Introduction

Many companies now use mystery shopping agencies, whose staff pose as customers, to evaluate customer service. The aim is to see whether service delivery matches their promise, to evaluate staff performance and to identify strengths and weaknesses compared with key competitors.

Instructions to students:
Your task is to conduct a mystery shopping exercise. Working in small groups of no more than four (4) students, you should select three companies within a particular sector to evaluate. Examples include but not limited to: electrical/computer retailers, pubs, mobiles phone shops, coffee shops, fast food shops, supermarkets, etc.

Once you have chosen the companies you will be evaluating in your group you should:
1.Design a one-page evaluation form comprising the service components you wish to evaluate. These could be weighted to reflect relative importance. Your questionnaire should be measuring the following aspects of the companys performance: speed of service; quality of service; quality of product; cleanliness and other attributes at your discretion. You should be using the balanced scales, such as Likert, starts, smiley faces, percentages, etc.
2. Visit three companies in the sector and score each one using your evaluation form (this could be carried out immediately after each visit otherwise you may alert staff).
3. Report your findings to in the form of professionally written report directed at the companies you have evaluated

You are expected to show application of primary observational research technique and analysis of primary data for the purpose of decision making, by covering the following areas in their report:
oOutline the purpose of conducting primary observational research
oThe methodological approach the research, research schedule, including evaluation of validity mystery shopping research technique;
oUsing Excel present the research findings in graphical form;
oWith the aid of Excel evaluate the performance of the chosen companies using descriptive statistics, and correlation analysis;
oUsing research findings compare the performance of 3 outlets;
oUsing research findings provide recommendations to all 3 businesses on how they could improve their performance.

You can submit up to 3 pages of appendices to support their case study report, which should include blank evaluation form, and presentation of the raw data in Excel. A bibliography is required citing website, industry, trade and academic sources, using Harvard referencing. Students are expected to reference a minimum of 3 academic sources.
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Added on 15.06.2016 18:14
Task element within assignment:

Using research findings provide recommendations to all 3 businesses on how they could improve their performance.
Outline the purpose of conducting primary observational research
The methodological approach the research, research schedule, including evaluation of validity mystery shopping research technique
With the aid of Excel evaluate the performance of the chosen companies using descriptive statistics, and correlation analysis;
Evaluate the performance of the chosen companies with the aid of descriptive statistics, and correlation analysis;
Using research findings compare the performance of 3 outlets
With the aid of Excel evaluate the performance of the chosen companies using descriptive statistics, and correlation analysis
Design a one-page evaluation form comprising the service components you wish to evaluate. Visit three companies in the sector and score each one using your evaluation from
Using research findings provide recommendations to all 3 businesses on how they could improve their performance.