Service with a smile is alive and well in North America

ROCKLIN, CA (PRLEAP) July 5, 2006 – When it comes to service-with-a-smile, retailers in North America hold an impressive edge over their European counterparts.

A worldwide survey compiled by the International Mystery Shopping Alliance (IMSA) from a variety of mystery shopping sources – including National Shopping Service – credits the North American work force with offering a smile to 90 percent of its customers (234,208 of 259,864), 15 percent better than the results reported by shoppers in Europe (75 percent, 111,999 of 148,838).

North American workers fared the best in the mass merchandising – or big box – sector, registering a 98 percent success margin (1,266 of 1,291), compared to 35 percent (229 or 799) in Europe. This was the widest differential of the 17 industries surveyed.

North Americans working in clothing/specialty stores also offered smiles to 96 percent of its customers – compared to 71 percent in Europe – and to 93 percent of those entering a jewelry/accessories store. The lowest score for North American workers was 85 percent in the grocery/food/supermarkets and automotive categories.

“A smile is a universal unspoken language that speaks volumes,” Matt Wozniak, President and CEO of National Shopping Service, explained. “It instantaneously and strongly communicates ‘Yes.’ It communicates genuine interest, happiness, health and a sense of well-being.”

Wozniak continued, “The physiology of smiling actually creates a biochemical result, activating neuro-hormones, endorphins and nitric oxide to make you feel great. So smiling can actually make you, and those around you, happier and healthier.”

Both North American and European workers in the grocery/food/supermarkets industry offered smiles 85 percent of the time, while the North American employees led all of the other categories The closest Europe ranked was in health and beauty care (88 percent to 92 percent), cosmetics (86 percent to 91 percent) and automotive (77 percent to 85 percent).

Not all industries were surveyed in all regions. Results were based on 411,350 mystery shops performed in North America and Europe during 2005.


About National Shopping Service:
Founded in 1972, National Shopping Service offers businesses a unique combination of mystery shopping resources and measurement solutions focused on brand alignment and customer retention. Using state-of-the-art data collection methods, Web-based technologies and proprietary processes, National Shopping Service provides managers with actionable information necessary to understand and affect customer loyalty while improving overall business performance.

For more information, visit www.nationalshoppingservice.com