Question:
Write an essay on Mystery Shopping in Walmart Supermarket.
This paper is a problem-oriented research case study undertaken in Walmart supermarket. The present study investigates how the supermarket offers its services about the service marketing. The study is meant to answer the issues being faced by the supermarket in the provision of services. It reveals why the majority of consumers have negative feelings concerning the services of the supermarket. The survey shows that the problem Walmart supermarket is facing critical and requires appropriate changes to be made. The research identifies the problems and relevant recommendations. This study was conducted through mystery shopping method where I walked in the supermarket and did the research. The primary method used to collect information was through observation. Recommendations are given according to the problems identified. The management of the supermarket should apply fundamental issues identified to improve the standards of the business. The supervisors employed by the company should provide their services according to the agreement. The company should maximize on the online selling to avoid the congestion in the premises during pick seasons.
Walmart is a large business entity which operates in the sale of-of goods, storage for other businesses such construction firms. Walmart has been in operation for years providing different types of services to the public. The interview conducted outside the mystery shopping reveals one customer who is loyal to the supermarket who started shopping here when he was still a young man.[1] This business started the long time ago and had ornamented the market since then. Recently most of the consumers have been facing difficulty in receiving the services. Which according to the service market the business should increase their resources to maximize sales.
According to the service marketing framework, the services being offered by the supermarket is classified under retail stores. Therefore, the research program I performed is based on the retail store mystery shopping. The service classification framework, in this case, requires a mystery worker to carry out some observation. Shoppers have an obligation to observe customer experience in overall aspects; health standards in the supermarket, the rate of service provision and overall service scan. The case is based on the services provided in the supermarket. The service offered by the employee should be according to the services as outlined in the blueprint of the supermarket. The supermarket offers the particular process to be followed in their work line of operation. The framework requires all workers to follow a given procedure when offering their duties. The process is precisely defined, containing goals and planning as I observed based on evidence. I entered the supermarket as a mystery shopper determined to check on how the workers conduct themselves according to goals. As I arrived at the door, I get served well but learn that some of the workers do not have tags and badges. This is as a result of a specified objective. The shopping requires the establishment of metrics. Here the shopper is expected to check on the ethics in business. They organize the scope for the shopping for the customers based on the size of the firm. I got served with a lot of smiles but takes notes on the matters which are not according to the business framework.
Proficient illustration of service delivery uses Ericson’s model to demonstrate the inter-linkages between the attendants in the supermarket, in this context, and the customers. Indeed, the model explains that efficient and time-effective service delivery channel engages the use of innovative mechanisms as well as reuses proven technique. The outstanding qualities in to achieve this, as is shown by the model, includes creativity, having a versatile service team that works within a framework of efficiency and robustly flexible procedures, putting the customer’s interest first. This model helped set the requirements at the system service level through the use of user studies, and definition of system service KPIs which is a reflection of the user experience. The output of this model was secured predictable user-service performance. It enabled me verify system service performance values in Walmart supermarket as the test environment using appropriate network load. Through this model I was also able to verify the system service assurance architecture as well as reports for the systems service KPIs that have already been defined. I was also able to provide a system audit as well as standards to help undertake a comprehensive mystery shopping research which helped assessed the challenges faced by Walmart Supermarket. Throughout of my study, this model has been critical since service performance has remained an important differentiator in supermarket sales. The innovation showcased by Ericson became so much instrumental since the model provided me with adequate KPI’s indicators that I used a benchmark to assess the challenges facing Walmart supermarket. This user service performance framework helped showcase how operators can emphasize requirements which influence the shoppers’ experience. The model was relevant in this study since it has clearly differentiated service into system services as well as user service which outlined a sound foundation from where I measured as well as monitored services as shoppers came in and leave. It enabled me to know the performance of system services which helped me to cost-effectively monitor every service in Walmart Supermarket. Accordingly, I was able to identify as well as monitor a selection of system-service KPIs which in turn assisted me in the determination of the existence of service quality for every session in the supermarket.
The business blueprint is the architect of the business service provision. The process of providing services to the customers takes place in steps as observed.[2] The process depends on the service required by the client whether online purchasing or physical. The company blueprint indicates that the customer who wants to purchase online has to develop contact with the online site. The consumer orders for the services, employees who are dealing with online selling platforms respond by giving the direction.[3] They are then required to take the service to the consumer where they are located. The customer of the service then makes payment including transport fee, and the process ends. On the other hand, direct purchasing follows another procedure. The process begins at the point of the entrance where the customer is given direction based on the kind of service needed.[4] The consumer then moves and gets the service and makes payments at the cashier desk. After the payment, the buyer may be given after sale service which can be in any form based on the kind of service offered. All the services being provided by the supermarket is expected to follow the procedure as prescribed to ensure maximum sales.
