In today’s economy, customer orientation is the major concern for managers operating in a B2C business context.

Many authors assert that the current North American economy has moved beyond the service economy to what is now called the experience economy. Although the importance of measuring customer experience is widely recognized, there is still confusion among many about the distinct concepts of service quality (conformity), customer satisfaction, and customer perception. As a result, many companies either poorly measure or fail to measure the critically important customer experience. Here are the latest developments in this science that benefits to managers who can master it.

Several research methodologies allow for measuring customer experience, but few offer the ability to measure customer perception. One such method is the “real customer” mystery shopper approach. Often confused with the “classic” mystery shopper approach, mystery shopper has a somewhat tarnished reputation. However, when the “real customer” mystery shopper approach is used rigorously, it not only effectively measures conformity but also captures customer perception. This allows companies that use it to significantly enhance their profitability by increasing sales and/or reducing operational costs.

Today, the mystery shopper (both “classic” and “real customer” types) is a global industry worth several billion dollars. Indeed, interest in mystery shopper appears to be strong, particularly in retail. This interest is reflected, among other things, by the fact that the mystery shopper industry in North America alone generated estimated revenues of over $1.5 billion USD for the year 2023 (Mystery Shopping Providers Association, 2024).

One thing is certain, with statistics like this one, It is imperative to prioritize the customer experience, regardless of the methodology used!