Delivering results

Editor's note: Colleen Maher is corporate communications manager at Maritz Inc., St. Louis.

As the shipping/delivery service industry has grown and new players have entered the market, the United States Postal Service (USPS) has become keenly aware of the need to continuously improve. In an industry with numerous choices available to the consumer, the Postal Service focuses on three objectives that are key to its success: improving customer service, maintaining a high-quality and consistent post office environment, and operating at a high level of efficiency.

To help determine where it stands in relation to each objective and how it can improve, the USPS implemented a mystery shopper program. As with most mystery shopper programs, the Postal Service’s program is designed to help its frontline employees strengthen the service they give to customers and accurately perform the standard operations of the company. The mystery shoppers anonymously visit post offices, role-playing as customers, while performing specific transactions, recording observations and evaluating the outlet.

The information gathered by the mystery shopper is used to assess whether each site meets exemplary customer service standards, provides highly accurate transactions, and complies with the basic standards of quality set forth by the USPS. The Postal Service combines these results with results from its own quality service and accuracy research to provide a more integrated picture of what’s happening on the front line where customers actually experience the USPS brand.

Evaluating the knowledge of the salespeople and the accuracy of each transaction are key components to increasing revenue for the USPS. By identifying opportunities to increase knowledge of products and services among its workforce, the Postal Service can develop better training programs. “The mystery shopper program helps standardize transactions and identifies key areas for improvement among USPS frontline workers,” says Richard W. Rudez, manager, retail operations, United States Postal Service. “This helps give customers a uniform experience regardless of the retail outlet they visit, which helps build customer trust and loyalty.”

The same principles of consistency apply to appearance. “Customers should see the same information and point-of-purchase displays at each post office,”  says Rudez. “Not only does this better educate and influence customers in their purchasing decisions, but it also reduces the amount of time customers have to spend at retail outlets.”

Mystery shoppers also evaluate whether all the necessary signage, and specific point-of-purchase displays are present, as well as whether Postal Service representatives are compliant with basic uniform standards.

Determine compliance

The overall objectives of the mystery shopper program are to evaluate selected post offices to determine compliance with procedures and identify areas for improvement. To implement this program at approximately 8,800 retail units, the USPS contracted with the Virtual Customer Division of St. Louis-based Maritz Research, which provides mystery shopping services nationally and internationally. “Maritz conducts approximately 70,000 mystery shopper visits annually at select USPS post offices,” says Gina Wiseman, vice president, Maritz Research.

The program is designed to ensure high-quality, accurate results by adding several levels of accountability. “For example,” says Wiseman, “the USPS shops the top revenue-producing offices in each district. Additionally, individual post offices are selected randomly to receive additional shops. Each post office in a district will have an equally random chance of being selected and can be shopped up to two additional times each quarter.” A senior statistician at Maritz designs and implements a comprehensive sampling plan for a proportionate amount of shops each quarter based upon the size of the district. This ensures accurate results and eliminates overshopping of smaller districts and neglecting larger districts. “A program of this size must have a highly developed and structured framework to ensure high-quality, actionable results for the USPS,” Wiseman says.

Accurate data collection is crucial to any research project; however, mystery shopper programs have additional areas of concern due to possible human error and bias. “We address these issues by a) developing questionnaires that are easy to use, b) collecting an accurate sample size for each district, c) properly preparing each shopper for his or her shop, and d) holding each shopper accountable for accurate results,” Rudez says. Maritz and the USPS continue to update mystery shoppers throughout the program by providing them with scenarios and questionnaire exercises each quarter.

Rudez says the questionnaires are designed to eliminate individual bias by asking straightforward questions with little room for interpretation and are assessed upon completion. Questionnaires consist primarily of diagnostic (yes/no) questions, if/then questions related to a specific response or situation, and mystery shopper comments. For specific diagnostic questions, if the evaluator responds “no,” he or she is expected to provide detailed comments as to the reason for the response.

According to Wiseman, Maritz has a growing database of 50,000+ mystery shoppers and more than 4,400 prepare for USPS’ mystery shopper program using materials developed by the USPS and Maritz. Shoppers must complete a project review, including information materials and program-specific questions, before being allowed to participate in the program.

The information includes the following:

  • scenarios explaining how the shoppers must conduct their shops;
  • rules the shoppers must adhere to when conducting their evaluations;
  • evaluation guidelines, ensuring all data collected is uniform and easily translatable into actionable client data.

The mystery shopper must send a provided sample parcel of a specific size and weight, which is calibrated before mailing. After conducting the transaction at the post office, the shopper reports on the amount charged for the package in addition to the shipping options offered by the retail associate.

Make it actionable

A key to collecting any type of data is making it actionable for the client. “Our goal is to deliver understandable information that the USPS can use to improve its service and operations,” says Wiseman. “The results of each completed mystery shop are distributed to all levels of the Postal Service via a highly customized reporting Web site, developed by Maritz. District coordinators share the results with each post office and its employees. They can quickly and easily use the results as a training tool to improve customer service.” Each quarter, executive summary reports are developed at the national and area levels. These reports provide the USPS with a graphic and narrative report comparing actual results against performance goals, highlighting areas to improve and maintain. Additionally, they highlight the areas where the USPS is doing well.

“The mystery shopper program has helped the Postal Service evaluate how we are performing in the retail lobby in those areas that are most important to the customer,” says Rudez. “By focusing on factors like wait-time in line, retail associate courtesy and sales skills, we can assess and improve retail operations and proficiency and ultimately improve the customer experience.”

In fact, the USPS recently awarded Maritz Research a Quality Supplier Award for making a positive impact on supply chain management, and achieving positive, bottom-line results. “To know that we are helping deliver those kinds of results makes us all proud,” Wiseman says.