A Conceptual Study of Mystery Shopping as an Ancillary Method for Customer Surveys

Authors

  • S. Suneetha Devi

  • Prof. A. Vidhyadhara Reddy

Keywords:

mystery shopping, customer surveys, observational methods

Abstract

This paper specifies proposition of mystery shopping as a complimentary method along with customer surveys. It focuses on the antecedent of mystery shopping-observational methods. This paper addresses the gap in the existing research on mystery shopping. It covers customer surveys and observational methods of research. It also covers the existing academic research on mystery shopping and the application of mystery shopping by corporates. Subsequently, drawing on the existing literature, it discusses the validation of mystery shopping. It also outlines the implications of this research for future research and practice.

How to Cite

A Conceptual Study of Mystery Shopping as an Ancillary Method for Customer Surveys. (2016). Global Journal of Management and Business Research, 16(17), 11-17. https://journalofbusiness.org/index.php/GJMBR/article/view/

References

J. Bateson (1992) Managing Services Marketing, 2nd ed.

Howard Becker (1958) Problems of Inference and Proof in Participant Observation. 23(6), 652. https://doi.org/10.2307/2089053

Leonard Berry, A. Parasuraman, Valarie Zeithaml (1988) The service-quality puzzle. 31(5), 35-43. https://doi.org/10.1016/0007-6813(88)90053-5

H. Chen (2005) The Application of Mystery Shopper in Measuring the Service Quality of Hotel Telephone Reservation - A case Study of a Resort Hotel.

L. Chen (2003) A Study on Satisfaction of Emergency-Room Patients in one Regional Teaching Hospitals. 4(2), 93-99.

W. Chen, Y. Chung, Y. Cheng, K. Ng (2003) The Completeness of Patient Satisfaction Questionnaires of Emergency Departments: A Literature Review Approach. 8, 283-292.

John Dawes, Byron Sharp (2000) The Reliability and Validity of Objective Measures of Customer Service: "Mystery Shopping. 8(No. 1 January), 29-46.

J. Dawson, Hillier (1995) Competitor Mystery Shopping: Methodological Considerations and Implications for the MRS Code of Conduct. 37(4), 417-427.

Adam Finn (2001) Mystery Shopper Benchmarking of Durable-Goods Chains and Stores. 3(4), 310-320. https://doi.org/10.1177/109467050134004

A. Finn, Kayande (1999) Unmasking a Phantom: A Psychometric Assessment of Mystery Shopping. 75(2), 195-217.

Jane Fountain (2001) Paradoxes of Public Sector Customer Service. 14(1), 55-73. https://doi.org/10.1111/0952-1895.00151

R. Gold (1958) Roles in Sociological Field Observations. 36(3), 217-223.

C. Goodsell (1981) The public encounter.

Stephen Grove, Raymond Fisk (1992) Observational data collection methods for services marketing: An overview. 20(3), 217-224. https://doi.org/10.1007/bf02723408

S. Grove, Fisk R (1992) Observational data collection methods for services marketing: An overview. 20, 217-224.

Guest Greg, Emily Namey, L. Mitchell Marilyn (2013) Collecting Qualitative Data.

J. Hair, R. Bush, D. Ortinau (2003) Marketing Research: Within a Changing Information Environment (2nd ed.).

M. Hesselink, A. Wiele, van der, P. Boselie (2002) the importance of customer satisfaction in organisational transformation: a case of a Dutch temporary employment agency, ERIM Report Series Research in Management, ERS-2002-60-ORG.

M. Hesselink, T. Wiele, van der (2003) Mystery Shopping: In-Depth Measurement of Customer Satisfaction.

C. Lovelock (1988) Managing Services, Prentice- Hall, Englewood Cliffs, NJ.

John Macionis, Kenneth Plummer (2005) Sociology: a global introduction (3rd ed).

Catherine Marshall, Gretchen Rossman (1989) Designing qualitative research.

Morgan McCabe (2012) Learning Why We Buy: An Experiential Project for the Consumer Behavior Course. 34, 140-155.

J. Poisant (2002) Creating and sustaining a superior customer service organization.

J. Rouleau (2007) Selling New Homes the Easy Way. 17.

L. Schultz, Robyn (1997) Mystery shopping as a service quality improvement tool: Developing a comprehensive program for an economy motel chain thesis.

Service Intelligence. http://www.serviceintelligence.com/pdf/mysteryshopping-vs-customerfeedback.com

Services Context: An Empirical Examination.

J. Spradley (1980) Participant observation.

Joanna Steve charters, Nicola Fountain, fish (2008) You felt like lingering..." Experiencing "real" service at the winery tasting room.

David Thompson, Paul Yarnold, Diana Williams, Stephen Adams (1996) Effects of Actual Waiting Time, Perceived Waiting Time, Information Delivery, and Expressive Quality on Patient Satisfaction in the Emergency Department. 28(6), 657-665. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0196-0644(96)70090-2

Alan Wilson (1998) The role of mystery shopping in the measurement of service performance. 8(6), 414-420. https://doi.org/10.1108/09604529810235123

A. Wilson (2001) Mystery shopping: Using deception to measure service performance. 18(7), 721-734.

A. Wilson, Gutmann.J (1998) Public Transport: The Role of Mystery Shopping in Investment Decisions. 40(4), 285-293.

C. Yang (2002) Customer Needs and Satisfaction Survey.

V. Zeithaml, A. Parasuraman, L. Berry (1990) Zeithaml V.A., Parasuraman A., Berry L.L., Delivering quality service; balancing customer perceptions and expectations.

W. Zikmund, B. Babin, J. Carr, M. Griffin (2010) Business researched methods (8th ed.).

A Conceptual Study of Mystery Shopping as an Ancillary Method for Customer Surveys

Published

2016-05-24

How to Cite

A Conceptual Study of Mystery Shopping as an Ancillary Method for Customer Surveys. (2016). Global Journal of Management and Business Research, 16(17), 11-17. https://journalofbusiness.org/index.php/GJMBR/article/view/