Mystery Guest
ENSURE A PERFECT GUEST EXPERIENCE WITH MYSTERY GUESTING
Mystery Guest is used for an objective evaluation of business transactions from the customer's point of view in the hotel, catering, and system gastronomy sectors, in which the tester (mystery shopper) physically tests on site, always on the basis of real test scenarios, and usually purchases a product or makes use of a service.
In mystery guesting, information is primarily evaluated that serves personnel development purposes.
The focus of the development measures is on topics such as:
- Customer service
- Customer enthusiasm
- Customer satisfaction
- Customer orientation
- Service quality
- Compliance
- Protection of minors
- Sales orientation
- etc.
Synonymously used terms to Mystery Guest are Mystery Shopping, Mystery Guesting, Guest Check, Guest Test, Gastronomy Check, Hospitality Check, Hotel Test, Hotel Check, and Hidden Guest.
Typical test elements are:
- Scheduling
- Booking
- Signage
- Parking situation
- Impression outside
- Impression inside
- Reception
- Initial contact
- Allocation of table or room
- Cleanliness and order in various areas
- Behavior of the staff
- Competence
- Closure orientation
- Overall impression
Mystery Guesting is particularly used in the areas of B&B, bar, catering, snack bar, airport gastronomy, hotel, restaurant, system gastronomy, and all areas in which customers are received, entertained or fed as guests.
For a very fast improvement of detected weak points, the combination with a feedback test is suitable. Immediately after the test, the tested unit receives feedback on the result from a specially trained tester. The tester discusses the fulfilled criteria as well as the unfulfilled criteria in a neutral form, so that this feedback represents very useful control information for the employees on how they can improve.
This procedure offers a number of advantages:
- High attention and perception by the tested employee
- High acceptance
- Readiness to immediately change a recognized suboptimal behavior
concertare conducts both concise tests with a focus on the criteria perceivable by customers, as well as very extensive, covert or partially covert audits/tests, which can include more than 1,000 test criteria in a gastronomic operation.
WHY DO MYSTERY GUEST / MYSTERY GUESTING PROJECTS?
Anyone who wants to know how guests are received in their hotel or restaurant and is looking for possible potential for improvement should look into mystery guesting.
As the name suggests, a mystery guest is a person who, without the function as a mystery guest being known, makes use of a gastronomic service quite officially as an apparently normal guest and documents how he or she was received, welcomed, and served. Here, the corresponding focal points relate to the complete guest experience - from check-in to the reaction to specific service requests. With the insights gained, there are numerous opportunities here to stand out from the crowd of competitors. Especially in the hotel industry, a convincing mix of service and individuality plays an important role.
Our employees - highly trained, serious, and unobtrusive - find out how guests are treated in your hotel and what potential for improvement exists. The results enable you to create a perfect customer experience. This leads to positive reviews and a high probability of recommendation.
WHAT AREAS DOES A MYSTERY GUEST CHECK?
The classic task of the mystery guest is to investigate how a guest is received and served. Questions like:
- Are the employees friendly and do they give the right answers to the guest's questions?
- How do the employees react in stressful situations?
- Are local amenities (rooms, restaurant facilities, etc.) up to standard?
- What is a guest's experience during the booking process?
- How are the routes to important areas signposted?
are just as much a part of this as the overall impression or the quality of service.
Depending on whether the tests are hotel tests or gastronomy tests, the criteria to be checked differ. In the hotel test in particular, it is possible to make the test design modular. If the hotel in question offers a wellness area, for example, this must also be checked for hygiene, overall impression, and range of services. Experiences in special areas, for example at the bar, can also be tested separately.
Mystery shopping or mystery guesting?
Everyday life shows that the boundaries between mystery shopping and mystery guesting are blurred. In both cases, the aim is to optimize the experience for the customer or guest and to draw attention to any need for improvement. In both mystery shopping and mystery guesting, the aim is to convince the customer of the appropriate services and thus to increase customer loyalty to the company. Both methods have in common that both product and service have a lasting influence on the customer experience.
WHAT ARE THE OBJECTIVES OF MYSTERY GUESTING?
Modern mystery guesting refers to almost all areas of the classic everyday life in gastronomy or hotel business from the customer's point of view.
The possibilities that can be combined with the tests are very versatile. Our trained mystery guests focus on improving the customer experience of your guests by stepping into their shoes and recording their experiences. In almost every gastronomic operation, an individual need for optimization can be identified.
Based on our results, you will quickly recognize the areas and customer contact points in which your employees may still need to be sensitized. Of course, it is possible for us to focus on one or more areas in which you are particularly interested. It is also possible to define specific mystery guest scenarios such as single travelers, couples, families with children, business travelers, etc. and to test them with authentically cast test guests. In any case, it is possible to adapt your mystery guesting accordingly to your needs.
Feel free to contact us for your personal considerations!