Whether you’re a business owner wanting to evaluate the quality of service in your stores, or you’re looking to get paid to shop – here’s the ins-and-outs of how Mystery Shopping really works.
‘BARE was founded in 1987 by Dale Bare and Michael Bare. At the time, Dale had her own public relations and marketing business and Mike was a regional director for a chain of Mexican restaurants.
Today, the company provides services for 4,500 clients in the following industries: financial, retail, automobile, health and wellness, housing, restaurant, mailing services, transportation, country club, hotel and resort and casino.‘ BARE shares an interview with CEO Dale Bare by Mystery Shopper Magazine.
MSM TALKS WITH DALE BARE, CEO AND CO-FOUNDER OF BARE INTERNATIONAL:
MSM: We’re always curious about what motivates people, to the point, where they are willing to abandon successful business careers, to assume the risk of a new business venture. What were the circumstances that convinced both you and your partner, Michael Bare, that it was worth doing exactly that?
Dale:Mike had always been in the hospitality business and felt there was a great need for a company that could observe customer service, cash handling, cleanliness issues, etc. I had my own public relations business. Together we decided that it was worth a try – as there were not many mystery shop companies in existence at that time. Both Mike and I believe that you don’t know if something will work until you try it, so that is exactly what we did – with $12.00 worth of business cards.
MSM: From its inception in 1987, Bare International operated under the name of Restaurant and Hospitality Services (RHS) and focused primarily on the hospitality industry. In 1999, the company changed its name to Bare International (BARE) [and] opened its first overseas office in Antwerp, Belgium. How did the company evolve during this period and how did it happen to begin operating globally?
Dale: Yes, correct. We did begin as RHS and our entire focus was hospitality – restaurants, hotels, bars and then health clubs, spas and casinos. As for the overseas operation in Antwerp, we were approached by someone who had heard of us and was very interested in opening an office for us there. After some thought and preparation, again we went with our idea of “you don’t know if something will work until you try it” and opened the Antwerp office. The next two international offices were opened in China and India, and in both cases, by individuals who were shoppers for us.
MSM: Being bigger is not always better. What are some of the advantages and the disadvantages to being a global company?
Dale: Like anything else, there are advantages and disadvantages of any pursuit. The main advantage is that BARE is truly a global company and can assist most every potential client by being able to do work for them anywhere and everywhere. Many companies would prefer to hire one company to do all of their mystery shop work, rather than have different companies all over the world. In rough economic times, it is also helpful to us as a company to be able to continue to grow in areas that are economically sound, while perhaps another country is having economic problems. I am not sure I would use the word “disadvantage”, for some other factors. Perhaps the word “challenge” is better. And it is definitely a challenge to work with all of the different currencies, cultures, legalities, labor laws, etc. that you deal with internationally, but, both Mike and I would tell you, it has been an amazing educational experience.
MSM: Since that day in 1987, when you turned your vision into a reality, what have been your biggest challenges and most satisfying rewards along the way?
Dale: There have been many challenges but our mantra has always just been to get things done – make it happen. Opening offices, hiring and training people are all challenges, but the greatest rewards have been to know that we have helped our clients to better understand their businesses – the positives and the negatives. We have an amazing tenure of employees, so it makes us very happy to know that we have created a workplace that is appealing to people and they want to work for BARE.
MSM: Today, BARE enjoys a major presence in the mystery shopping industry. It seems to consistently appear on Inc. 5000’s “Fastest Growing Private Companies” list; the Company has five full-service offices covering the entire globe and actively does business in 100 different countries; and even has been recognized with an entry on Wikipedia.com. There must be days when you and Mike sit back and smile and say, “We did it!” Could you comment on this, please?
Dale: Yes, you are correct that BARE does have a major presence in the mystery shopping industry. As for Mike and I sitting back and saying “We did it!” Yes, we do say that and reinforce it all the time with our employees, because we could not have done it by ourselves. We know we are where we are because of the talent and dedication that supports us. Both of us are still 100% involved in the business, so we are always on the go…and always busy thinking about what’s next!
