Case Study: Maytag Appliances

1. Maytag Appliances, an industry leader in the durable appliance market, contracted Redhill Group to conduct a mystery shop study. The goal of the study was to determine how the brand was being represented in retail outlets. To accomplish this, Redhill Group designed a mystery shop study that included several scenarios with various “customer types.”

2. Redhill Group conducted a mystery shopping study to assist Gucci with understanding how its watches are sold at the retail level. Redhill Group conducted the study in 10 major cities across the United States . This distribution represented approximately 10% of the retail outlets where Gucci watches are sold.

Based on research findings, Redhill Group provided Gucci with a detailed evaluation of the role of salespersons in influencing the consumer’s purchase decision process. Gucci has used the research recommendations to create a sales staff education program and to reposition its watches relative to the competition.

Ad Tracking

1. Redhill Group provides Discovery Science Center with the market information needed to successfully plan the marketing and promotional efforts that have driven their success. Prior to opening its new facility in late 1998, Redhill Group conducted telephone surveys with both the general public and teachers who played a pivotal role in generating awareness of the new facility.

The survey measured awareness and attitudes toward the science museum and other entertainment alternatives so that DSC marketing management could effectively position the center to effectively meet consumer needs. The teacher survey also provided a model of communication channels to ensure that important promotional information effectively reached the right people in a timely fashion. The original baseline study was used to design marketing communications and promotional efforts for the introduction of the facility to the community.

A second study, conducted two years later, measured the progress that had been achieved in general awareness and provided information to fine-tune both marketing communications and to determine which potential exhibits would be most successful.

2. Redhill Group conducted a survey of advertisers for America’s Network Magazine to address several key issues that could influence selection of the publication for advertising purposes. Redhill Group assessed their interest in alternative editorial content options, publishing schedule, and magazine layout.

The interviews were conducted with top executives that control advertising expenditures, and were fielded by Redhill Group’s team of executive interviewers who have the skills and experience necessary to overcome the challenges of reaching and interviewing high level managers. The results of this study are being used to guide Advanstar Communications in fine tuning this publication to maximize advertising revenues.

Transportation

1. In 2007, Redhill Group conducted the SR-22 HOV Lane Performance Evaluation Study for The Orange County Transportation Authority. The study was done in preparation for a $550 million project to expand California ’s Garden Grove Freeway, which would result in significant changes including conversion of limited access HOV (High Occupancy Vehicle) lanes to continuous access.

Redhill Group’s study measured carpooler and commuter awareness, perceptions and opinions of continuous access HOV lanes, addressed the implementation of continuous access HOV lanes and opening HOV lanes to all motorists during off-peak periods. Telephone surveys of 1,084 households were conducted to determine the impact of these changes, which provided statistical accuracy of +/-3% at a 95% confidence level.

The methodology entailed even distribution of survey instrument across 13 surrounding cities including unincorporated geographical areas and compiling a respondent pool containing at least 70% monthly SR-22 users. The study found while awareness of resulting continuous access HOV lanes was low, support for them was high. Almost half the respondent pool felt continuous access HOV lanes improved efficiency and safety.

Redhill Group communicated conclusions of the study, which included the public’s favorable attitude toward all future HOV lanes being continuous access, extending continuous access to all other existing California freeways and opening HOV lanes to all motorists during off-peak hours.

2. The San Diego Association of Governments wanted to study the public’s reaction to the proposed widening of the I-5 freeway between Oceanside and the I-5/805 split. To this end, focus groups, telephone surveys and intercept surveys were implemented by Redhill Group to gather opinions from all segments of the traveling population in the area.

Participants for the four focus groups were screened for using the I-5 freeway between Oceanside and the I-5/805 split at least 3 days per week, and balanced by gender, age, and employment status. The main objective of the focus groups was to understand the reactions of I-5 users to a proposed expansion of that freeway to add one additional general purpose lane and two managed lanes to each direction.

Random households in zip codes surrounding the I-5 freeway between Oceanside and the I-5/805 split were contacted by telephone during the months of January and February 2005 and asked to participate in the I-5 Expansion Telephone Survey. More than 1,300 households were contacted to yield 804 complete surveys. To assess the opinions of non-SOV commuters, surveys were also distributed on the Express Bus, Coaster train, and in an Oceanside Park and Ride lot at the intersection of I-5 and SR 78.

Approximately 400 surveys were distributed to yield a total of 353 completed surveys. Surveys were conducted on an intercept basis for these alternative mode commuters because their incidence in the general public would result in only a handful of respondents in the random digit dialing telephone survey. Completing 350 surveys with alternative mode commuters provides unique insights from these commuters, and also enables comparisons between SOV and alternative mode commuters for selected questions.

Product Positioning

1. Royal Floormats, a leader in the floormat industry, conducted a study to assess how mat purchases are impacted from one geographic region to another. To this end, Redhill Group designed an intercept study to assess selection criteria as it related to regional climates.

To determine the regional differences, Redhill Group selected New York , Chicago and Los Angeles as three key regions to target across the United States for this study. Four hundred intercept interviews were conducted at eight retail Home Center and Mass Merchandise stores.

Once the data collection was completed, Redhill Group built a model of purchase behavior as it related to regions as well as retail locations. The information gathered by this study was subsequently used by Royal Floormats for positioning strategies that took geographic regions and the store into account to maximize floormat sales.

2. Biosite is a provider of breakthrough testing systems for the US healthcare system. Its first product- a 15-minute turnaround DOA (Drugs of Abuse) test- has been a tremendous market success based on its ability to enable emergency room physicians to determine more appropriate courses of treatment for patients who are unable to provide the needed information.

Following its DOA test, Biosite introduced a similar concept for cardiac care that provides 15-minute turnaround to determine if a patient with chest pain has in fact had a heart attack. Although this is a big improvement over previous options, there were a series of unknowns including whether the additional cost would be justified, and whether territorial issues would make it difficult to transfer this type of testing from central labs to ER’s and coronary care units.

