A few months ago, I decided to go on a ‘mystery visit’ to a certain Bank in Akure.
Apparently, this bank had it’s assigned mystery shoppers; people pretending to be normal customers but are spies sent by the Management.
I was not one of them but as a trainer to that organization, I was merely doing this to assess the quality of the service delivery in real time so I could give practicable solutions in class the following day.
Unfortunately, my staff & I were JJCs in the mystery shopping game as the bank’s staff had acquired doctorate degrees in spotting anomalies. Apparently, our dressing (rather too formal for Akure) gave us away. A major goof in the school of ‘mystery’ Lol
In fact, before we got to the next branch, ‘intel’ had leaked to all staff that they should be on their best behaviour as the ‘not-so-mysterious’ shoppers were coming.
When we got there, everything was exaggerated – from the security guards’ welcome to the well spread out dentition of every staff & neatly arranged files. It was quite laughable.😂
The height was when we entered the restroom & the cleaner opened the door saying ‘Good afternoon you are welcome to XYZ bank’. 😂
You see, unlike our rookie performance that day; where our clothes announced who we were, I have discovered opportunity has a PhD in mystery shopping.
It has a way of not announcing itself; hiding in plain sight & looking like the ordinary customer that visits every day. Oftentimes, when it reveals its identity, it may be too late to adjust.
Who you are on a NORMAL day is who OPPORTUNITY meets.
OPPORTUNITY never meets you at your best but it meets you at your DEFAULT behaviour. Hopefully, your DEFAULT behaviour is you at your BEST!
Happy New Month!
–Â Bankole
