Mystery shoppers were sent by Liverpool BID Company to test the customer services skills of more than 400 businesses in Liverpool city centre – and the winners are now revealed. Tony McDonough reports
Liverpool BID Company has revealed the winners of its 13th annual Mystery Shop Awards.
It hired ProInsights to send mystery shoppers into more than 400 businesses in Liverpool city centre. They included coffee shops to opticians, national retailers, independent restaurants and accommodation providers across its three separate BIDs.
City centre businesses were visited and marked against a list of criteria to see how well they’re performing. The average customer rating in the city was 82.6%. 48 businesses achieved 100%.
The winners and runners up each achieved more than 90% approval. In the accommodation category, an incredible five hotels all received 100% meaning five overall winners for hotels.
Jennina O’Neill, chair of the Retail & Leisure BID and centre manager at Mequarter, said: “It is such a privilege to see our city centre businesses being celebrated.
“These are the small, independent and high street brands and names we all recognise but that go the extra mile to make our city centre the vibrant place it is.
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“It hasn’t been the easiest year for our retailers, nor our hospitality businesses, but that hasn’t stopped their commitment and determination to deliver the best service they can for customers.
“I’m particularly thrilled to see so many businesses achieve 100%, showing that commitment to great service is something we regard very highly in Liverpool.”
Results are based on businesses that achieved the highest score with a runner-up:
Retail – Independent
Winner: The Sweet & Gift Company
Runner up: Wongs Jewellers
Retail – Clothing & Footwear
Winner: Bravissimo
Runner up: GO Outdoors
Retail – Health, Beauty & Jewellery
Winners: LUSH and Pandora
Retail – Home & Technology
Winners: Machine Mart and Castle Fine Art
Retail – Convenience
Winners: Tesco Express Bold St and Tesco Express Dale Street
Service – Travel
Winner: Hays Travel and TUI
Service – Banking
Winner: Yorkshire Building Society
Service – Hair
Winner: RUSH
Culture
Winner: British Music Experience
Runner up: LCC Culture and Tourism – Civic Halls, Town Hall
Leisure
Winner: Boom Battle Bar
Runner up: Leo Casino, Leisure Time
Hospitality – Independent
Winner: Liverpool Gin Distillery
Runner up: LEAF
Hospitality – Restaurant
Winner: Dash Restaurant and Bar and Wildwood
Hospitality – Quick Service
Winner: Popeyes
Runner up: Costa Coffee (Ranelagh St)
Hospitality – Night Time Economy
Winner: Flares
Runner up: Metrocola & Rock n Rolla
Accommodation – Serviced Apartments
Winner: Staycity Aparthotel, Duke Street
Runner up: Kabannas Liverpool
Accommodation – Hotels
Winners: Hope Street Hotel, Dixie Dean Hotel, Travelodge Hotels (Innovation Park), Hampton by Hilton (Hurst Street), The Pullman
Newcomer of the Year
Winner: Zenn Liverpool
Runner up: Diamond Heaven
Nominated Categories
Green Champion
Winner: Aloft Liverpool
Community Spirit Award
Winner: Howard Lewis, Novotel Paddington Village