PowerNotes LLC helps workforce organizations view their services through the eyes of the customer. MaryAnn Lawrence of PowerNotes began secret shopping, sometimes referred to as mystery shopping, over twenty years ago and has perfected this unique method of enhancing customer service.
The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) requires the workforce development system provide seamless service to job seeker and business customers in a one-stop environment. Ultimately, State and local workforce development practitioners must create a system that is customer-focused and achieves exemplary performance outcomes.
Business results are achieved by engaging in a business approach. The workforce development system must ensure the products and services meet customer needs and expectations, are provided in an efficient and cost-effective manner, and promote community values and work ethics. The (WIOA) further demands accountability and transparency.
Any successful business looks at every angle of customer satisfaction and business results to validate what is an effective practice versus areas needing improvement. Secret Shopping for the workforce system is intended to look at one angle, checking out your business through the eyes of the customer.
PowerNotes assists organizations determine the purpose for their Secret Shopping: monitor customer service, observe partner characteristics, review integration efforts, and/or observe product knowledge. Next, PowerNotes helps in identifying expected outcomes of the shopping such as improving local services, enhancing performance, validating compliance, and/or to validate a systems approach to workforce services. Criteria is determined and a decision on whether the organization wants informed customer secret shopping or uninformed customer secret shopping or a combination. An informed customer is one who has an employment and training background and understands the intricate details of partnering, collaboration, funding sources, and services. An uninformed customer is one who does not have specific information about the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act and the One-Stop System and are approaching the project in terms of general customer service types of observations. The type of mystery shopper will depend on the expected outcomes.
PowerNotes report that details a customer’s view of your services will help you make informed decisions regarding services, partnering, customer flow, customer service, and customer satisfaction.