To address these issues, Redhill Group interviewed cardiologists, ER physicians, and central lab directors by phone. The results of this study provided the information needed to properly price the product, determine which features to emphasize to each part of the buying team, and identify the name which will most effectively promote the product line’s success.

The product line has since been introduced and has been a tremendous success both in saving lives and providing Biosite with a rapidly growing revenue stream.

Customer Satisfaction

1. Redhill Group conducted John Wayne Airport ’s 2007 Passenger Survey. The study’s purpose is to measure travelers’ general opinions and attitudes about the airport as well as usage frequency. For 2007, Redhill Group used a combination of 409 telephone surveys with +/- 4.8% accuracy and 570 intercept surveys with +/-4.1% accuracy at a 95% confidence level.

For a well-rounded respondent pool, the surveys targeted Orange County residents as well as visitors to capture the differing opinions of frequent users as well as those traveling on single occasions.

Telephone surveys involved Orange County adult residents who had used John Wayne Airport at least once in the last 12 months and intercept surveys were conducted with passengers waiting to board in the terminal. The methodology utilized a report card format applying the A-F rating system.

The surveys emphasized satisfaction levels regarding features including the terminal’s cleanliness, parking, food and concessions, usefulness of the Interactive Visitor’s Center, availability of information sources, frequency of trips and mode of arrival. Redhill Group identified overall satisfaction to be at or above that of previous years, making actionable recommendations in limited areas showing descending scores.

Actionable recommendations for raising general satisfaction included the addition of more onsite parking and maintaining JWA’s Internet web site and the news media as the primary communications channels for construction and other updates.

2. Redhill Group conducted a baseline Awareness and Attitude Study for the YMCA of Orange County. The survey was conducted by telephone interviews of a random selection of 600 Orange County residents. Survey results included awareness of the organization’s objectives, programs, and locations. It also identified residents’ attitudes towards the YMCA. This was the first study of its kind conducted for the YMCA of Orange County, and served as the basis for marketing efforts to increase both membership and contributions. It will also be used to measure progress over time when the survey is conducted again in the future.

Mystery Shoppers

Employment

Field Surveyors

Mystery Shoppers

Redhill Group is searching for mystery shoppers. Assignments are primarily conducted for our restaurant clients, with a number of ongoing projects at all times. Mystery shopping studies are traditionally performed over extended periods, therefore openings are offered on an ongoing basis.

Redhill Group shoppers receive between $30 to $50 meal reimbursement, excluding alcohol. Shoppers are not required to take all assignments, and Redhill Group can not guarantee availability of work at all times. While shoppers will seldom shop the same restaurant more than once per month, they have the option of taking assignments for multiple clients.

Redhill Group staff provides a short training seminar prior to sending mystery shoppers into the field. This training is designed to arm them with the knowledge and skills needed to ultimately provide the quality of feedback our clients have come to know us for. It also makes the experience as enjoyable as possible for our shoppers from the time they set out on their first assignment.

If you’re interested in becoming a mystery shopper, we’re interested in hearing from you! Please contact us.

Field Surveyors

Employment

Field Surveyors

Mystery Shoppers

We are looking for field surveyors for Los Angeles County . We need people to visit local fast food restaurants and survey the customers. We have assignments all over the county, so when replying, please let us know what cities you are willing to work in. The times are Lunch (11:30am-2:00pm) and Dinner (5:00pm to 7:30pm) during the week, and Lunch on Saturdays.

We have a lot of flexibility with assignments and scheduling. However, once you are scheduled for an assignment we can not change the schedule. You must have internet access, good transportation, and good penmanship.

We pay round trip mileage and $50 per assignment.

Home

Redhill Group is a Southern California-based, preeminent full-service market research firm specializing in Transportation, Entertainment, Customer Satisfaction, Mystery Shopping, Product Positioning and Ad Tracking. Redhill Group was founded in 1988 with the goal of helping clients assess their customer service through a combination of advanced research skills and marketing expertise. Businesses and organizations in both the private and public sectors have sought our expertise for over twenty years, benefiting from services ranging from focus groups to on-board surveys.

Creating customer feedback programs tailored to clients’ specific objectives and needs counts among Redhill Group’s chief areas of expertise. Our services have positioned hundreds of clients for the best possible customer service, improving business with increased customer satisfaction, loyalty, retention and positive word of mouth referrals.

Redhill Group is synonymous with quality research and reporting that provides insightful and actionable recommendations on every occasion. We are a different kind of research firm, achieving unparalleled efficiency and accuracy with complete in-house resources being among the many advantages we offer our clients. Our reputation for excellent quality control continues to garner many repeat clients along with new ones.

We welcome you to explore our web site to learn more about our core competencies, the work we’ve conducted, our staff, and how we can help your organization!

Case Studies

Case Study: Mystery Shopping: Maytag Appliances
This is a first sample case study for mystery shopping.

Case Examples: Challenges & Solutions

Redhill Group has garnered a wide client base across several industries relying on our customer satisfaction research expertise. Extensive experience with customer satisfaction methodologies allows Redhill Group to routinely create and execute research programs that measure, evaluate and track customer satisfaction and service performance.

Redhill Group recognizes that each particular client has different needs in this area of research. As members of their research team, Redhill Group helps identify particular challenges and then tailors a customized research program to help achieve their specific customer satisfaction objectives.

The following are examples of customer satisfaction research programs Redhill Group has provided its clients:

Next Day Blinds: Service and Product Customer Satisfaction Survey
Next Day Blinds (NDB) is the largest manufacturer and retailer of custom blinds on the East coast, with 30 retail showrooms throughout the mid-Atlantic region. NDB also provides measuring and installation services that aren’t provided by primary competitors. To maintain their lead position in the market, NDB has worked with Redhill Group for the past five years to conduct weekly surveys of customers whose purchases include NDB’s measuring and installation services.

