The Quality of Service Directorate within the People & Standards Division is currently implementing an ongoing mystery shopping exercise through the ESF-funded project Mystery Shopper – Enhanced performance in the Public Administration. The Mystery Shopper project aims at improving the customer experience at the various public service stations throughout the Public Administration with the aim of achieving a service of excellence.
The Mystery Shopper project is a quality service tool which runs parallel to other exercises piloted by this Directorate, such as the departmental service quality assessments. By means of these projects the Directorate aspires towards a customer-centric public service delivery, with each department being evaluated within the parameters of 10 service quality Determinants as defined by the SERVQUAL quality management framework. The Directorate runs detailed reports based on these ten Determinants, constantly identifying customer service deficiencies and addressing them through valuable interaction with the respective public service providers. The way forward is indicated through action plans which are walked through with each evaluated department. The project is inspired and guided by the established four pillars of service quality: VOICE, DESIGN, DELIVERY and ACCOUNTABILITY.
The rolling out of the Mystery Shopper project is bringing to light the valuable service being provided by many Public Sector employees in their commitment to provide a service of excellence. Rating public service departments where the public is being constantly served, enables the Public Administration to recognise the best practices that are being brought to light, and sharing them with others. It has also opened new vistas as to how much can be achieved when all stakeholders come together and work as a team towards the one uniting vision – that of achieving a Service of Excellence.
The ESF-funded projext Mystery Shopper - Enhanced performance in the Public Administration was concluded in December 2024 and mystery shopping exercises are continuing through National Funds.
