06/ 27/ 2006
by Judi Jacobs
Spying may be controversial in some settings, but at New York City's Oasis Day Spa, it's just business. The spa's owners, Marti and Bruce Schoenberg, snoop on themselves through reverse secret-shopping missions. Instead of monitoring the competition, undercover customers report back to the Schoenbergs on how business is handled at each of the four Oasis Day Spa locations.
Competition is fierce among Big Apple spas, says Bruce, and the Schoenbergs want to ensure that their customers receive the ultimate spa experience. So three years ago, they started the secret-shopper program. It works like this: The Schoenbergs ask friends to go undercover as customers with the assignment of bringing back a detailed report of their experience. In exchange, shoppers receive their spa services for free. The Schoenbergs encourage spies to be difficult (like changing appointments several times) and thorough (like assessing locker room cleanliness and the quality of service).
"When I give an assignment, I want soup to nuts," Bruce says, adding that he wants the unvarnished truth, both good and bad.
Secret shoppers are deployed once a month, testing different appointment times, different services and different technicians. The program costs the Schoenbergs from $100 to $500 per visit, but the program's reward—strong customer satisfaction—is invaluable. Bruce says the spa receives fewer than 10 complaints a week out of 2,000 visitors.
Though the spying is secret, the program is not. Employees know any customer could be a secret shopper.
"Everyone is in sales," Bruce says of his staff of 150. "I tell them, 'You don't know who the person is in front of you. It could be a secret shopper or a famous celebrity who is dressed down for the weekend. Treat everyone like the most important customer.'"
The program uncovers unanticipated problems, too. When one plus-sized secret shopper was given a robe that was too small, she was too embarrassed to leave the locker room for her service. After that day, the spa set a new policy of saving extra-large robes for plus-sized clients.
"It was embarrassing for her and for us," Bruce says. "That experience was a big help to us to better serve our customers."
