What is the Secret Shopper Program?
The Secret Shopper Program provides businesses with valuable insights into customer service, products, and atmosphere. Secret shoppers anonymously visit retail, food, and service establishments to evaluate service quality and ambiance.
Shoppers/reviewers remain completely anonymous, and the information gathered between the Brookings Area Chamber of Commerce and the business remains confidential. However, we will track general trends across the Brookings area to help improve community-wide programming.
Businesses set their budget per shopper, with no additional fees for the assessment or review process.
Examples in Action
An establishment signs up with a budget of $15 per person. Over the next month, the Brookings Chamber will anonymously send three customers to visit the establishment. The customer will make a purchase, utilizing up to their $15 budget (if the shopper purchases something above $15, the excess is covered by the shopper).
After their visit, these customers will complete a 20+ question feedback form to rate the establishment on various attributes.
For a counter service restaurant, the evaluation questions could look like:
- Did you receive a prompt and sincere greeting from the employees?
- Was the process of picking up your food clear? Was it easy to tell which order was yours?
For a sit down restaurant, the evaluation questions could look like:
- How was the cleanliness of the floors, tables, chairs, and menus?
- Did they upsell with an appetizer, side dish, or beverage?
For a retail store, the evaluation questions could look like:
- Were the window displays clean, fresh, and attractive?
- Was the merchandise attractively displayed?
Following the shoppers' visit, they will submit their receipt and grading form to the Brookings Chamber. The Brookings Chamber will compile the feedback and comments into one document for the business. A bill for the three visits will be sent to the business, totaling $45 or less; the Chamber will reimburse each shopper.
ARE YOU A BUSINESS READY TO SIGN UP?
NEED A LITTLE MORE INFO?
If you have any questions regarding this program, please call us at 605-692-8922 or email info@brookingschamber.org.
We thank our partners at Downtown Brookings for helping us expand this downtown program to all of Brookings!