A mystery shop report lands in a manager’s inbox. They read the score, skim the comments, and forward it to the team. It’s up to the director of training, site manager, or regional manager to take the raw data from the report, pick and choose what is most important to improve upon, and come up with a training plan – while maintaining the rest of their workload.
Our new coaching form is intended to make the conversation after the report a few steps simpler.
Why we built a coaching form
Our team brainstorms on a monthly basis about how we can better serve and support our clients in ways that other mystery shopping companies (especially the big guys) can’t. This coaching form was a simple add-on to what we already provide – prompt and accurate customer service combined with accurate and authentic reporting.
It gives a manager a clear structure to walk through with the employee, so the conversation is about one real interaction instead of a vague sense that service could be better. It’s available to all current MarketStat clients – at no additional charge.
We’re keeping the form itself for our clients. What we’re happy to share is the thinking behind it, because the principles work whether or not you ever use ours.
What makes a coaching conversation work
- Start with what went well. Specific praise tied to a real moment shows the employee you read the report closely. It also makes the rest easier to hear.
- Let the employee speak first. People often spot their own misses. When they say it themselves, they own it. When a manager says it, they defend it.
- Pick one thing. A report may show five areas to improve. A conversation that tries to fix five of them usually fixes none. Choose the one that matters most.
- Tie it to a real interaction. Coaching based on an actual call, tour, or visit is more believable than general advice. It’s hard to argue with what happened.
- Agree on what happens next, and by when. A goal without a date is a wish.
- Come back to it. The follow-up is where the change gets confirmed. Whether it’s another shop, a call review, or a quick check-in, it tells the employee the conversation mattered.
The conversation and game plan for moving forward is what turns it into better service. One without the other leaves the value on the table.
Fairness matters more than the score
A coaching conversation that feels like a verdict backfires. Employees who feel judged stop being honest, and honesty is the whole point. Part of keeping it fair is looking at the full picture first. If you haven’t read our piece on why a pattern isn’t automatically a performance problem, it’s a good companion to this one.
Already a MarketStat client?
The coaching form is available to all current clients – at no charge. Ask your MarketStat contact and we’ll send it over. And if you’re not working with us yet, we’d be glad to talk about what a shop could show you.