• Mystery Shopping your Customer Experience

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    Updated: 14th April, 2025 | Created: 13th February, 2023
    Proinsight Staff Chloe

    Chloe Kinch

    Director of Client Success | Proinsight Mystery Shopping

    Valentine’s Day is one of the busiest days of the year for businesses in the hospitality industry. Restaurants, bars, hotels and spas are among some of the most popular places to celebrate this day of love. From romantic dinners to couples’ massages, Valentine’s Day brings in a huge influx of customers who are looking for special ways to show their love and appreciation for their significant other.

     

    A lot of hard work goes into making Valentine’s Day special for customers and businesses will start planning weeks in advance to ensure they’re ready for a surge in customers. In addition to preparing for more customers, businesses also need to ensure they’re prepared to provide top-notch service and offer their guests a memorable experience.

     

    If you’re looking for a way to improve your customer experience this Valentine’s Day, working with a mystery shopping agency can be beneficial. Below we have explored the demands of Valentine’s Day and how mystery shoppers can help hospitality businesses in more detail.

     

    The pressure of Valentine’s Day in the hospitality industry

     

    The lead-up to Valentine’s Day can be a very stressful time for businesses in the hospitality industry. Lots of people want to make special plans for this day, resulting in an abundance of bookings and your diary is likely to be full during the week of Valentine’s. Customers often expect high levels of service too and they want to have an enjoyable experience with your business. Not to mention, they can also expect discounts or other special offers at this time.

     

    When there is an increased demand for services, it can be difficult to meet customer requirements, especially if you are operating with the same number of employees. Smaller businesses, in particular, can struggle to accommodate a surge of customers around Valentine’s Day and their customer experience will suffer. The high expectations of customers can put additional pressure on businesses as well and this is often when cracks start to show.

     

    How mystery shopping can help businesses prepare for Valentine’s Day

     

    It can be difficult to know whether your business is ready to handle whatever Valentine’s Day might bring. Many think they’re prepared, but when the 14th of February comes around, they experience problems that could have easily been avoided. Using mystery shopping services can help you to ensure you’re fully prepared for the influx of customers in February and that you’re providing the best service possible to them.

     

    Working with a mystery shopping agency can give you useful insights into several aspects of your business. Mystery shoppers will interact with your business in the same way any other customer would, providing you with feedback on their first-hand experience. This feedback will enable you to make any changes required ahead of Valentine’s Day to ensure you’re well-prepared to meet your customers’ high expectations.

     

    When a mystery shopper interacts with your business, they will evaluate your customer service throughout the customer journey, ensuring that you’re providing the high standards required. They can also provide feedback on things like the layout and atmosphere of your premises, enabling you to make sure you’re meeting the needs of your customers this Valentine’s Day and no one is leaving your premises disappointed.

     

    If there is anything in particular that you would like a mystery shopper to assess during their interactions with your business, this can be arranged by a mystery shopping company. A bespoke package is the best way to ensure you are getting the best feedback possible to make Valentine’s Day successful this year.

     

    Working with mystery shoppers in London

     

    Whenever you own a business in the hospitality industry, mystery shopping can be incredibly useful to help you improve your customer experience and provide customers with a special visit to remember. If you’re interested in working with mystery shoppers in London to ensure your business is prepared for Valentine’s Day, get in touch with our team at Proinsight.

     

    We have worked closely with a range of businesses in the hospitality sector, from Starbucks to Bannatynes Hotels, helping them to improve their customer journey. Our team of mystery shoppers can help you to understand what’s working well and what isn’t, and their feedback will enable you to make beneficial changes to your business. If you have any questions about mystery shopping for Valentine’s Day, we will happily answer these for you, so contact us today.


    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!