Henri Willig Katwoude wins the Experience of the Month Award for August!
29/9/2026
Henri Willig in Katwoude is the winner of our Experience of the Month Award for August! Every month, our mystery shoppers visit thousands of stores, restaurants, and hospitality venues. From all these visits, we select the experience that stands out most for its service, customer friendliness, or ability to inspire. This month, Henri Willig in Katwoude stood out. Hospitality, product knowledge, and personal attention came together in a shopping experience that went far beyond simply buying a piece of cheese.
Personal advice with a story
The mystery shopper entered the store with a clear request: “I’m looking for a mild cheese for someone who isn’t familiar with Dutch cheese yet.” The cheese was intended as a gift for someone in New York. Senior sales associate Trudi van Loo immediately started thinking along with the shopper and explained why a particular cheese would be a good fit. But the conversation went beyond the product itself. She also talked about the Jersey cows, whose milk is naturally creamier, and shared the story behind Henri Willig and the different varieties of cheese.
It was this combination of advice, personal attention, and product knowledge that made such a strong impression. The mystery shopper described the visit as warm and enthusiastic: “Because of the detailed explanation about the family business and the different types of cheese, I would really love to come back!” The overall experience received a 100% score in the mystery shopping evaluation.
Hospitality until the very last interaction
The personal attention continued throughout the entire visit. Even at checkout, the experience gained an unexpected extra touch. Another employee told the mystery shopper that she could even visit the Jersey cows and explained where the barns were located. For the shopper, that unexpected addition made the visit even more memorable: “Such a fun addition to the experience of buying the cheese!”
It shows how even a small extra interaction can influence the way a customer remembers their entire visit.
Fifteen years of experience on the shop floor
Trudi van Loo has been working at Henri Willig for fifteen years. What keeps the job enjoyable after all that time is the variety. “No two days are the same,” Trudi says. “You may be doing the same work, but you never meet the same people.”
The team in Katwoude welcomes many tourists. According to Trudi, that creates a positive atmosphere in the store. Many visitors are on vacation, exploring the area, and interested in hearing the story behind the cheese.
That is exactly what makes interacting with customers so enjoyable for her. It is not just about selling a product, but also about sharing the family story, the company’s history, and the way the cheese is made. This gives the purchase more meaning and makes it easier to create a genuine connection with the customer.
Mystery shopping as a tool to keep improving
According to Trudi, mystery shopping can help teams stay focused and continue improving. The results show what customers value and where service can become even stronger.
“The mystery shopping research shows us what customers appreciate about our service and where we can still improve. That feedback helps the team continue learning and stay sharp.”
At the same time, experience on the shop floor plays an important role. Trudi believes that listening carefully, understanding what someone needs, and building trust are skills that mainly develop through practice.
It is the combination of hands-on experience and feedback from mystery shopping that helps teams keep learning. The results offer an additional perspective on how customers actually experience the store and its service, while providing concrete opportunities to further strengthen the customer experience.
Walking around, listening, and reading the customer
Trudi also has a clear tip for other stores that want to provide great service: be friendly, give people your attention, and keep moving around the store. By not staying in one place, she hears what customers are saying to each other and picks up on small signals. This helps her understand what someone is looking for, whether they need assistance, or whether they would rather browse on their own first.
For Trudi, great service is not about helping every customer in exactly the same way. It is about observing, listening, and adapting your approach to the person in front of you. That personal attention was also exactly what stood out during this mystery shopping visit.
A well-deserved award
Henri Willig Katwoude shows how personal attention, product knowledge, and genuine hospitality can come together to create a memorable shopping experience. By listening carefully to the customer, sharing the story behind the cheese, and adding just a little extra attention throughout the entire visit, the team turned a small purchase into an experience the mystery shopper would remember.
Congratulations to Trudi and the entire Henri Willig Katwoude team on this well-deserved Experience of the Month Award! 🎉
