When Cumberland Farms took first place in the 2014 CSP/Service Intelligence Mystery Shop, the Framingham, Mass.-based chain credited its success to a team-first culture and a conscious reset of its stores to focus more on areas such as cleanliness and foodservice. These efforts continued to pay off in 2016.
This year, Cumberland Farms landed top scores when it came to mystery shoppers recommending the store. An average of 91% of mystery shoppers would likely recommend the 80 participating Cumberland Farms to others, with 75% saying they definitely would.
When asked why, many mystery shoppers mentioned speed of service, while others cited cleanliness or convenience. However, time and time again, the comments mentioned one main reason for a return visit: Cumberland’s friendly staff.
“The cashier was very friendly,” wrote one shopper. “I purchased a coffee and we had a little chat because business was slow and he educated me on how great the coffee is at Cumberland Farms. Simply a wonderful person.”
Several mystery shoppers echoed these sentiments, citing employees who covered an extra penny or nickel in tax, made eye contact and smiled, and even “went above and beyond the call of duty” by returning money that had fallen out of a customer’s wallet.
As such, Cumberland also performed well when shoppers were asked to rate its store-level employees. Cumberland’s employees were described as well-groomed 100% of the time; making the customers feel valued 84.3% of the time; and being friendly 96.3% of the time.
“The employee was friendly and polite,” another shopper said of their experience. “She made eye contact and said she was sorry for the delay (only 14 seconds). She was one of the friendliest, [most] down-to-earth cashiers I’ve ever encountered.”
Members help make our journalism possible. Become a CSP member today and unlock exclusive benefits, including unlimited access to all of our content. Sign up here.