a huge impact on your business’s reputation. You can almost guarantee that customers will discuss their experience in-store with family and friends, especially if it was a negative experience, and this can be really damaging. Implementing any changes suggested by a retail mystery shopper and using their feedback to better your customer experience in-store will be incredibly beneficial.  

     

    Safety remains to be the top priority for consumers as they begin shopping in brick and mortar stores again, and it is likely that this will be the case for the foreseeable future. Starting to work with a retail mystery shopper as soon as possible will prevent any lasting damage from being caused to your business, helping to ensure you come out the other side of the pandemic in a strong market position.  

     

    Working with Proinsight in 2022 

     

    If you’d like to speak to a member of the Proinsight team about how our mystery shopping services can assist you in more detail, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us today. We will gladly take the time to discuss our Covid-19 Recovery Audit with you and answer any initial questions that you may have. Of course, we provide a wide range of other retail mystery shopping services too and we can help you improve your customer experience in a number of different ways, so there is no better way to kick start the new year. We have seen first-hand just how much of a difference the insight gained through mystery shopping can make and we look forward to assisting you further in this regard.  


    David Hopkins

    David Hopkins

    Managing Director at Proinsight Mystery Shopping

    David has a long history in the business of doing good business. In 2008, he co-founded Proleisure, a leisure consulting company, where he identified a growing need for deeper customer insights across the industry. This led to the launch of Proinsight Mystery Shopping in 2014, with a vision to provide businesses with the valuable data needed to enhance customer experience.

    Now, as we approach our 10th year, Proinsight has become a leading provider of specialist mystery shopping, auditing, and research programs, serving a diverse range of sectors across the UK including real estate, fitness, retail, hospitality, and so many more. We remain committed to helping our clients achieve excellence and drive meaningful improvements in their businesses.

    David is deeply committed to enhancing customer service across all industries. His passion lies in providing valuable mystery shopping insights that empower clients to take actionable steps towards improvement. By delivering these insights directly, David helps businesses create effective strategies to elevate their customer experience and drive meaningful change.


    Chloe Kinch

    Chloe Kinch

    Director of Client Success at Proinsight Mystery Shopping

    Chloe joined Proinsight Mystery Shopping as an Account Manager in 2017. Prior to her role at Proinsight, she served as National Sales Manager at Parkwood Leisure, where she gained extensive experience in exceeding customer expectations and developed a deep understanding of the leisure industry.

    Chloe quickly advanced within Proinsight, progressing from Account Manager in 2017 to Head of Client Success in 2020, and ultimately to Director of Client Success and shareholder in 2022. In her current role, she leads client relationships with prestigious brands such as David Lloyd, Dyson, and Apple. Chloe is responsible for designing bespoke mystery shopping programs tailored to each client's specific needs, aimed at enhancing customer service and optimising sales processes across various industries, including real estate, hospitality, retail, leisure, and more.


    Lucy Winn

    Lucy Winn

    Brand and Communications Manager at Proinsight Mystery Shopping

    After graduating with a degree in Marketing from the University of Westminster, Lucy successfully grew and scaled her own e-commerce womenswear clothing business over a span of four years, expanding into international retail markets including Japan, the US, and France. With extensive expertise in brand development and digital communications, Lucy has driven commercial growth through strategic initiatives like influencer marketing, digital campaign management, and both online and offline retail expansion.

    In July 2024, she joined Proinsight Mystery Shopping as Brand and Communications Manager, where she leads the strategy and management of all digital platforms, including the website and social media, with a focus on driving shopper sign-ups and generating client leads. Additionally, she oversees event management for both internal company days and major external summits like Connect CX. At these events, we emphasise the critical importance of exceptional customer service across various industries, positioning it as a cornerstone of a brand’s overall UX strategy.


    Robert Brocklesby

    Robert Brocklesby

    Senior Client Success Manager

    Robert is a Senior Client Success Manager at Proinsight, bringing over 20 years of consultancy and industry experience in customer service measurement and development. Throughout his career, he has led numerous high-impact projects for well-known clients across the UK, spanning a wide range of sectors. His work has consistently driven significant improvements in customer experience and contributed to sustainable, profitable growth.

    Robert recognises that each client is unique. He designs tailored Mystery Shopping programmes to monitor, enhance, and elevate the customer journey, aligning with each organisation’s specific goals. In addition to his consultancy work, Robert is a qualified teacher and regularly delivers customer service workshops. These sessions focus on identifying key strengths and uncovering areas for development, empowering frontline teams to drive continuous improvement.


    Deborah Jones

    Deborah Jones

    Senior Client Success Manager at Proinsight Mystery Shopping

    Debs has spent the last 25 years working in the health and fitness, hospitality, leisure, and childcare industries, holding senior management and consultancy roles. She has also enjoyed some backpacking and travel adventures along the way! In her spare time, she loves all things health and wellness, spending time with friends and family, and hiking with her lovely dog!