Redhill Group designed a survey process that captures immediate feedback through a brief telephone survey on the customers’ satisfaction level with the custom-made blinds, and the quality of service they received from the professional measurer/installer. The surveys are conducted within a few days of the customer’s installation date and NDB management is immediately alerted of any dissatisfied customers by Redhill Group’s customized “Fax Action Alerts.”

Redhill Group’s rapid customer feedback service allows NDB management to promptly resolve any product or service issues. Redhill Group also provides NDB with a weekly data file of survey results, coded by store location, customer name, purchase date, salesperson name, measurer name and installer name. This ultimately allows NDB to monitor overall customer satisfaction levels on every area of performance.

Motorcycle Industry Association: DTM 800-Line Satisfaction Tracking Study
The Motorcycle Industry Association provides consumers an 800 telephone number service for information on motorcycles and accessories, motorcycling and rider safety instruction courses. Redhill Group has conducted an annual tracking survey for four years to measure satisfaction among callers to the DTM information service.

The surveys were conducted using Redhill Group’s CATI calling center. Analysis of the research data by Redhill Group’s managers provided the MIA with an evaluation of the effectiveness of the 800-line information service in meeting consumer needs. Redhill Group’s analysis has also identified and tracked changes among caller demographics and interests.

Bay Area Rides: Customer Satisfaction Study
Bay Area Rides provides information on alternative modes of transportation to encourage people to try options besides driving. Redhill Group has conducted multiple waves of customer satisfaction research for commuters who have contacted Bay Area Rides to secure information on ride-sharing, bicycling to work and other programs to promote alternative modes of transportation. These customer satisfaction surveys have been useful in fine-tuning programs to better meet customer needs, and to identify areas of service performance that could be improved.

Avery Dennison: Consumer Information Center Study
Avery Dennison’s nationwide Consumer Information Center provides valuable product support to its customers. The support center serves customers who call for help mainly with specific information needed on one of the numerous Avery products they’re using, rather than about the quality of the product itself. One example of Avery’s service calls comes from customers having difficulty formatting or printing a label they purchased with their particular software. Avery brought on Redhill Group’s services as a means of evaluating whether the call center is fully supporting customer needs by way of measuring caller satisfaction.

Redhill Group designed a customer satisfaction research program that surveys a monthly random sample of customers calling Avery’s product support line, and measuring their perspective on the quality and efficiency of service provided.

The survey findings are summarized and Redhill Group provides recommendations to Avery Dennison on strategies to increase overall customer satisfaction with call center services.

Fairfax County Wastewater Management Program: Customer Satisfaction Study
Fairfax County WWMP inaugurated a customer satisfaction program for residents and commercial customers. Redhill Group conducted the customer satisfaction surveying which measured awareness of WWMP and attitudes about wastewater issues. A follow up survey was also given to measure progress. The results of this study are being used to develop effective communications programs.

SCRRA/Metrolink: Customer Satisfaction Study 2002-2004
Redhill Group performed Metrolink’s bi-annual Customer Satisfaction Survey for the second time in 2004. Over 12,000 completed surveys were collected from Metrolink passengers and responses entered into our database and geocoded, Data was collected on demographics, transit usage and customer satisfaction. A report was compiled from the results and a presentation was given to the SCRRA Board of Directors. Redhill Group has conducted two waves of this customer satisfaction study, which is a key driver for service development policies and allocation of resources to improve customer retention.

Toshiba: Technical Support Customer Satisfaction Study
Toshiba America Information Systems provides an enhanced computer support program that provides its top strategic clients with a private 800-number call center that provides answers to complex technical questions.

Redhill Group developed and implemented a program for Toshiba America to determine overall customer satisfaction with the quality and level of service provided through its 800-number. The research assessed key variables including call answering time, perceived quality of information received and courtesy and knowledge of operators providing the technical information. Redhill Group provided an assessment of the call center including actionable recommendations to improve service efficiency and quality.

ABX: Positioning and Customer Satisfaction Study
ABX manufactures and markets a complete line of Hematology equipment and test kits. Redhill Group was selected to conduct an in-depth, baseline positioning study for ABX to ascertain attitudes and awareness of healthcare professionals with regard to performance factors that differentiates the ABX brand from competitors. Redhill Group also developed a baseline model of key performance factors relative to their importance. In conjunction with the baseline positioning study, Redhill Group was also selected to conduct a customer satisfaction study to establish key issues that drive customer satisfaction among healthcare professionals, as well as identify strengths and weaknesses of ABX relative to competitors.

Los Angeles County METRO/MTA: Customer Satisfaction Study
Redhill Group conducted a year-long random digit dialing survey of over 2,000 respondents for a General Public Tracking Survey. The results are being used to assess the public’s awareness of and satisfaction with, METRO’s products and services. Data was collected on demographics, travel behavior and awareness of METRO advertisements, products and services. This data was then made available to METRO on Redhill Group’s web site for real-time data manipulation of charts and tables. Redhill Group has also conducted previous waves of awareness and satisfaction research for METRO/MTA, providing trends over time.

Penske Truck Leasing: Monthly Customer Satisfaction Program
Penske Truck Leasing competes directly with several other national truck rental companies. Although price and fleet availability are core competition factors in this industry, Penske recognizes that the quality of service provided during the telephone reservation process can provide a competitive edge. Based on the particular nature of this industry, Redhill Group created a quality assurance audit program for Penske that helped improve the service quality provided to potential customers from its service agents. Redhill Group conducted service audits each month by telephone to all Penske stores throughout California, Arizona and the Las Vegas metropolitan area. Redhill Group’s service audits assessed the customer service levels provided at each Penske store.

Total Quality Management Program

Redhill Group has worked with many leading corporations and research centers with large and timely data collection requirements, where high quality data and high data integrity is critical for the management decision-making process. Redhill Group has earned these clients’ repeat business through a better understanding of their research needs and an industry-leading quality management program ensuring data is accurate, actionable and representative.

