• Mystery Shopping your Customer Experience

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    Updated: 15th April, 2025 | Created: 27th June, 2022
    Proinsight Staff Chloe

    Chloe Kinch

    Director of Client Success | Proinsight Mystery Shopping

    Businesses in the retail sector have used mystery shopping for many decades now and it has proved time and time again to be an effective way to improve customer experience. However, mystery shopping programs can be just as advantageous for lots of other industry sectors too and the understanding gained from mystery shop audits can even help to improve customer experience in industries like the transport sector.

    With so much consumer choice nowadays, it is becoming increasingly common for transport operators to look for new ways to ensure they’re exceeding customer expectations and, in turn, retaining customers’ business. Below we have explored how mystery shop audits can be used in the transport sector to benefit ongoing business success.

     

    Deliver award-winning service

    Working with a mystery shopping company is one of the best ways to see things from your customers’ point of view and the insight mystery shop audits provide into your customer experience will be invaluable. During a mystery shop, everything from the cleanliness of your vehicle/s to the helpfulness of your team will be analysed, and you will receive honest feedback about all aspects of a mystery shopper’s interactions with your business.

    Using a mystery shop audit, you can ensure that you’re delivering the standard of service paying customers have come to expect. Learning more about your customer journey will enable you to make any required changes to your service to improve your business for future customers. Ultimately, you will have the insight you need to make sure that customers continue to use your transport option time and time again.

     

    Improve service reliability

    One of the most important things you should do as a business in the transport sector is provide a reliable service. Whilst there will be some scenarios where delays and disruptions are out of your control, there are also lots of things you can do to ensure that the service you provide is one that your customers can rely on.

    Mystery shopping isn’t just about improving customer service and providing a positive customer experience, it is about ensuring all customers are satisfied with the overall journey you provide. During a mystery shop, things such as the provision of information about travel times and journey updates will be assessed, and the feedback provided from a mystery shopper’s first-hand experience will be really useful. You may find that things you’d never previously taken into consideration are affecting customer satisfaction.

     

    Ensure customer safety

    For businesses in this particular sector, safety should also be of the utmost importance and improving safety is another way to improve the customer experience. A mystery shop audit can bring to your attention safety concerns, enabling you to make changes to ensure all elements of your business are up to your brand standards. Not to mention, it can help you to make sure you’re compliant with all required safety regulations too.

     

    Simple things like the level of security you provide on your vehicles will directly impact whether customers wish to travel with you again and all customers should feel safe with your business. How you deal with any safety concerns and issues will be taken into account during a mystery shop too, and the feedback you receive can help you to update your policies and processes to make customers feel comfortable travelling with you.

     

    Working with a mystery shopping company

    It is fair to say that there are several reasons why you should consider working with a mystery shopping company when your business falls under the transport sector. If you’d like to find out more about the different mystery shopping services available, feel free to get in touch with our team here at Proinsight today, we’re always happy to help.

    We can design a mystery shopping program specifically for your business and every project we deliver is unique. Over the years we have worked with a range of major transport hubs, car manufacturers and rail operators, from BMW and Mini to MTR Crossrail and Stansted Airport, and we currently work with Uber Boat. You can rely on us to provide you with the assistance you need to drive the quality of the customer experience you provide, and we can assure you that you will be in the best hands when you turn to us for mystery shop audits.

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    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!