• is a person, couple or family who stays in your resort just as a guest would,
• and secretly and anonymously studies and critiques the resort, from a guest point of view.
• The secret shopper also talks to other guests, (while not revealing that they are a secret shopper) obtaining a much wider impression of and more complete feedback on your resort
• and then provides you with a detailed analysis of the following areas, again, from the guest point of view
• with suggestions of specific actions to take to improve customer satisfaction, and favourable comments on staff and areas of the resort which are up to or exceeding your standards.

Advantages of using a Resort Secret Shopper

1. You learn what you are doing right, and what your resort could do better in order to increase your customer satisfaction, and thus increase business.
2. It's really the only accurate way to discover how you are doing from the perspective of the guest.
3. Staff do not know that they are being critiqued, so they provide the service that they normally would to the average paying guest.
4. Guest Comment Cards are limited in the data they gather, and are filled out by a very small number of guests, usually those unhappy with their experience. A Resort Secret Shopper's final report is much more complete and useful.
5. We are totally impartial.

Areas We Critique

• Arrival
• Check-in
• Room cleanliness and housekeeping
• Overall ambience of resort
• Staff attitudes, knowledge and level of service
• Value for price
• Room service
• Bars
• Restaurants: menu, food quality, service
• Childcare and children programs
• Recreation
• Hours of operation of facilities
• Public areas
• Off-property excursions offered through your resort
• Check-out
• And anything else you decide you want us to critique, such as: perceived guest safety, suitability of resort for handicapped guests, how the vision created in your marketing matches the real experience.
  

Key Benefits

• Increase your occupancy levels. Use the positive results of our secret shop in your marketing to show high levels of customer satisfaction.
• Evaluate staff. Only guests can give you the real impression of your staff and the quality of service they are providing.
• Stop losing money. Address areas of your resort which need attention, thus preventing unfavourable "word of mouth".
• Increase repeat business. You know that it is much more efficient and less costly to get a repeat guest, than it is to market to and "sell" a new one. The resort secret shop will increase guest satisfaction, thus increasing the chances they will return.
• Discover new markets. A secret shop of your resort could uncover potential markets.
• Improve your image. Sometimes, it's just the little things which can make a big difference to a guest.

How it Works

1. Contact Us
• Via e-mail, toll free at 1-866-352-3878, or regular mail.
• We chat. You tell us exactly what you want, when, and why
• We discuss length and depth of the secret shop for your resort
• We discuss price and payment options. Usually, payment is 30% up front by certified cheque, the remaining 70% upon your receipt of the secret shopping report, including recommendations.
• We then book a reservation directly with your property, as would any other guest.
• We agree upon a place and time to meet face-to-face once we arrive in your area, preferably off-site. This gives us both a chance to discuss any last minute details.
  
  
2. At the Resort
   • We, Lacroix & Associates, remain as guests for the agreed-upon time, secretly critiquing the resort in the agreed-upon areas.
   • Daily, we compile our results on laptop in our room.
   • On the last day of our visit, we give you a detailed report, with recommendations. You pay the remaining 70% by certified cheque.
     
     
3. For one month after the shop
   You can call or e-mail us, at no extra charge, with specific questions or concerns regarding the results of our shop at your resort. We can provide additional recommendations or assistance.