Abstract:
This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of the Mystery Shopper Program
in the job performance of the employees of United Coconut Planters Bank-United
Nations Avenue Branch (UCPB-U.N. Ave. Branch). It intended to describe the effects of
the program on the bank employees’ motivation and development of technical
competence. It also determined whether the employees and the Branch Operations
Officer of the bank have similar points of view regarding the effectiveness of the Mystery
Shopper Program.
The study was both descriptive and evaluative as it looked into the specific
effects of the Mystery Shopper Program and how it is viewed by the employees subject
to it and the Branch Operations Officer who conducts the appraisal interview.
There were two research instruments, the interview schedule and the survey
questionnaire, used to supply the data for the objectives of the study. The interview
schedule was used for the Branch Operations Officer of UCPB-U.N. Ave. Branch. The
survey questionnaire, on the other hand, consisted of close-ended questions for the
employees. At the end of the questionnaire, a space was allotted to give the
respondents the option to share their further comments on the Mystery Shopper
Program.
The responses from the survey were tallied using frequencies and tables.
Gathered data were analyzed by determining whether the responses were favorable or
unfavorable on the topic at hand. Answers to the survey represented the points of view
of the employees, while the information generated from the interview correspond to the
opinion of the Branch Operations officer of UCPB-U.N. Ave. Branch.
The results revealed that the evaluation from the mystery shopper affects the
motivation of UCPB-U.N. Avenue Branch employees positively. However, as a
response to the open-ended question at the last part of the questionnaire, one of the
respondents asserted that the Mystery Shopper Program is more of a negative
motivating factor because it instills fear in the employees to do a certain task. Findings
also showed that the evaluation from the mystery shopper allows the employees to
develop their technical competence. Finally, results showed that the employees and the
Branch Operations Officer of UCPB-U.N. Ave. Branch have varying points of view
regarding the Mystery Shopper Program. Though the employees welcome performance
feedback, it was also found that most of the employees do not favor the Mystery
Shopper Program as a performance appraisal system.
It was concluded that the Mystery Shopper Program of UCPB is effective only to
some extent. The appraisal interview phase is an effective stage in the process of the
Mystery Shopper Program as it allows the employees and the Branch Operations
Officer to collaborate on ways to improve the employees’ performance.