MSM: In what ways do you think mystery shopping will change over the upcoming years?
Dale: I think there will always be a need to observe customer service. As we have already seen over the years, the biggest change (and I think it will continue to be a change) is in the technological ways of reporting observations. Immediate responses will be the key to staying ahead of things. No longer the days of waiting for a report to be mailed to you and receiving it ten days after an evaluation!’
This article was first published January 2016. Since then, BARE has opened additional offices in the Philippines and Dubai, and celebrates 32 years this year of being a leader in customer experience research. BARE’s customer experience research can provide you with critical data to make meaningful business decisions. Ask us how.
Read the full article at the source here.
CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE RESEARCH & INSIGHTS BY BARE INTERNATIONAL
Your business challenges are unique. Our proven success across industry categories stems from asking the right questions to help you address the challenges you face everyday. Each solution we offer is customized to meet your needs, providing actionable feedback to help you make critical business decisions. We treat you the way you want to treat your own customers, providing a dedicated project team to give you the attention you deserve and an infrastructure spanning the globe to provide the resources you need to understand your customers’ experiences.
Customized Research Solutions
Immediate, Actionable Feedback
Dedicated Project Team
Family-Owned, Global Capabilities
Get in touch today to receive a complimentary evaluation of your business. We look forward to working with you.
BARE INTERNATIONAL sets the industry standard as the largest independent provider of customer experience research, data, and analytics for companies worldwide.
BEING A LEADER IN THE CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE INDUSTRY, WE ARE HAPPY TO ANNOUNCE OUR PARTICIPATION IN THE RETAIL LEADERSHIP SUMMIT 2019.
This year’s theme is Customer Experience – Key to Mindshare & Marketshare, And we thought there couldn’t be a better time to participate.
If you’re coming too, please do call on +91 22 66897005 to align a 1v1 meeting so we could chat about how BARE International can contribute and help achieve Customer Experience Excellence in the Retail industry.
See you there!
Dear Evaluator,
We love making your life simple! Read to know more…
Our team at BARE International is always looking for new ways to improve our services for you! In this quick update, we will run through the new features and share important DOs and DON’Ts to make your evaluator experience simpler and more enjoyable!
We are excited to announce that we had activated Self-Assign feature for our highest rated evaluators during Q2 2018. This feature is available for evaluators who have consistently met and exceeded our expectations and have raised the bar for others. Evaluators that match these criteria will have the freedom to assign evaluations to themselves.
To use this feature, you can:
Go through the available visits on the Job Board and assign an evaluation to yourself >> Select the fieldwork date >> Read and listen to the guidelines at your own convenience >> Submit the report within 24-48 hours of an evaluation.
[maxbutton id=”1″ text=”Earn Money Now!” ]
Auto Cancellation and planning date functions have been initiated during the last quarter for evaluators to select the date of their field visit.
Evaluators need to fill in the exact date of the visit at most 24 hours after the project is assigned to them, otherwise the assignment will be cancelled automatically. By adopting this function, the evaluators can better arrange their visit time and if evaluators don’t have time for the visit, it’s more convenient for them to cancel.
Please mention the appropriate planning date to avoid cancellation of your evaluation.
*Non submission of the report within 48 hours will lead to cancellation of the evaluation.
Click a Button. Earn Money!
Each time you refer someone, you earn points! Collect points and redeem cash. Invite your friends to join the big BARE family and become mystery shoppers, just like you. Go to invite friends as shown below.
*Please read the guidelines and perform the evaluation within the project timelines.
It was the Customer Experience (CX) Day on 2nd October, 2018 — an annual holiday where we love to take a moment and thank you for your insights and dedication to the customer experience research industry! We truly appreciate you!
Here is what Cx Means to all of us at BARE International:
We appreciate your hard work and all you do for BARE. Thank you for embracing these new features!
Sincerely,
BARE International India Team
CX Day is October 2nd!
How are you celebrating Customer Experience Day? Enter our sweepstakes and you could win $100!