Based on the retail store mystery shopping I conducted in Walmart., I came across several problems within the business. The efficient way to develop an understanding between consumers and the service providers is via appropriate communication. According to my research on the consumer’s relation and the supermarket workers, it is evident that there is the ineffective relationship. The works employed to help buyers to locate particular location goods do not operate their job accordingly to the requirements.[5] I asked one of the workers to assist me finding some of the services I needed but never reacted as expected. I failed to identify a supervisor who moves on observing what is taking place. The security officers at the entrance of the premise never conducted the scanning since they focused on their discussion leaving their work. This is as a result of poor communication between the clients who are the managers of the business under observation and the shoppers. Mystery shopper goes to the management of a supermarket and gives a least of the comment made.[6] The director of the store rejects the issues because there is no right channel of communication. The company is also lacking properly stipulated marketing research methods which are an essential factor in the survival and profitability of a given business entity. Service marketing is not complete without information thus it is evident that the company might incur losses.[7] Marketing research provides information that enables a service provider to address the challenges and issues affecting the business.
The survey I conducted reveals that most of the services provided by this supermarket are done physically. The company mostly deals with direct selling, after my shopping, I stayed for almost twenty minutes before making payments due to congestion. When the majority of consumers purchase commodities directly, the business, therefore, faces congestion since the workers are not able to operate fast enough to avoid the bottlenecks. This leads to deteriorating sales curve on the services offered by the supermarket in the market. According to the research, it is evident that the company is facing a lot of challenges.[8] Though the company gets money from their services to clients, the challenges are also affecting the sale.
Walmart supermarket research findings are not satisfactory in most occasions as employees and managers dispute them. This negative response affects the supermarkets reputation in the market. This supermarket does not show the demonstration of profits back into the business investment. This issue has made the supermarket to show slow expansion in the market. The credibility of the employees here is questionable as majorities are not skilled in handling customers to meet the scope of the business. One of the workers I interviewed said that sometimes they even forget some of the duties in their lists of work.[9] My market survey shows that there is little correlation between results given to the stores management the workers this deviation indicates the lack of communication which is not suitable for the business. [10] A store conducted their consumers’ response survey to identify how skilled their employees operate. They compared their results with that of a shopping company which never matched. Lastly, another problem revealed from the market research is delayed response from the workers. There is no more focus on the external administration. The company focuses more on the internal management leaving other issues related to marketing. This has affected the sales of provided by commodities by the supermarket.
Mystery shopping is not only relevant to its goals when proper measures are put in place. As such, the Erickson’s service delivery frameworks shows that was not very efficient in dispensing mystery shopping function, therefore Walmart managers should come out with a clear way of passing information. They need to get out and share these challenges with the employees to ensure the survival of the business. Further, a good communication system should be developed between the management and the customers to facilitate the profitability and performance. The credibility of the workers should be enhanced. It is recommended that the online operators should provide immediate results to enable their clients to make quick sales.[11]
Moreover, the management should ensure that there is follow-up on the workers to eradicate the deviation of opinions between the secret shopper and average shoppers. Sale managers should come up with a way of conducting their marketing research. It is recommended to use more than on shopper to research on one business entity to ensure that the results are positive. The issues related to the incredibility of the employees should be solved through educating them on how to perform their duties.
The directors of the supermarket should organize frequent training for the employees to reduce their incredibility and enhance their skills to meet market expectation and customers’ desire. The business is also recommended to employ workers who are having experience in the field and able to provide results in time to the clients. It is also for the managers to be trained to have perfect skills on the management of the business. The stores management should make inquiries and consultation while dealing with customers from the experts.
The marketing management should develop the application of a market research on the comprehensive market research. The research concerning the client should be conducted to enable the rewarding the loyal customers.[12] In conclusion, the above recommendations should be put into practice by Walmart supermarket to ensure its survival in the market and maintain the profitability. These interventions will address the above diagnosed problem.
Deduction/Conclusion
From the mystery shopping researcher I conducted in Walmart Supermarket, several challenges have been discovered that affects the firm’s shopping experience leading to negative perception among its customers. Creating a sustained competitive advantage is effective tool in this competitive market, and, therefore, Walmart needs to adopt the recommendations suggested in this paper to restore customers’ positive perception about its shopping experiences. Communication breakdown in the firm contributes to negative shopping experience and this is a major challenge in this supermarket. Accordingly, Walmart will create sustained competitive advantage when it boosts is communication strategies across all its stakeholders thereby improving its sales volume. Therefore, the finding of this research urges Walmart Supermarket to immediately implement all the recommendations for effective and positive shopping experience which in turn leads to increased loyalty.
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