Marie-Stella-Maris wins the Experience of the Month Award in August!

19/9/2025

Last month, we travelled once again to the city of Bossche bollen, because Marie-Stella-Maris Den Bosch won the Experience of the Month Award! Every month, our mystery shoppers visit hundreds of shops and hospitality venues, and from all these results we select the most remarkable, customer-friendly, or outstanding experience. In August, the visit to Marie-Stella-Maris stood out above the rest.

Teamwork that brings customers back

Our mystery shopper wrote enthusiastically about the visit to the Den Bosch store: “The shop assistant made a huge contribution to my positive impression of the brand. Thanks to her attention, product knowledge, and explanation of the mission of Marie-Stella-Maris, it felt like a conscious purchase. The refill system and the loyalty program also gave me reasons to return in the future and to buy from this brand more often.”

The team of Marie-Stella-Maris Den Bosch responded with great excitement to the award: “How nice! We didn’t even realize this was a mystery shopper.” They emphasize that this award is truly a joint achievement, the result of a close-knit team: “As a team we are very result-driven, and that makes this recognition extra rewarding.”

The open attitude and especially the joy the Den Bosch team radiated made the mystery shopper feel truly seen: “I felt they genuinely paid attention to my needs. There was room for a joke, but also for thorough explanations about the brand and the products. This created a pleasant and genuine interaction that went beyond a standard sales pitch.”

A brand with a mission

The story behind Marie-Stella-Maris is an important factor within the mystery shopping research. Sales assistant Willemijn Meyering fully supports this:

“The research keeps everyone sharp and ensures that we give our customers the best possible experience. Because our story is so strong, people keep coming back.”

“My work is so much more than just standing in a store. You are challenged, and you have lovely customers and beautiful products. I truly stand behind the brand. I previously worked at sustainable, customer-focused brands like Gray Label and American Vintage, so I feel a strong connection. What I love here is that you don’t just sell products, but also share the story behind them. Some customers are really open to that, especially the refill system.”

Research as a tool for growth

From a management perspective, the award is also a great achievement. Eveline Laros, Regional Manager at Marie-Stella-Maris, sees the mystery shopping research as an important tool to measure customer experience:

“For me, it’s a very useful instrument to see how the in-store experience is going. If the results are poor, I call immediately, but it’s just as valuable to see when a team performs really well. In this result, for example, it was wonderful to see that the team atmosphere was so positive that they even made jokes together. All of that contributes to the customer experience.”

Every Monday, Eveline discusses the results with the teams: “I love putting everyone in the spotlight. It’s important not only to focus on what can be improved, but also on appreciation and recognition.”

Janneke van der Lugt, Retail Operations Director, stresses the value of the research for them: “To create support within our teams, we aligned the very first questionnaire with the all our employees. We’re now working on a new training program for the most important period of the year to promote cross- and upselling.”

She underlines that training is crucial for consistency in customer experience: “We recently hired an Academy Lead to further strengthen our training. These sessions are mainly aimed at helping colleagues on the shop floor to get the most out of each visit. Truly connecting with a customer and tailoring your advice. That’s when you can really make a difference.”

A strategy with results

Willemijn and her colleagues show how genuine interest, extensive product knowledge, and passion for the brand together create an unforgettable shopping experience. The result: a high score, returning customers, and a strong confirmation of the importance of Marie-Stella-Maris’ mission: contributing to clean drinking water worldwide with every purchase.

Congratulations once again to the entire team of Marie-Stella-Maris Den Bosch!