Mystery Shopper and Customer Service Development

Chard estate agents in London regularly employ "mystery shoppers" to monitor customer service and look for ways to improve on it.

We've just had the results back on a mystery shop in Fulham and Brook Green lettings offices- which was extremely positive.

Using actors we borrowed a house "to rent" and "for sale" in Fulham and another "to rent" and "for sale" in Brook Green for the morning. We then book "valuations" with the local branch manager, who of course has no idea that this is anything but a genuine appraisal for rental or sale.

The criteria assessed are:

- Punctuality
- Personal presentation (attire)
- Knowledge of Chard procedures
- Knowledge of company marketing
- The local lettings market - demand and recent comparable properties let
- "Call to Action"
- Knowledge of consumer related and legal issues of letting property
- Follow up

The results are then closely reviewed by Resource Director, Jeff Culver together with Director, Andrew Chard, with the lettings or sales branch manager to look for ways to improve and develop on-going training.

We also employ this program to monitor customer service for our buyers and tenants, with actors adopting a "persona" and a "background story" akin to a KGB operative! He or she then contacts our sales and lettings branches to register for properties for sale and to rent.

We firmly believe in listening to our applicants so that we can understand their specific requirements. Part of the mystery shoppers brief when posing as buyers or tenants is to find out how well we're listening to our customers - and just how "interested" the individual broker was in ascertaining their specific requirements, as well as courtesy, market knowledge, preparation for property inspection tours. Not least of all, we also review care and attention whilst driving on escorted viewings. Our mystery shoppers then monitor feedback over the following week.

All in all it helps keep us all on our toes and hopefully further contributes to the level of service we offer our buyers, vendors, tenants and landlords across central and west London.