Trained customers carry out a mystery shopping exercise by listening to calls made to our customer services team. The aim of these exercises is to make sure our services are delivered equally by everyone and to identify training needs within our team.

We have seen an increase in the other methods of communication our customers choose to use and have expanded the Mystery Shopping project (October 2024) to include emails.

Hafod Housing Association a colleague talking on the phone

How it works!  

  1. Choosing the questions: The questions are set by our Customer Experience team to ensure they align with any key performance indicators we are using.
  2. Protecting our customers: All calls and messages are screened for suitability as we get a lot of very personal communications.  Once screened, all identifiable information is removed. e.g. you will hear the team member ask, can you please confirm your address, but you will not hear the answer.
  3. Method of collection: Customers who have completed online training around confidentiality in line with our GDPR process will be send a link to an online survey where they will be able to hear recorded calls made to our customers services team and view messages that have been sent.  This link can only be used once and will remian open for seven days. After this time the Mystery Shoppers will no longer have access.
  4. Collecting the responses:  The Community Engagement Manager will oversee the collection of the results. In line with GDPR guidance the full survey result will only be accessed by the Customer Experience team who will share the results with relevant colleagues.
  5. Thank you: Our Mystery Shoppers recieve a £20 online voucher as a thank you for their time for each survey they complete.
  6. Results: The results are published on our website and in our Connect eNewsletter, shared through our internal communications and discussed at our Scrutiny Panel.
  7. Frequency: The mystery Shoppers carry out a minimum of four exerices a year.

If you have any questions about this project or wish to become a Mystery Shopper please contact getinvolved@hafod.org.uk 

Find out more about previous mystery shopping results

Six Mystery Shoppers took part and told us:

100% were happy with the overall service

What went well

  • 93% were happy with the identity checks
  • 80% were happy with our enhanced identity checks
  • 83% were happy with the explanation of timescales and a reference number was given to the customer
  • 100% were happy the customer understood what happens next
  • 100% were happy with our behaviours – showing empathy and tone of voice
  • 97% were happy the calls were professional, friendly, helpful and polite
  • 90% were happy we avoided long silences

Where we need to improve. Data below 70% satisfaction is reported as need for improvement

  • 34% were happy we asked if there was anything else we could help with
  • 60% were happy we confirmed the correct telephone number

How our customers have influenced our processes

  • Asking if there’s anything else we can help with: This area showed a gap in performance, with a 25% decrease from previous months. We’ll put greater focus on ensuring that every customer interaction is fully explored, offering opportunities to address any additional concerns or questions.
  • By continually listening to our customers, we can focus our efforts where they matter most, ensuring we meet their needs and exceed their expectations. We are committed to making ongoing improvements and will continue using this feedback to inform our decisions.