How to Get Started

1. No matter which firm you choose to contract with, you will need to create some specifications about your company's needs.  The following is a list of common questions secret shopping companies need answered before providing you with a detailed proposal.

Request for Proposal Specifications:

1. The name of your company;
2. Describe your company's business;
3. Your name and your contact information; 
4. Describe who you are and what your role is in implementing a secret shopper program.  (Are you collecting information for a team, supervisor or for yourself?);  
5. Detail whether you currently have a program in place (provide outline of program) or whether you are researching for a new program;
6. If you have a program currently, discuss how that works and the strengths and weaknesses of it;
7. If you are just researching for a new program, describe what you want to evaluate and why you are considering a secret shopper program;
8. List the number of locations/regions/districts you are thinking about evaluating monthly (most established companies require annual contracts); 
9. Outline what you are looking to accomplish in this program; and finally
10. Specify your timeline for implementation.

2. We will need to speak with you over the phone.   

The RFP and discussing your company's needs helps us to learn about your business — what you do, how you do it, your concerns and your special and distinct needs.  Often we can provide invaluable guidance in developing the best possible solution for your company.  Remember, Leadership Insurance™ has a 100% success rate in significantly improving sales, service and profitability among our clients.  This program holds managers accountable for making service improvements using the secret shopper evaluations.  

3. We will deliver a proposal for services, and, if agreed upon, both parties sign a contract for annual services.  Most secret shopping companies require annual contracts.  If you'd like to be contacted, please take the time to fill out the Contact and RFP Form, if you haven't already.

4. After an agreement is reached, the development phase begins.  Development includes:

• Scope and objectives of the program;
• Evaluation design through collaboration with new client partner. (Unless you are doing 'true' market research or a compliance audit, an evaluation must provide quantitative and qualitative elements to be effective.  This ensures associates and managers improve consistently; they have to understand the reason why they scored what they scored to improve.   Most companies do not provide this type of evaluation as it is too labor intensive.);  
• Online program set up;
• Shopper training and objectives;
• Editor and staff training and objectives (internal);
• Programming project into our online system:  user access levels, custom reporting, red flags or triggers for shops meeting specific criteria; and
• Client training for our online system.

5. The program is rolled out, and evaluations begin. 

6. Leadership Insurance™ begins:  Promote. Evaluate. Coach. Reward. Review. IMPROVE.

Want to know more about secret shopping and secret shopping companies in general?  Click Next.