Ultimately, the effectiveness of Customer Satisfaction research is greatly influenced by the quality of data collection. Redhill Group provides its clients with an established Total Quality Management program that ensures data integrity. The following measures are taken to achieve unbiased data:

Thorough interviewer training. Redhill Group’s interviewer-training program teaches interviewers skills that help them achieve specific project objectives. As part of the training, all of Redhill Group’s interviewers are required to complete test surveys prior to beginning actual data collection surveys.
Silent monitoring. Silent monitoriing is an integral part of Redhill Group’s Quality Assurance Program. Surveyors are routinely monitored throughout their shifts to check that questions are asked in a neutral tone.
Supervisors periodically spot-check respondents’ answers. Supervisors record answers throughout interviews, which are also recorded by interviewers. Checking their answers against the interviewers’ is one measure we take in ensuring answers are correctly recorded.
Easy access to survey data allows for constant verification. Redhill Group’s CATI system allows easy access to survey data, making it easy to recognize any data that was inaccurately recorded.
Redhill Group introduces itself to respondents as an independent research firm. Pointing out that respondents are not speaking directly with the service/product provider increases the likelihood of receiving candid feedback.

The reliability of customer satisfaction data can also be influenced by the survey’s response rate. Redhill Group makes sure to capture opinions from both satisfied and dissatisfied customers.

The research methodology developed and employed by Redhill Group achieves the highest possible response rate in a cost-effective manner by working around the customer’s schedule and offering numerous calling alternatives. Redhill Group allows respondents to:

Participate in a survey when they are called
Schedule a callback appointment at the respondent’s convenience if they cannot participate at the time they’re called, or if the survey in progress is interrupted
For respondents who are unavailable, Redhill Group leaves a toll-free number on their answering machine/voicemail, asking them to call us back.
If only one call attempt was made to each potential survey respondent, the survey results would reflect feedback only from “easy to reach” customers. To maximize survey participation rates, Redhill Group has a call-attempt tracking system allowing for multiple call attempts to be made to each potential respondents at varying times of the day.

These techniques have consistently achieved high response rates for Redhill Group. Offering a number of convenient calling alternatives for respondents gives Redhill group wider survey participation and an improved level of data integrity.

In-House Advantages and Resources

Redhill Group houses a state-of-the-art, 30-station CATI (Computer Assisted Telephone Interviewing) call center onsite which is widely used in conducting Customer Satisfaction research. Having an in-house call center ensures high data quality and quick turnaround time in a cost effective manner. Redhill Group has proprietary software programmed into our CATI system to give clients maximum flexibility in terms of customized research programs.

One of the most important elements of conducting Customer Satisfaction research is timeliness. If a company experiences a sudden downturn in customer satisfaction, it is critical to quickly identify the cause and solution.

Research closely links business’ response time with achieving high-level customer service and garnering repeat business. It has been shown that the faster a business can resolve an issue, the less likelihood that the customer’s dissatisfaction will “harden.” Research has further shown that customers who have problems resolved to their satisfaction in a timely manner are more likely to be loyal customers than those who never encounter a problem.

Redhill Group offers its clients a complete customer satisfaction survey program that provides timely, actionable and cost-effective results. Redhill Group conducts most Customer Satisfaction research by telephone so that customer feedback can be quickly obtained and communicated. Telephone interviewing is preferred for the following reasons:

With the faster turnaround times provided on telephone surveys, more actionable data is provided.
Telephone research delivers much higher participation rates than mail and Internet surveys, thereby providing considerably more valid and representative information.
Telephone surveys provide the opportunity to probe for more detailed and clearly understood explanations of the customer’s needs, further improving the quality of data. Mail/Internet surveys have the potential for ambiguous responses and unanswered questions which Telephone surveys can avoid.
Telephone surveys conducted on CATI systems significantly reduce the amount of lost information clients risk with illegible handwritten mail surveys and data entry errors.
Telephone surveying provides an opportunity to alert businesses about dissatisfied clients in a timely manner, allowing them to remedy situations that might otherwise result in lost business in the future.
Telephone customer satisfaction surveys are more competitive in that clients are not confronted with the costs of postage, printing and data entry costs.
Redhill Group’s rapid response Customer Satisfaction research gives clients a competitive edge in managing their business relationships.

Commitment to Clients

In order for our work to genuinely meet your needs, Redhill Group views itself as an extension of your management team. Redhill Group is committed to working closely together to provide the follow-up support needed for market research to serve as an effective management tool.

Redhill Group believes the development of meaningful and actionable research data starts at the beginning of a project. Our firm routinely conducts kick-off meetings with clients at the beginning of projects to ensure we thoroughly understand all project objectives.

In addition to kick-off meetings, steps we take to maintain smooth partnerships include:

We’re receptive and prompt in responding to all client calls and inquiries.
We provide frequent and regular progress reports. Information about any delays are immediately communicated to clients.
Redhill Group works as a team with clients to ensure they understand the data and how to apply it. Redhill Group does not believe in “data dumping.”
Redhill Group takes care to address all problems or concerns clients have regarding our research in support of our commitment to the best possible service.

As part of your research team, Redhill Group also provides frequent and regular communication regarding project progress. Our CATI system allows project managers to easily monitor data collection status, and adjust staffing requirements if necessary. If unexpected delays occur that are beyond Redhill Group’s control, it is our policy to notify you immediately.

We take professional pride in the quality of business relationships we cultivate in addition to the quality of research we conduct. We do not believe in locking our clients into long-term contractual obligations, rather we let our research quality serve as the best means of growing lasting relationships

Redhill Group appreciates the value of customer satisfaction research and is committed to providing clients with a level of service that reflects that. Redhill Group’s goal is not to simply meet clients’ expectations, but to exceed them.

Customer Satisfaction Expertise

Mystery Shopping Qualifications

Customer Satisfaction research is an exceptionally valuable management tool that can be used to increase customer loyalty and retention as well as measure employee team performance. An effective program will identify service factors or geographic areas with outstanding performance in addition to those requiring corrective action for improved performance. When actively utilized by management, Customer Satisfaction research will result in increased sales and market share by better meeting current and potential customer needs.

