What impressions and experiences are you providing?

Most of the big retailers, but also pubs and hotels employ what is known as Mystery Shoppers. These are people who are paid by the retailers to assess how the shops look through the eyes of a shopper and feed that information back to the company to help it focus on the areas where is should develop its customer service.

So what would a mystery shopper report on your club or centre? We suggest you, if possible, get mystery shoppers of different ages, gender and backgrounds to visit your club or centre, anonymously, and observe and report back. The questionnaire below might be a useful tool.

ClubCheck Questionnaire (could be used by Mystery Shoppers)

First impressions and welcome

1. Is the club well sign-posted externally?

2. Is the access/parking easy?

3. Does public transport stop near club?

4. Welcoming exterior? E.g. flowers, plants, litter free...

5. Is the club well-sign posted externally?

6. Exterior appearance of club:

i. Clean and well maintained
ii. Modest/unremarkable
iii. Unkempt/untidy

7. Pre-match/training involvement

i. Made to feel welcome and included
ii. Only superficial interest
iii. Felt awkward/like an outsider

8. Are the toilets clean?

9. Is there comfortable seating?

10. Bar/coffee shop: How does it compare with Starbucks and Wetherspoon?

Service

11. Is the guidance on what is going on a the club

i. Very clear
ii. Adequate
iii. Limited
iv. Non-existent

12. Is the atmosphere at training sessions/matches

i. Great
ii. Acceptable
iii. Bad

13. Do people speak to each other?

14. Did I receive follow up information about the club and its activities?

15. Did somebody ask me for my contact details to ensure I receive follow up emails/texts?

16. Food and drink: Is there a

i. Great selection
ii. Nothing unusual
iii. No thank you

Overall

17. Is the overall sense of ‘welcome’ and ‘community?

i. Community involvement/activities mentioned/discussed

ii. People are engaging with each other
iii. Little interaction outside the sport aspects

18. Would you return to this club?

i. Definitely, excellent experience

ii. Encourages a return – good experience
iii. Uninspiring experience
iv. Poor experience, would discourage a return
19. The overall club visit makes visitors feel

i. Comfortable, involved and genuinely welcome

ii. Reasonably comfortable
iii. Accepted but as an outsider
iv. Unwelcome, excluded or uncomfortable

20. Would a non-sport person (a partner/parent etc. feel welcome and included)?

Important: People from different sections of society, age groups, genders etc. will probably experience your club in different ways and you should be careful not just to ask your own friends to ‘mystery shop’, but if possible try and get people from different age groups and backgrounds involved.