Our mystery shoppers may have noticed that over the past year, Confero has seen a big increase in clients requesting audits of their location.  Audits are usually used by large companies or corporations with multiple locations, often nationwide. Audits provide a simple way for companies to manage the image they are presenting to customers in all their locations. 

Audits usually require auditors to visit the assigned location and do any of the following items:

1. Take an inventory of particular products.  Companies want to ensure that their shelves are properly stocked at all times.  And sometimes, they are auditing their competitors, so they want to be able to compare what their competitors have in stock.  In a recent program, one of our clients had auditors visit grocery stores to take inventory particular brands of products.  They wanted to know how much shelf space was designated for their product, as well as their competitors.
2. Ensure that signage and promotional materials are properly displayed. Large corporations are often promoting new items, and when there is a change, there has to be a change at each location.  Audits provide a quick and easy way to ensure all locations are properly outfitted with the correct materials.  Recently, one of our fast-food restaurant clients needed a menu board audit for their locations nationwide.  Auditors were given a guide that showed how the menu boards should look.  They visited the locations to see if the menu boards were correct; if they were not, they asked the manager to fix the menu board to match the guide. 
3. Visit company locations to confirm hours of operation.  Companies with locations nation-wide often have standard hours of operation and other business practices.  Recently, one of our clients wanted their locations audited at specific times and on specific days to ensure that their locations were adhering to the standard hours of operation. 

Mystery shops and audits are very similar.  Both require the mystery shopper/auditor to follow a set of client-required guidelines and to visit the assigned location at the assigned time.  Like mystery shoppers, auditors are also required submit validation.  Validation documents on audits may vary; some require a receipt from a small purchase while at the location, while others may require a manager’s signature.   Validation documents are  required to be submitted on the online survey just like a mystery shop.  One of the biggest differences is that most audits require the auditors to use particular equipment like a cell phone camera or digital camera. 

Have you conducted an audit yet?  If not, be sure to watch the job board because we expect to have more audits posted soon!