Mystery Shopper Programme
The Mystery Shopper Programme is a part of the wider ‘Engaging Children and Young People’ programme of work being undertaken by MDEM and facilitated by Davey Ivens.
What is it?
This innovative programme aims to give museums in the region direct and independent feedback on their offer to children, young people and families; highlighting what they already do well and where there are areas for development.
From March 2016, fully trained ‘family teams’ and ‘teen teams’ of Mystery Shoppers will visit participating museums to assess all their services and facilities aimed at families and younger visitors: from websites to front of house; accessibility to interactive displays; exhibitions to toilets; museum shops to family activities.
In order to make sure that the Mystery Shopper programme meets the needs of museums we undertook consultation with colleagues attending the programme launch at Wollaton Hall on 6th October – at this workshop delegates were asked to undertake a SWOT analysis of the project, highlighting the benefits and challenges for participants. You can find the results of this analysis here
How to apply
We are currently in our first round of Mystery Shopping. If you would like to join the programme please contact the Programme Facilitator Davey Ivens.
Mystery Shopper – Application Form
Eligibility – Accredited museums and those working towards Museum Accreditation
What will happen?
Written feedback from mystery shopper teams will be available for museums as well as facilitated, face-to-face feedback where possible. Findings from the programme will also be shared across the East Midlands and be used to inform MDEM planning and where appropriate museum participants will be able to access MDEM’s Small Grants fund.
Museums with questions or queries should contact the Programme Facilitator, Davey Ivens.
Feedback from the Mystery Shoppers So Far
MDEM Mystery Shoppers will start their ‘undercover’ visits to participating museums from April 2016. Museums taking part are in Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Nottinghamshire and Lincolnshire.
MDEM held its first Mystery Shopper training event on 5th March. The day was aimed at helping our family and teen teams to think about:
- What’s important to young people and families about museum visits.
- How the Mystery Shoppers will record their thoughts about their visits.
- Which teams will visit which participating museums.
- How the teams will feed back to the museums taking part in the Mystery Shopper programme.
Taking part in the day were our three Family Teams that included adults and young people aged between 8 and 14, as well as our Teen Team of 15 year olds. The day’s activity was split between discussion, interactive group activity and our first Mystery Shopper trial run at the National Civil War Centre in Newark.
MDEM Mystery Shopper Programme – Training Day Full Report
