The retail industry can often seem like an obstacle course, impeded by extensive geographic locations, diverse employee base, high employee turnover, lengthy hours of operation, and shifted work schedules. With so many impediments the increase of risk and exposure is high. Retailers not only must deal with loss prevention, safety, and security issues, but providing excellent customer service must always remain top-of-mind in order to retain current customers while attracting new ones.

Service Intelligence’s mystery shopping service and compliance site evaluations can evaluate front-line employee performance and adherence to policies and procedures, while our awareness campaigns can ensure that associates comprehend and embrace your values, strategies, and expected behaviors. Our evaluations can stretch across all stores in your chain along with distribution centers, indentifying consistency, strengths and deficits, and then correlating data to tangible recommendations that will produce the results you desire.

Buying into the Right Program

Service Intelligence’s suite of integrated products and services can be customized to suit your business. We offer in-store, online, and call center shops, and can also perform shops to gather retail competitive intelligence.

Customer Service
Store associates have the power to make a customer’s shopping experience positive or negative. As the face of your organization, associates represent your brand, therefore, their level of customer service is integral to your overall success. Do your associates promptly greet customers? Do they offer assistance? Are they knowledgeable of merchandise? Can they accurately and efficiently complete purchase or return transaction? Do they portray and pleasant demeanor? Do they thank customers for visiting even if they don’t make a purchase? These are just a few of the questions Service Intelligence can answer for you – let us measure customers’ perception.

Safety
Retail workers, and even customers, face many hazards, from slips, trips, and falls to back injuries caused by heavy or improper lifting. Do associates keep walkways and exits free of cartons, trash, or fallen merchandise? Are there any protruding objects on shelves or racks that might be hazardous? Do associates lift and move heavy merchandise according to your safety policy? Are fire extinguishers and alarm systems up to code? Through mystery shops and compliance evaluations, Service Intelligence can help to ensure you environment is safe and associates practice safe work practices to minimize financial and reputational liability.

Loss Prevention
The retail industry is plagued by external theft from shoplifters as well as internal theft by its own associates. Retailers lose more to internal theft than to burglary, robbery, and shoplifting combined. Are your associates taking precautions to prevent theft – both internal and external? Are they cognizant of any unusual behavior by their coworkers? Are they willing to speak up if such is observed? Do they monitor dressing rooms? Do they remain within customers’ line of vision? Do they remain within assigned stations and engage with customers? With loss prevention objectives pre-established, Service Intelligence can ensure loss prevention policies and procedures are observed to minimize shrink.

Click here to read a warning about rising shoplifting threats this holiday season.

Security
Whether associates are working a day shift, evening hours, or closing the store, their security and the security of the store should always be crucial. Are your associates following a few simple, but essential, precautions to remain secure? Do they park their cars in well-lighted areas? Are all doors and gates locked before counting the register? Do they report any uncomfortable or suspicious activity in the store or parking area to security guards? Are bank deposits made in teams of two or with the assistance of a security guard? Service Intelligence’s awareness centers and communication campaigns are designed to match the unique needs of your business, which, in turn, ensures associates will not only comprehend but embrace your program.