‘CX Day celebrates the professionals and companies that make great customer experiences happen. It’s an opportunity to recognize great customer work, discover professional development opportunities, and strengthen professional networks. Join us!’
What does Customer Experience mean to you? Maybe a word (or a few words!) come to mind, or perhaps you can think of a situation where someone showcased the best example of ‘customer experience.’ We want to hear what you think, and you could WIN!
OFFICIAL RULES:
WHO: Anyone (18 years or older) with a legal Twitter, Instagram, or Facebook account can enter!
HOW: Simply tag BARE International with the hashtag #CXMeans and share what customer experience means to you! You may enter more than once, and we encourage you to share with your friends and family! You can either complete the sentence “#CXMeans…” like this example:
“#CXMeans going the extra mile!”
or by merely providing an example and including the hashtag:
“I received the wrong size, and they offered to send me a new sweater without waiting for the other one to be sent back! #CXMeans”
All entries must include the hashtag #CXMeans AND tag BARE International so we know you’ve entered!
WHEN: While we always encourage you to share what Customer Experience means to you, we will stop taking official entries the day after CX Day: October 2nd at 11:59 EST.
WHAT: One lucky GRAND PRIZE WINNER will win $100 USD! 1 additional winner will be awarded a BARE goody bag, valued up to $50 (Rs. 3500)! Both winners will be selected at random.
GET OUR HANDLES BELOW & FOLLOW US!
Twitter: @BareIndia
Instagram: bareinternational.india
Facebook: bare.international.india
GOOD LUCK!
By entering, you agree to allow BARE International to use your comments, tweets, stories, and/or shared images for marketing materials including social media posts, blog updates, and others. Winners will be selected at random and will be distributed the following way: one (1) grand prize winner will be selected from across all BARE offices and social media platforms (Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Weibo, and WeChat). Seven (7) additional winners will be selected at random; one (1) from each of the following BARE Offices: US/Canada, Chile, Brazil, Europe, Singapore, China, and India. BARE employees, spouses, and immediate family members are not eligible to win. A random draw will be made by a BARE International representative from all qualifying entries entered by the contest deadline of October 3, 2018 11:59 EST. Selected contestant will be contacted using the contact requested via direct message through the platform, requesting contact information to receive the prize. (e.g. telephone number, email address, residential address). If a selected contestant cannot be reached or qualified using the information provided at the time of entry within three business days, declines the prize, or fails to return any required release form, the prize shall be forfeited and BARE International has the right, at its sole discretion, to select another winner. BARE International issues a complete release of Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook by each entrant or participant. Let this post provide further acknowledgement that the promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Weibo, or WeChat.
For more information on CX Day, visit CXPA!
MYSTERY SHOPPING WITH BARE INTERNATIONAL.
As an evaluator for BARE International, you become a valuable part of providing game-changing insights to our clients. You can have an impact on how our clients provide customer service and make business decisions. The same ethical standards we uphold when designing, implementing, and analyzing research strategies for our clients also applies to you as one of our evaluators. We strive to create opportunities as worthwhile to you as your work is to us.
- Earn with our transparent evaluation system that helps you improve your work and ensures fair, democratic scheduling.
- Learning more about interesting products and brands is fun, and helping companies make a difference is truly rewarding.
- With competition increasing daily, you’ll be a valuable asset to companies looking to improve customer experience.
- BARE ensures reasonable compensation and maintains secure and accurate financial control systems.
- Enjoy less stringent validation processes and full control over dates, deadlines, payments and workload.
- BARE has a solid industry reputation and is known for its credibility, stability, and variety of opportunities.
We interviewed three of BARE India’s Project Managers to see what their day-to-day looks like! Read on to see what it takes to juggle multiple projects and work with hundreds of people throughout the BARE community! Read more
With consumer expectations increasing, the use of artificial intelligence, machine learning and chatbots in banking is also increasing. Read more
As customers are now demanding more and more from businesses, creating that memorable experience has never been more important. Read more