Customer Satisfaction research is a core competency of Redhill Group. We’ve developed our expertise through years of experience conducting ongoing customer satisfaction studies for numerous clients. This first-hand knowledge gives us the edge in avoiding the pitfalls less experienced firms may run into.

Our experience in Customer Satisfaction research spans many industries offering both services and products. Redhill Group’s professional research team possesses extensive background in corporate marketing as well as consulting. The collective perspective they bring to Customer Satisfaction research gives Redhill Group exceptional capability in creating customized programs clients can integrate into their overall marketing program.

Whether conducting a complex study to assess in-depth customer attitudes or a simple project designed to provide rapid response, Redhill Group believes your program must be customized to meet your specific needs. Rather than use the same scale in every situation, Redhill Group approaches each client’s business as a unique relationship between clients and consumers.

Redhill Group has expert knowledge of selecting the scale that maximizes the value of your research. Potential scales for customer satisfaction include:

Completely satisfied to completely dissatisfied
Always satisfied to never satisfied
Satisfied on all factors to not satisfied on any factors
Extremely satisfied to not at all satisfied
Much better to much worse than competition
Exceeds all requirements to does not meet any requirements
Exceeds to does not meet expectations
Extremely likely to not at all likely to recommend to a coworker or friend
Solely buy from this company to never buy from this company
Extremely to not at all likely to switch brands

Similiarly, Redhill Group doesn’t believe in limiting clients to one “right” number of choices in a rating scale, as we are cognizant of the strengths and weaknesses of each approach. Where a four-point scale commits respondents to a positive or negative rating and a five-point scale offers a neutral category, respondents general feelings reflect this to give insufficient opportunities for differentiation. Conversely, seven-point scales that offer more differentiation are not easily utilized by respondents.

Redhill Group considers these factors carefully to craft effective survey instruments that address all customer satisfaction research objectives in an unbiased and actionable manner.

Customer Satisfaction Qualifications

Transportation Qualifications

Firm Profile

Redhill Group is a full-service market research firm that specializes in customer satisfaction and mystery shopping research. Redhill Group’s client base has expanded to include a wide variety of industries, including consumer products and services, health care, publishing, financial services, transportation, and not-for-profit organizations.

Over the last decade, Redhill Group has conducted a wide variety of mystery shopping programs to help our clients improve their customer service. Our mystery shopping programs positively impact our client’s customer service by providing positive motivation for employees who meet desired service performance objectives, and by determining which areas provide opportunities for further improvement.

Redhill Group has developed a solid research team of full-time professional researchers with strong backgrounds in both marketing and market research. Most of our research team members also have previous experience working in client-side marketing organizations, and thus have a valuable understanding of the “client perspective.” Redhill Group’s research team also includes over 50 part-time members who are highly trained in data collection research procedures.

Redhill Group’s professional team is highly skilled in advanced market research methodologies and possesses extensive expertise in designing customer satisfaction and mystery shopping programs. The researchers at Redhill Group also have substantial training in crafting survey instruments that are designed to avoid bias and ensure actionable results rather than information that is simply “nice-to-know.”

Total Quality Management

Firm Profile

Redhill Group has worked with many leading corporations and research centers where large and timely data collection requirements exist, and high data integrity is critical for the management decision-making process. Redhill Group has earned these clients’ repeat business through a better understanding of research needs and an industry-leading quality management program that ensures data that is accurate, actionable, and representative.

Ultimately, the effectiveness of customer satisfaction and mystery shopping is greatly influenced by the quality of data collection. Redhill Group provides its clients with an established Total Quality Management program that ensures data integrity. Under this program the following steps are taken to achieve unbiased data.

Mystery Shopping:
Total quality in a mystery shopping program starts with measuring the right performance factors and understanding what level of performance needs to be achieved to meet customer expectations without wasting money on service customers consider to be superfluous.

Redhill Group has the knowledge and resources to identify the critical performance factors and determine the relevant performance level that needs to be achieved to meet customer needs. Redhill Group also offers the expertise needed to design an evaluation instrument that collects the necessary data efficiently.

Mystery shoppers are trained to maintain their anonymity, and are provided with appropriate ‘covers’ and responses to key questions that may be required to maintain their appearance as regular customers.

Mystery shoppers are also thoroughly trained to provide objective assessments of the service provided and conditions encountered, and to support negative findings with actionable specifics.

Redhill Group also has a system in place to validate every individual mystery shop, ensuring the resulting data is both valid and actionable.

These specific steps, along with Redhill Group’s extensive experience conducting mystery shopping programs ensure that your mystery shopping program will deliver results that can be used to effectively improve service performance and customer satisfaction.

Telephone Interviewing:

100% of interviewing is conducted in-house with direct supervision in our state-of-the-art call center.
Interviewer training is thorough. Redhill Group has developed an interviewer-training program that goes beyond general interviewing skills to specific project objectives. Interviewers are also required to complete test surveys prior to starting to collect actual survey data.
Silent monitoring is an integral part of Redhill Group’s quality assurance program. Surveyors are routinely monitored throughout their shifts to check that questions are asked in a neutral tone.
Supervisors periodically verify respondents’ answers, which are recorded by the supervisor during the silent monitoring session, against those recorded by the interviewer to check that responses are being correctly recorded.
Redhill Group’s CATI system provides easy access to survey data in order verify responses and quickly recognize any outlying data which may have been inaccurately recorded.
Redhill Group identifies itself to survey respondents as an independent research firm. Survey respondents are generally more likely to provide more candid feedback to an independent entity than they would directly to the service / product provider.

The reliability of customer satisfaction data can also be influenced by the response rate to a survey. Efforts must be made to capture customer opinion from both satisfied and dissatisfied customers.
Redhill Group has developed a research methodology to achieve the highest possible response rate in a cost-effective manner by working around the customer’s schedule and offering numerous calling alternatives.

