Mystery Shopping in the Netherlands
Independent fieldwork across the Netherlands
Mystery shopping
Klaas spent a day working as a mystery shopper. Together with Arend Hofsink of de Onderzoekfabriek.
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Mystery shopping is a research method in which trained researchers visit a business as ordinary customers to assess service quality objectively. The researcher follows a realistic customer scenario and evaluates the visit against defined measurement points: greeting, waiting time, quality of advice, upselling and closing. The results show how customer contact actually unfolds, independent of what the organisation believes or hopes. Also want to know how you perform by phone or by email? Read about mystery calling and mystery mailing.
Our network: 3,800 certified mystery shoppers
De Onderzoekfabriek carries out more than 25,000 mystery studies a year through a panel of 3,800 certified shoppers across all twelve provinces. We have been running mystery research in the Netherlands since 2009, for over 150 clients in retail, hospitality, foodservice, franchising and the public sector.
When do you use mystery shopping?
Mystery shopping is the right method when you need objective, independent information about what actually happens on the floor. It is not a replacement for employee satisfaction surveys or customer questionnaires. It is an addition that makes visible the blind spots other research leaves untouched.
Four situations where it works: you have written policy and want to know whether it is carried out; your figures are falling and you cannot see why; you want to compare locations on equal terms; or you need to demonstrate compliance to a regulator, a franchisor or a client.
How mystery shopping works at de Onderzoekfabriek
1. Intake and objectives
We start with a short intake: what do you want to improve, how many locations are involved and what should we measure? One conversation is usually enough.
2. Tailored questionnaire
Based on your objectives we build a concrete questionnaire. No standard forms: every questionnaire is specific to your sector and tailored to your organisation.
3. Shopper selection and briefing
We select the most suitable researchers from our panel of 3,800 certified mystery shoppers. Every shopper receives a detailed briefing before the assignment.
4. Fieldwork
The shopper visits the location as an ordinary customer. Afterwards the shopper completes the report, factually, without interpretation or personal opinion.
5. Validation and reporting
Every report is validated before publication. Within 48 hours of the visit the results are available in our online dashboard, at employee, department or organisation level.
6. Review and advice
We go through the results together and translate the findings into concrete improvement actions. You do not just get numbers, you get advice.
Sectors we work in
De Onderzoekfabriek has experience in virtually every sector where customer contact matters. Retail chains and franchise formulas, hospitality and foodservice, automotive, financial services, healthcare, education, telecom, and municipal authorities.
For international chains and research agencies we act as the Dutch fieldwork partner. Mystery research does not travel well: a shopper needs to read the room, catch the tone and recognise when something is off. That requires a native speaker who knows what normal looks like in a Dutch shop, a Dutch call centre and a Dutch council office.
What mystery shopping delivers
Mystery shopping is not an end in itself. It is an instrument for behavioural change and quality improvement.
You receive scores per location and per measurement point, in an online dashboard, within 48 hours of the visit. But you also receive our reading of the results: what we would do if it were our organisation. Not just numbers.
Our rates are published, which is unusual in this market and deliberate. A short retail visit without a purchase is typically € 25 to € 40. A hospitality visit including a consumption is usually € 40 to € 60. A compliance check, for example on alcohol or tobacco, is generally € 50 to € 75.
Kwaliteitsborging
De Onderzoekfabriek is aangesloten bij drie toonaangevende brancheorganisaties die onafhankelijke kwaliteitsnormen stellen voor marktonderzoek en mystery shopping. Wij werken volgens die gedragscodes.
De internationale beroepsvereniging voor mystery shopping providers. Wij hebben de Elite Member-status.
Voorheen MOA, de Nederlandse branchevereniging voor marktonderzoek.
De wereldwijde vereniging voor markt-, opinie- en sociaal onderzoek, met een internationale gedragscode.
Alle mystery onderzoekers ontvangen een uitvoerige training en instructie voorafgaand aan elk onderzoek. Rapportages worden gevalideerd voordat ze bij jou terechtkomen. Shopperprofielen worden afgestemd op jouw klantenbestand, zodat de onderzoeker niet opvalt.
Contact
Klaar om jouw klantbeleving te verbeteren?
Direct contact
Heb je een vraag of wil je eerst even overleggen? We helpen je graag verder.
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