Service Integrity has run mystery shopping since 2002 and is an MSPA Elite member. Client names, products, locations, staff and commercial terms are removed. Figures come from the program’s own results, and scores are not comparable between programs because each questionnaire is built to the client’s own standards.
What did the bank need to know?
A client of more than ten years, the bank wanted a monthly read on branch presentation and on the service a new customer receives, consistent across a national network and two branch formats, with enough volume to track change from month to month.
What did the shoppers test?
- Core scenario: a prospective customer, unhappy with their current bank, asks about switching. 82% of this year’s shoppers were not existing customers, and Service Integrity asks shoppers not to reveal any relationship with the bank.
- Questionnaire: 25 core questions, mostly yes/no with drop-down follow-ups, covering the exterior and ATMs, greeting, understanding needs, the solution and appointment offered, knowledge and advice, and an overall satisfaction rating. Shoppers record what happened, not opinions, apart from a final satisfaction rating.
- Other scenarios run for this bank over the years: power of attorney, financial hardship (asked on behalf of a family member), direct debit cancellation, home loans and digital education.
How did the mystery shopping program run?
- 100 visits a month across metro and regional branches in all eight states and territories and three regional divisions: 675 visits to standard branches and 225 to a second branch format.
- 168 of the 281 branches were visited three or more times this year, so results can be tracked at branch level.
- Every report passes quality control before it is released.
How were results reported?
- A per-visit online report with section scores, every answer and the full shopper narrative.
- A live dashboard with results by branch, district and region. Client users can build their own high-level views.
- A month-end cut for each round and a raw data export, which the figures below come from.
What did the results show?
| Section | Average score |
|---|---|
| Branch presentation | 97.9% |
| Knowledge and demeanour | 94.8% |
| Understanding and respect | 92.6% |
| Appropriate solution | 91.3% |
| Arrival and greeting | 73.8% |
| Overall | 92.7% |
Average section scores, 900 visits this year.
- 30% of visits scored 100%, and 74% of shoppers rated their satisfaction 9 or 10 out of 10.
- Strengths: staff asked questions to understand needs in 94% of visits, offered an appropriate solution in 96% and suggested an appointment in 87%. Of the appointments offered, 48% were available immediately or the same day.
- Main gap – the greeting: 37% of shoppers were greeted immediately, but 15% waited more than three minutes, and the greeting section scored zero in 17% of visits.
- Improvement: from the first four rounds to the last four, overall rose from 91.8% to 92.9%, greeting from 71.7% to 76.6% and solution from 88.7% to 92.7%. Perfect scores rose from 25% to 35% of visits, and the second branch format rose from 91.6% to 95.1%.
- In 92% of visits nothing outside the branch detracted from trust in the brand.
What should another bank take from this?
A steady monthly sample with tight yes/no questions gives a reliable trend line and points to specific fixes. Here the data showed presentation is consistently strong and the first minute, the greeting, is where the most gain remains.
How does a bank mystery shopping program with Service Integrity work?
Set-up. About three weeks. Service Integrity writes the questionnaire from the client's dot points, and internal sign-off is usually the longest step. Set-up covers the questionnaire, shopper guidelines, QC guidelines, programming, reporting and loading the sites.
Fieldwork. Allow about a month for a sample. A random selection of branches fills faster than a fixed list. A baseline can run end to end in about six weeks.
Shoppers. Briefed shoppers who observe and answer structured questions. For hardship, power of attorney and other sensitive scenarios, shoppers usually ask on behalf of a family member, so no one's real banking relationship is affected.
Quality control. Every report is checked before release, typically within three to four days. Closed or inaccessible branches are logged and re-shopped.
Reporting. Per-visit reports with narrative, a live dashboard by branch, district and region, month-end cuts, raw data exports and review meetings. Executive summaries and competitor benchmarks using the same questionnaire are optional.
Investment. Volume and frequency are set by the client and can be adjusted round by round. Talk to us about a quote.