Redhill Group offers survey respondents the option to:

Participate in a survey when they are called.
Schedule a callback appointment at the respondent’s convenience, if the respondent cannot participate at the time they are called.
Schedule a callback appointment at the respondent’s convenience, if an in-progress survey is interrupted.
If a respondent is not available, or an answering machine / voicemail is reached, Redhill Group asks the customer to call us back at our toll-free number.
If only one call attempt was made to each potential survey respondent, the survey results would reflect feedback only from “easy to reach” customers. Redhill Group has a call-attempt tracking system so that multiple call-attempts at varying times during the day will be made to each potential respondent in order to maximize the survey participation rate.

Redhill Group has consistently achieved high response rates to surveys using these techniques. By offering a number of convenient calling alternatives to the respondent, wider survey participation is achieved, and as a result the level of data integrity is improved.

The quality of research conducted by Redhill Group is partly influenced by our understanding of each client’s particular needs and objectives. Similarly, the effectiveness of research conducted by Redhill Group is partly influenced by the client’s understanding of the data and its management applications. In order for our work to genuinely meet your needs, Redhill Group views itself as an extension of your management team. Redhill Group is committed to working closely with you to provide the follow-up support that is necessary for market research to serve as an effective management tool.

Redhill Group believes that the development of meaningful and actionable research data starts at the beginning of the project. Redhill Group regularly conducts ‘kick-off’ meetings with clients at the beginning of any project to ensure that we have a thorough understanding of all project objectives. At this meeting, Redhill Group works with you to address key issues and to develop a list of data requirements and reporting needs that are necessary to achieve project objectives.

Redhill Group takes the following steps to develop smooth partnerships:

In-depth project kickoff meetings to ensure that all management objectives are clearly and thoroughly understood.
Client calls are promptly returned.
Frequent and regular progress reports.
Redhill Group works closely with its clients to be sure that they understand the data and how to apply it. Redhill Group does not believe in “data dumping.”
Results are formatted to facilitate management decision-making at all levels.
If a client ever has a problem with Redhill Group’s research, Redhill Group will swiftly take the appropriate steps to support our commitment to delivering the best possible service.

As a member of your research team, Redhill Group provides frequent and regular communication regarding project progress. Redhill Group’s CATI system allows project managers to easily monitor data collection status, and if necessary, adjust staffing requirements. If an unexpected delay that is beyond Redhill Group’s control should occur, Redhill Group will notify you immediately.

Redhill Group takes professional pride in the quality of the research we conduct, as well as the quality of the business relationships we cultivate with our clients. We do not believe in locking our clients into long-term contractual obligations. Rather, Redhill Group believes that the quality of our research services and our commitment to satisfying our clients is the most valuable and effective means of growing long-term relationship.

Our Mystery Shopping Expertise

Firm Profile

Mystery shopping is one of Redhill Group’s core competencies. Our expertise has been developed through years of experience conducting ongoing mystery shopping studies for numerous clients selling services as well as tangible products.

Redhill Group’s first-hand knowledge of Mystery Shopping research provides insight for designing meaningful and effective programs while avoiding the pitfalls that less experienced firms may not be able to navigate.

The ability to better meet customer needs through an effective mystery shopping program will improve customer satisfaction and generate increased sales and market share.
Some of the pitfalls in developing and implementing an effective mystery shopping program leading to suboptimal or even misleading results include:

The program measures the wrong performance factors.
The right factors can be measured, but performance goals may be too low or too high.
Mystery shoppers may be poorly trained, therefore providing subjective results.
Mystery shopping reports may be completely fabricated.
Results may not be provided in a format that makes it easy to take effective corrective action.
Using the knowledge and experience we’ve gained performing hundreds of mystery shopping projects, Redhill Group has arrived at a six-step process to avoid these and other potential pitfalls, guaranteeing your mystery shopping program’s success.
Redhill Group works closely with you to develop a clear understanding of your organization’s goals and keys to success in your competitive environment.
We subsequently develop a customer-driven, optimal shopping experience including identification of the performance factors that produce a positive experience.
Appropriate performance levels are established for each key performance factor to ensure customer expectations are being met, and that undue expense is not incurred.
Quantitative and objective measures of performance are established to ensure that results are actionable and facilitate corrective management action.
Redhill Group thoroughly trains mystery shoppers to provide objective assessments of the service provided and conditions encountered, and support any negative findings with actionable specifics.
We also conduct a comprehensive quality control program with our mystery shoppers to ensure that all data is valid, accurate and actionable.

There are essentially two ways to measure customer service performance. One is to directly ask recent customers about their experience and secure direct feedback regarding satisfaction. This is almost always the best way to measure overall satisfaction, loyalty, and the likelihood of providing positive recommendations to other potential customers.

Unfortunately, customers may only recall specifics on one or two performance factors, not being able to provide accurate information about the specific factor with which they were dissatisfied.

For example, fast food customers who feel they had to wait too long to get their food will generally exaggerate liberally on the length of time it took for their order to arrive. In this situation, it is uncertain whether the food actually took twice as long as the established performance standards dictate, or it was merely the customer’s perception. The difference a quality Mystery Shop can make is presenting the specific waiting time rather than the customer’s perception. Only this way can management pinpoint the specific corrective action that needs to be taken to meet the customer’s needs.

Other specifics a good mystery shopping program offers includes all relevant information necessary for providing better service including: how long it took from the time a customer enters the restaurant until they are able to place their order, if they were greeted in a friendly and professional manner, if the server tried to up-sell the customer with add-ons and special items, how long it took to receive the order once it had been placed, and if the order delivered was correct.

In addition to providing actionable information on each of these specific performance factors, an effective mystery shop would be able to assess the correctness of promotional signage, cleanliness of the restaurant, and other factors as appropriate. Thus a single, effective mystery shop can provide more objective evaluation of performance factors than 10 customer satisfaction surveys.

That is not to say that mystery shopping is always the answer, as consumer preferences and expectations change on a regular basis. Even if all performance factors are being met on a consistent basis, it won’t guarantee customer satisfaction if the wrong factors are being measured, or the right factors are being measured the wrong way.

