How AH to go (NS Retail) uses mystery shopping as a motivation tool for 1,200 store employees

Retail in top gear

“People don’t come to shop, but there are still 200,000 potential customers a day,” says Maarten about Utrecht Central Station, one of the locations where AH to go is based. With an average dwell time of seven minutes, everything in the store has to be right: speed, availability, hospitality and store appearance.

That challenge has only grown in recent years. Stations are no longer just concrete transit spaces. They’ve turned into lively meeting places with shops, food & beverage and experiences. AH to go alone has 48 station stores, 1,200 employees and 130,000 customers per day.

Weekly mystery shopping at all AH to go stores

To safeguard quality in this dynamic environment, AH to go opts for a structural approach. Every week, Secret View conducts mystery shopping research at all stores, at different times. Five standard categories are assessed:

• Hospitality (79%) – first impression and atmosphere
• Staff (90%) – appearance and product knowledge
• Store (92%) – cleanliness and layout
• Checkout (92%) – speed and friendliness at the till
• Voice of Customer (83%) – the overall customer experience

In addition to the standard categories, mystery shoppers conduct a different case each week: fresh produce, bakery, coffee, or alcohol. This gives clients insight into all key store segments over a four-week cycle. Eighty percent of the questionnaire remains the same for reliable comparison, while 20% is specific to that week's case. The time of the visit varies per case, ensuring that various customer moments are included.

All results flow directly into the Secret View dashboard, where managers have real-time insight into performance. This allows them to take action immediately if needed. But AH to go does more with this data than just measure and adjust.

From insight to motivation

Data alone isn’t enough, Maarten knows:

“Measuring is important, but motivating even more. A positive employee experience creates engaged colleagues, and engaged colleagues create satisfied customers. That’s the foundation of growth.”

To achieve this, AH to go developed a performance points system:

• Teams earn points for high scores in the mystery shopping measurements
• Every 100 points = €1 per person in budget for team outings
• A leaderboard creates healthy competition
• Teams spend their budget on outings, drinks or activities

“This way, we invest directly in team building and the atmosphere on the shop floor,” Maarten adds with a smile.

The results speak for themselves

And it works. With an average mystery shopping score of 87% and peaks up to 92% for store appearance and checkout, AH to go can truly be proud of itself. Team Heerenveen recently topped the ranking with 9,200 points, worth €92 per person extra for a team outing.

But behind those numbers lies something bigger: meaningful work. Because ultimately it’s not about the points, but about what employees themselves find important. Employees say:

• “I want to have a fun team.”
• “I want to achieve goals together.”

This approach leads to:

• More team spirit and connection
• Pride in a tidy, well-run store
• Lower absenteeism and staff turnover
• Better execution of standards
• Sustainable growth through motivated teams

What can other retailers learn from this?

NS Retail’s approach shows that mystery shopping can be more than just a control tool. It becomes a conversation tool, a motivator and a source of pride.

Three key lessons to take away:

• Make work meaningful: show employees why their efforts matter.
• Reward teams, not individuals: this strengthens collaboration and motivation.
• Make data accessible: real-time dashboards keep measurement relevant and fun.

Research shows that engaged employees are 21% more productive and deliver 10% higher customer satisfaction. AH to go shows how to achieve that, even in an environment where every second counts.

From control to culture

“The goal is not for the store to just look good because it has to,” Maarten concludes. “The goal is for teams to be proud of their store. That’s what makes the difference.”

By linking mystery shopping to motivation, a culture of growth, collaboration and pride emerges. And that is exactly where sustainable customer experience begins.

Would you also like to use mystery shopping as a motivation tool for your team?

Schedule a demo and discover how mystery shopping can motivate your teams and measurably improve your customer experience. Including a free pilot.