Robert Louis Stevenson said that "Everyone lives by selling something."

In that sense, we are all retailers.  The "secret shopper" is a worthy
approach to evaluating performance, as is video taping the
docent/interpreter.  In addition, I advocate rewards for "great shops."  The
employees should know that they will be evaluated and they should know of
the criteria.  Train first and then "shop."

David Stanford Gregory, Grants Manager
Museum of Florida History


-----Original Message-----
From: Jay Heuman [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: Tuesday, December 10, 2002 2:53 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: "secret shoppers" to evaluate tours


Hi Adrienne,

One reason why "strangers" ("secret visitors") should be trusted is
because most visitors to museums - like shoppers in retail stores - ARE
strangers.  Shouldn't the evaluation of front-line staff include - but
not depend entirely upon - the "visitor experience"?  Supervisors cannot
evaluate how visitors process their experience with front-line staff.
Just because the front-line staff follow set procedures - and appear to
be friendly, efficient, helpful, etc. to their supervisors - does not
mean the front-line staff are performing their jobs well.

As well, there may be a potential benefit from such a "secret visitor"
process to change aspects of a museum's set procedure.  (For example:
What if multiple "secret visitors" consistently point to the same flaw
amongst a variety of front-line staff?  Perhaps it's not the staff, but
the set procedure that needs improvement . . .)

Best wishes, sincerely,

Jay Heuman
Visitor & Volunteer Services Coordinator
Joslyn Art Museum
2200 Dodge Street, Omaha, NE, 68102
342-3300 (telephone)   342-2376 (fax)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Fine art is that in which the hand, the head
and the heart go together."
                          John Ruskin, 1819-1900
                          The Two Paths. Lecture ii.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~




> -----Original Message-----
> From: Museum discussion list [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
> On Behalf Of Adrienne DeAngelis
> Sent: Tuesday, December 10, 2002 1:31 pm
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: "secret shoppers" to evaluate tours
>
> Hello--
> The problem with "secret shoppers" is that they are frequently
> tempted to exaggerate their experiences. I don't see why a
> supervisor cannot simply pay better attention to what happens
> in the shop or in other parts of the museum in order to judge
> how the workers are working. Why are strangers to be trusted
> with providing information that could affect someone's job?
>
>         Adrienne DeAngelis
>         Resources in Art History for Graduate Students
>         (http://www.efn.org/~acd/resources.html)
>         [log in to unmask]

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