These still require direct consumer surveys. In the example of our fast food scenario, we need to know directly from customers what an acceptable wait period is for the food to arrive.

What is known is that even when asked, people rarely report poor service directly to management. The prevailing consensus among customers is that management really doesn’t want to hear about. Beyond that, in many cases the customers themselves don’t want to be bothered with the additional work of dealing with management also leading to inadequate feedback.

This lack of feedback would enable management to quickly and effectively address any shortcomings in service delivery. An effective mystery shopping program can provide that feedback in a timely and actionable format to provide positive motivation for employees, and quick identification of areas that need improvement.

CASE EXAMPLES:
Redhill Group has developed a large client-base across a wide variety of industries that relies on Redhill Group’s Mystery Shopping expertise. Our extensive experience allows us to routinely develop and implement mystery shopping programs that effectively analyze their performance and provide positive motivation for employees to improve customer service levels.

Redhill Group recognizes that each particular client has different needs, and that one program doesn’t fit every situation. As an extension of your management team, Redhill Group helps identify particular challenges and then tailors a customized research program to help achieve your service performance objectives. Below are a few examples of types of research programs that Redhill Group is providing for its clients.

METROLINK: On-Board Performance Audit
SCRRA / Metrolink has contracted with Redhill Group to provide ongoing audits of its operations for safety and customer satisfaction. Redhill Group mystery shops each of Metrolink’s 130 trains once per month and provides detailed reporting as well as instant “Fax-Alerts” for matters that require immediate attention.

This information is used to ensure proper procedures are employed to guarantee rider safety. It is also used to improve customer satisfaction, which leads to both increased customer retention and positive word-of-mouth referrals. In addition to identifying areas that require additional training or more immediate action, the results are used to determine the level of performance bonuses. The successful execution of this program has resulted in significant performance improvements over the term of the project.

GUCCI TIMEPIECES: National Mystery Shopping Study
Gucci has made a significant investment in providing superior sales-support training for department store and jewelry store staff. They needed to know if this investment was paying off in increased product knowledge, and recommendations of Gucci brand timepieces. Redhill Group conducted mystery shops in 10 major cities across the United States, representing approximately 10% of the retail outlets where Gucci watches are sold.

Based on the research findings, Redhill Group provided Gucci with a detailed evaluation of the role of salespersons in influencing the consumer’s purchase decision process. There were several specific recommendations that led to increased product knowledge and customer recommendations, as well as providing pricing information that resulted in a significant increase in profit margins.

MAYTAG: In-Store Product Support Study
Maytag Appliances, an industry leader in the durable appliance market, contracted with Redhill Group to conduct an in-store mystery shop study. The goal of the study was to determine how the brand was being represented in a key retail outlet. To accomplish this,, Redhill Group designed a mystery shop study to present the retail sales staff with severall scenarios involving various “customer types.” Customer types included older shoppers who had owned a Maytag appliance for several years, younger couples who were purchasing their first major appliance, and customers who were not committed to one particular brand. This allowed Maytag to discern the differences in sales practices as it relates to different customer needs.

The study was originally conducted in the California and Arizona markets, and was subsequently extended to assess the Texas market. The results from the study were used to provide Maytag with actionable information regarding the representation of their product at this key retailer. They were able to identify situations where their high quality product line was being used as a “switch and bait,” where the Maytag brand name was being used to attract customers to the store and then sales staff would attempt to convert them to buying house-brand washers and dryers.

SUBWAY SANDWICHES: Retail Sales Personnel / Service Mystery Shops
Subway conducts performance audits for all 500+ Southern California retail locations. Redhill Group and Subway jointly designed a comprehensive auditing process that was subsequently executed by Redhill Group in two separate waves. The audit involved “mystery shopping” each of the 500+ locations twice per week for a three week period including presentation of rewards when a store met all performance criteria. In addition to completing over 3,000 shops over three weeks, Redhill Group coordinated auditors to ensure that they never shopped the same route of stores twice avoiding recognition from previous audits.

During each audit several factors were evaluated including crew courtesy, friendliness, and salesmanship as well as store-related factors and management supervision. Redhill Group consistently provides Subway with high quality audits by way of producing schedules, mapping optimal auditor rotation and providing Quality Assurance Staff and Auditors with ongoing training programs, providing immediate “fax alerts” on situations that require immediate attention and frequent project status updates. Since the implementation of the auditing process, Subway stores have experienced an overall measurable increase in suggestive selling and employee morale.

NEXT DAY BLINDS: Sales Performance Audits
Next Day Blinds (NDB) manufactures custom-made premium window shades and has 30 retail showrooms throughout the mid-Atlantic region. They have achieved rapid growth by providing their retail customers premium service to support their premium custom-made products.

To ensure that its sales team pro-actively meets customer needs, Next Day Blinds contracted with Redhill Group to audit the quality of its service for all locations of the Mid-Atlantic retail chain in addition to retail locations of key competitors. Redhill Group’s sales and in-store audits are conducted monthly. Redhill Group provides comprehensive monthly reports for Next Day Blinds that enables them to quickly identify areas that require staff training and more direct support from corporate staff.

PENSKE TRUCK LEASING: Customer Service Audit Study
Penske Truck Rentals competes directly with several national truck rental companies. Most reservations are made via telephone, rather than in person at the point-of-service pick-up / drop-off locations. Since this telephone call is usually the customer’s first contact with Penske, it is essential for the reservation agents to provide customers with courteous,, knowledgeable and efficient service in order to close the sale.

Although price and fleet availability are core competitive factors in this industry, Penske recognizes that the quality of service provided during the telephone reservation process can produce a competitive edge.

Redhill Group created a quality assurance audit program that helped Penske improve the service quality its reservations department provides to potential customers. Redhill Group conducts ‘mystery shop’ service audits each month by telephone for all Penske stores throughout Southern California, Arizona, and Las Vegas. The Redhill Group service audits assess the level of customer service provided at each Penske store.

