Why Pay Your Staff to Be Mystery Shoppers
Working in your taproom day after day can become a blur. The little things that make a big difference to a guest start to fade into the background. It simply becomes a place of work. You grow immune to your surroundings, and that can be costly.
If you want your team to regain fresh eyes, send them to another brewery as a Secret Hopper. Why?
You want them focused on the little details that shape a taproom experience. Let them enter another business with the specific goal of paying attention.
They get paid to visit another brewery. That alone creates buy in.
Market research. They experience firsthand what works and what does not, while also gathering valuable customer experience data on nearby breweries.
You likely encourage your staff to improve specific taproom habits. Greet guests faster. Offer more personalized recommendations. Encourage beer to go. It can feel like a long list. Sometimes the best reminder comes from being on the other side of the bar.
I love walking into a new taproom with fresh eyes. What did I love? What felt lacking? What could they easily improve? What would motivate me to come back sooner? Viewing another taproom through that lens can reinvigorate your team and sharpen how they evaluate their own.
“Damn, it took nearly 10 minutes for the staff to acknowledge me.” Next shift, I make sure I acknowledge guests immediately, even if there is a line.
“The brewery down the street never mentioned flights. I ordered a pint I did not enjoy, then noticed someone else with a flight.” Next shift, I offer flights to first time guests.
Think about what matters to you personally. Is the other brewery checking those boxes?
As you wrap up your visit, how much did you tip? Why? Did you default to 20 percent? Did you consider tipping less because the service lacked engagement? Did you tip 35 percent because the staff went above and beyond? There is a direct connection between engagement and tip percentage.
Engagement drives revenue. Those small touches make guests spend more. Across Secret Hopper visits, guests who receive high engagement spend 40 percent more than those who receive low engagement. They also tip higher.
Imagine you are at a place with table service. You finish your pint. Ten minutes pass and no one checks in. What do you do? I might leave. That costs the business. Now flip it. You are the server. Make a guest feel forgotten and they will take their money elsewhere.
Start with the experience you would want to receive, then tailor it to the guest in front of you.
One important note. Do not send your staff somewhere they will receive preferential treatment. Recognition can skew the experience. Even a very positive visit may not reflect a typical guest journey. And the most positive guest experience is not always the most profitable one.
Most guests, including you, will not complain if a staff member forgets to introduce themselves or mention a crowler to go. But data shows that simple actions like sharing your name correlate with higher tabs and higher tips. And yes, you get tipped on that to go beer. It may not feel like a dealbreaker, but those incremental gains add up and directly impact your bottom line.
Consider this your call to action. Do not settle for satisfactory.
Covering a $20 tab at a nearby taproom will likely deliver more value than the often dreaded pizza party. Spend 60 seconds reviewing the data points. Visit. Have a pint or two. Spend 10 minutes completing the form.
If you already work with us, we are happy to provide the questionnaire and reporting platform.
I would bet that the next time your team is behind the bar, they will be more engaged.
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If you are already a Secret Hopper brewery, we will handle the processing of the visit for your staff. We will provide the criteria, the reporting platform, and manage the backend so you can focus on the insights.
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