• Mystery Shopping your Customer Experience

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    Updated: 15th April, 2025 | Created: 4th October, 2021
    Proinsight Staff Chloe

    Chloe Kinch

    Director of Client Success | Proinsight Mystery Shopping

    ‘Voice Of The Customer’ – It’s Time to Listen

     

    With customer service and user experience more important than ever before, businesses from all industries are starting to work with mystery shopping companies. From brick and mortar stores in the retail industry to pubs and restaurants in the hospitality industry, businesses of all shapes and sizes can learn so much from using different mystery shopping services.

     

    Commonly, whether a business is using a traditional face-to-face mystery shopping service or a more modern online mystery shopping service, the feedback provided by a professional mystery shopper would be in a written format. However, there is another option for all businesses to consider these days; ‘voice of the customer feedback’. If you’re interested in working with an experienced mystery shopping company and you’d like to learn more about this new type of feedback, keep reading today.

     

    What is ‘voice of the customer feedback’?

     

    Aptly named, voice of the customer feedback is a type of feedback that is provided in video format. The mystery shopper who completed the required shop will record a ‘selfie’ video which will then be uploaded onto a reporting platform for you to watch. The length of this video will differ from assignment to assignment and its contents will be tailored towards your business and what you were hoping to get out of this particular mystery shopping job.

     

    How does this feedback differ from other mystery shopping feedback?

     

    As mentioned above, the feedback provided after a mystery shop is usually written feedback and a mystery shopper will complete a survey form which will then be uploaded onto your client dashboard. So, when you use voice of the customer feedback, instead of having to read through the comments written by a mystery shopper, you can watch a short video instead and hear all about their first-hand experience with your business.

     

    What are the advantages of this type of mystery shopper feedback?

     

    One of the biggest advantages of voice of the customer feedback is that it allows mystery shoppers to provide businesses with more personal feedback. Filming themselves enables them to easily express their honest thoughts and opinions about the mystery shop that they have just completed, and the feedback they provide will be much more beneficial for your business.

     

    In addition to this, voice of the customer feedback helps to prevent any miscommunication or misinterpretation that sometimes occurs with written feedback. A mystery shopper will talk directly to you about how their interactions with your business made them feel and what they might want to change about your services, for example, ensuring that their feedback is clear and concise, so you know exactly what you need to do to improve.

     

    Generally speaking, it is often much easier for mystery shoppers to get across everything that they think will be useful to your business when they’re recording video feedback rather than simply completing a prepopulated survey form too. They won’t have a script to follow, so to speak, and they can touch upon different aspects of their experience with your business, ensuring nothing important is overlooked or not mentioned.

     

    Working with a mystery shopping company in the UK

     

    Ultimately, if you’re planning to use some of the services provided by a mystery shopping company, then it is definitely worthwhile asking to receive voice of the customer feedback rather than traditional written feedback. This type of feedback really can help you to get the most out of your mystery shops and it will ensure that the whole mystery shopping process is as beneficial as possible to your business both now and in the future.

     

    Should you be searching for a mystery shopping company in the UK that offers a range of mystery shopping services, don’t hesitate to contact us here at Proinsight today. We offer businesses from all industries a comprehensive portfolio of mystery shopping services and we will gladly create a bespoke package that is suitable for your business. When creating this package, you have the ability to add voice of the customer feedback and you will easily be able to access any feedback you receive via our online portal. If you have any questions about us as a mystery shipping company or how we can assist you, feel free to contact our team.


      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!