Member Article

Spotlight shines on Liverpool's leading businesses at annual Mystery Shop Awards

Liverpool BID Company’s annual Mystery Shop Awards took place on Thursday, May 23, at The Bentley, with a host of retailers, hotels, leisure and hospitality businesses recognised for their exceptional customer service.

With 200 BID levy paying businesses across the BID areas mystery shopped, both quality and competition were high. Boodles on Lord Street scooped the prestigious Best National Retailer Award, while Lalligrass in the Bluecoat scooped the Best Independent Retailer Award. White Wolf Yoga (Service Provider) on Cook Street, Signature Living (Accommodation Provider) on Stanley Street and The Restaurant Bar & Grill (Leisure & Hospitality Venue) on Brunswick Street also won top prizes on the night.

Created ten years ago, the Mystery Shop Awards are a cornerstone of Liverpool BID Company’s work with businesses to reward high standards in customer service and as a benchmark to develop employee skills.

Overall quality was, as always, exemplary, and this year 16 businesses scored 100% and a further 66 scoring 90% or more for their services in the Mystery Shop Awards. Prizes were also awarded to those who had improved the most over the last 12 months, with Drome (Bold Street), The Sweets & Gifts Company (Bold Street), L1 Styles (Richmond Street), Travelodge (Exchange Street East) and Key Lime Coffee (St Johns) all recognised in this area.

Adam Nugent, owner and managing director, Lalligrass, said:

“We are over the moon to pick up the Best Independent Retailer award for the first time. Our team at The Bluecoat pride themselves on exemplary customer service, so to be recognised for this in the city is a credit to our staff members for going above and beyond on a daily basis.

“Liverpool BID Company has given us fantastic support this year, as it does with all of its BID levy payers, and we’re pleased to celebrate this award with them as well as so many other businesses from the city.”

Bill Addy, chief executive, Liverpool BID Company, said:

“We first created the Mystery Shop Awards a decade ago as a way of recognising those champions of customer service and as a means of supporting our levy payers who are not performing to the standard they want to be, and helping them to up-skill their employees. It is vital for them individually, but for the city and wider city region as a whole that residents, employees and visitors are given the best customer service possible to encourage repeat visits.

“The city region’s visitor economy has come so far over the last few years - we now welcome 64m visitors to the region annually, providing a £4.5b boost to the local economy, with Liverpool now the fifth most visited destination in the UK for overseas visitors as well as being in the top 5 retail destinations in the UK.

“Ultimately we want visitors to enjoy their time in the city, and only by working and supporting each other will we achieve that for a sustainable length of time. This forms a central part of my role as chair of LVEN, championing the voice of the private sector and providing a link on tourism matters with Marketing Liverpool and the Liverpool LEP (Local Enterprise Partnership).”

Pro-actively working to improve its BID levy payers’ business services, Liverpool BID Company’s continued commitment to encouraging customer service, safety and employee skills has again brought fantastic results through the Mystery Shop Awards, with over 70 businesses mystery shopped for the very first time in 2019.

Award Winners National Retailer - Boodles, Lord Street Independent Retailer - Lalligrass, Bluecoat Service Provider - White Wolf Yoga, Cook Street Accommodation Provider - Signature Living, Stanley Street Leisure & Hospitality Venue - The Restaurant Bar & Grill, Brunswick Street

Most Improved National Retailer - Drome, Bold Street Independent Retailer - The Sweets & Gift Company, Bold Street Service Provider - L1 Styles, Richmond Street Accommodation Provider - Travelodge, Exchange Flags East Leisure & Hospitality Venue - Key Lime Coffee, St Johns

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by James Burch .