Redhill Group has designed a reporting system that provides Penske with a complete Redhill Group’s detailed monthly service audit report provides Penske with a management tool that identifies overall reservation service averages, positive and negative trends, and any specific areas that may require improvement.

IRVINE COMPANY / STOFFEL & ASSOCIATES: Irvine Spectrum Security and Valet Parking Performance Evaluation Study
Irvine Spectrum is a major entertainment center located at the intersection of Southern California’s 5 and 405 freeways. It offers a unique entertainment and shopping experience that draws consumers from throughout Orange County. To ensure the Spectrum’s continued success, it is important that valet parking works efficiently and courteously, and that security staff are deployed to provide a safe atmosphere for visitors.

Redhill Group conducted mystery shops of valet parking throughout the Spectrum’s hours of operation, and while there, determined the number and location of security staff.
Security team members were also asked for directions to determine how they handled inquiries.
Redhill Group has conducted this survey on several occasions for the Irvine Company and Irvine Spectrum, who have used the information to ensure that both valet and security staffs are conducting their services in an effective and professional manner, thereby increasing attendance at the Spectrum.

WIENERSCHNITZEL: Service Excellence Mystery Shopping
Wienerschnitzel, the world leading quickserve hot dog concept needed a mystery shopping program to motivate staff to provide friendly and efficient service, upsell customers to maximize per ticket volume, and to maintain restaurant operations in spotless condition with appropriate signage for specials always in place. Redhill Group developed a comprehensive program to shop each of 366 stores on a monthly basis. The program included promotion to store staff, presentation of $20 gift cards for winners, and “Oops” cards mailed to stores that specified what needs to be improved to become a winner. The program also included summary reporting at the District, Region, and National level. The program helped increase both per ticket levels and total long-term volume.

ROMAN CUCINA: Full Service Restaurant Mystery Shop Program
Roman Cucina is a high-energy, high quality, full service Italian restaurant that prides itself on excellent customer service. Redhill Group has developed a professional mystery shopping program for Roman Cucina utilizing well-trained mystery shoppers to provide objective and independent feedback assessing performance of restaurant staff and operations.

Redhill Group conducts weekly shops for each meal at each location providing actionable feedback for managers wanting to ensure that customers’ dining frequently is consistent, , first time diners return, suggestive selling is used to maximize revenue, and that all Roman Cucina customers provide the most valuable and influential type of advertising: positive word of mouth referrals.

STONEFIRE GRILL: Family / Take-out Restaurant Mystery Shop Program
StoneFire Grill is a rapidly expanding family dining and takeout restaurant with locations throughout Southern California. StoneFire’s rapid growth is based on great food, good value and particularly – outstanding service. Redhill Group is StoneFire’s partner in ensuring that StoneFire Grill managers and front-line staff consistently provide service that keeps new and established customers returning and providing positive word of mouth referrals.

Redhill Group provides weekly shops between varying meals, days of the week and time of day to ensure that excellent service is provided around the clock. Redhill Group utilizes highly trained mystery shoppers to provide feedback that is both accurate and actionable to assist corporate and restaurant managers to counsel, train and motivate staff to provide excellent service.

Why Conduct Mystery Shopping?

Firm Profile

Customer Satisfaction Qualifications

“That which gets measured gets done.”
– Tom Peters, Author, In Search of Excellence

As Tom Peters notes, if nothing is measured, there is no motivation to meet customer service requirements — and if customer service requirements are not being met, customers will go where they are being met.

Whether an organization provides a service or product, the perceived value is being assessed by each customer at every point of customer contact. If customer needs are consistently met, this increases customer loyalty and positive word of mouth referrals — both of which lead to increased sales and profits.

Despite the well-documented need for good customer service, poor service still abounds, continuing to hurt organizations’ profitability.

The top 10 reasons for poor customer service are:

Nothing is measured.
There are no standards.
Employees are rewarded for productivity instead of performance quality.
What is important to customers is not what is important to management.
Measurement is not performed consistently.
The measurement of performance is done incorrectly.
Poor quality mystery shoppers (biased and subjective reporting without specifics to back up low ratings).
Lack of quality control in mystery shopping.
Incorrect scales are employed in reporting.
Reporting of results is not timely, or in the format needed to provide effective corrective action.

Mystery Shopping Qualifications

Mystery Shopping Qualifications

Transportation Qualifications

Customer Satisfaction Qualifications

Mystery Shopping Qualifications

Transportation Qualifications

Redhill Group’s complete range of research services include survey and sampling design, CATI, Internet and mail surveying, focus groups, executive interviewing and complete statistical analysis and reporting. Performing all project work in-house enables Redhill Group to provide clients with complete quality control. It also ensures a clear channel of communication and allows all project objectives to be achieved within the required timeline. In-house resources and specialized techniques have been instrumental in achieving above-industry average response rates, along with more valid and robust data.

All surveying work is performed in-house at Redhill Group’s state of the art 30-station call center employing Redhill Group’s proprietary CATI (Computer Assisted Telephone Interviewing System) system, developed specifically to meet the demanding requirements of transportation research.

Statistical Significance

Accuracy Calculator

Sample Size Calculator

Statistical Significance

Use this tool to…

Redhill Group

Statistical Significance
	Population 1	Population 2
Sample Size
% for Response
# for Response
Difference in %
Difference Significant at 90%
Difference Significant at 95%

Sample Size Calculator

Accuracy Calculator

Sample Size Calculator

Statistical Significance

Use this tool to…

Redhill Group

Desired Accuracy =
Population Size =

Sample Size
Confidence Level	95%		90%
Population Split	50/50	90/10	50/50	90/10
Finite
Infinite

Accuracy Calculator

Sample Size Calculator

Statistical Significance

This accuracy tool will allow you to…

Redhill Group

Sample Size =
Population Size =

Accuracy
Confidence Level	95%		90%
Population Split	50/50	90/10	50/50	90/10
Finite
Infinite

Selected Research Projects

Flexibility of Survey Design

In-House Capabilities

National Research Firm

Our Approach to Projects

Selected Research Projects