And the fear stemmed from a lack of knowledge about the competition. Specifically, what were they doing to be successful, and what effect does this have on our organization’s sales and profits?

We go toe-to-toe with them on some large bids, but they seem to win more contracts than we are comfortable with. We have the same sort of clients in the same industries. Our reputation is rock solid – we think. Our products and services set the standards – we think. And yet there is the gnawing realization that even our clients mention the competition in our conversations with them.

We’ve got their brochures and annual reports. We meet their sales representatives at numerous conventions, but we can’t seem to find the “secret” – if it is a “secret”- behind their success and our lack of success.

B2B Mystery Shopping: The Method behind the Insight

For more than 20 years, Customer Foresight Group has provided leading companies with insights into their competitors: how they assess customer needs, the products and services they customize to meet specific needs, training and after-sales support, and, of course, pricing. Furthermore, we provide videos of sales presentations and redacted copies of email transactions between our mystery shoppers and the sales representative.

Also, we provide an apples-to-apples comparison of various competitors, outlining similarities and differences in the offerings.

Real-World Professionals

What makes us different from other vendors in the B2B mystery shopping world? We use real-world professionals, not clever interviewers who pretend to be someone they’re not. For example, if an assignment requires a CTO or VP Marketing from a manufacturer with 500 to 750 employees, then that is the person we will hire – someone with the credentials and public profile (LinkedIn).

Is this risky? It is a lot safer than using fakes. In more than 20 years of B2B mystery shopping, we have never had any issues, especially legal issues. It may cost a bit more, but our clients benefit from the confidence that a real-world professional brings to a mystery shop.

Legality and Ethics

B2B Mystery Shopping is legal and ethical, although we at Customer Foresight Group, as competitor research and analysis professionals, recognize that there are jurisdictional differences in the United States and Canada. For example, some jurisdictions require both sides to know they are being recorded (two-party consent), and others require only one (one-party consent).

Taking Action

B2B Mystery Shopping is an effective and legal research methodology based on a long track record of success.

To learn more about how Customer Foresight Group can provide your organization with actionable insights, contact us to arrange a video meeting.