Mystery Shopping
See Your Campus From A Prospect’s Perspective
Do you ever wonder what prospects experience when visiting your organization? Are they greeted promptly? Is the front desk staffed? How long does that precious prospect wait in the lobby? And how quick is the response time to an inquiry? Are prospective students treated with the care they deserve on the phone and in person? You can get all of these valuable insights and information through in-person, phone, or virtual Mystery Shopping.
Admissions interviews are an integral part of the students journey. Are your admission representatives providing the information students need to make informed enrollment decisions while ensuring your organization remains protected against borrower defense claims? It’s what happens in that closed-door admissions office that worries management most. And that’s where Mystery Shopping pays big dividends!
How It Works
Our Operations team will create a custom data collector for you. We’ll evaluate multiple data points from response time, the lobby experience, tour, program presentation – including sensitive compliance topics like outcomes, salary expectations, availability of financial aid, accreditation and transfer of credit – and materials used in the process. We staff our shops with a mix of seasoned higher education shoppers and those newer to the field to give a fresh perspective. Each shop goes through levels of editing to ensure accuracy and check regulatory compliance. Your extensive reports will be easy to digest. We will highlight areas of acclaim and opportunity. Your Client Success Manager will help you set up a custom dashboard to easily look at a school, location, or representative’s performance on various topics, and provide actionable items that are data driven.
That’s Not All!
We also offer customer service focused mystery shopping in the education field. We work with community colleges, online colleges, daycare centers, tutoring centers, and more to report on the customer experience. Do prospects feel comfortable and confident in the information they are being provided? What is it like to navigate your website as a prospective student/client? Do they feel seen and understood? Is it easy to locate your center? Our clients are making changes for the better as a result of Mystery Shopping.
I’ve had the pleasure of working with Norton Norris (Nn) since 2018. Today, I serve 120 admissions professionals at multiple campus and online locations. I’ve watched this partnership evolve as we increasingly leverage Nn’s expertise and services (and agility!) to support growth, quality assurance, and the consistent delivery of ethical best practices in admissions.
With continued scrutiny of recruitment practices and attention being paid to claims of misrepresentation around things central to enrollment decisions, Mystery Shopping remains an invaluable method for gaining insights that inform and influence training and coaching plans and priorities. To stay relevant, Herzing and Nn frequently revisit Mystery Shop objectives and deliverables; current priorities include compliance, customer service, and customized metrics that align with expectations unique to our approach. At any time, I may easily access individual shop results and customize dashboard reports. Proudly, I share that year-over-year we realize significant performance improvements. Results are also shared with executive leadership, Herzing’s Board of Trustees and Audit, Risk and Compliance Committee, and as appropriate, regulatory agencies as proof of Herzing’s commitment to high standards of integrity and professionalism.
I am a raving fan of Norton Norris. The quality of work, levels of service and engagement, and dedication to partner institutions and prospective students are unparalleled.
Jennifer Christensen,
Director of Admissions Training and Development
