Marketing & Communication Efficiency: Are You Ensuring the Return on Your Investment?

By Pedro Venturini, Country Manager, BARE International Brazil 

Many companies allocate significant budgets to attract customers but end up facing challenges at the most critical moment: the actual service and buying experience.
This reality is far more common than most would imagine.
Organizations invest heavily in advertising campaigns designed to drive traffic, capture attention, and spark desire. When those campaigns succeed, audiences arrive enthusiastic and ready to buy, whether in a physical store or online.

Yet, this is often where the process breaks down: the product is unavailable, the brand ambassador does not show up, the website is confusing, or no one can answer questions or explain differentiators.  

The result is a disappointing experience. And when that happens, customers walk away, taking your million-dollar investment with them.

A recent study found that over half of consumers (53%) reduce their spending after a poor customer experience, and that negative experiences put nearly 4 trillion dollars in global sales at risk.

The challenge lies not only in communicating effectively but in ensuring that the entire customer journey is consistent and efficient. This is where many marketing and communication plans fall short. The attraction strategy works, but the execution fails at the point of contact with the customer. That is precisely where a well-designed Mystery Shopping program comes in. 

Where Marketing Breaks Down: The Role of Mystery Shopping 

A well-structured Mystery Shopping program, with national or even global coverage, can quickly identify operational gaps. It pinpoints where the experience falters, where investments are being wasted, and, most importantly, where to take corrective action before financial losses occur. 

Far from being a cost, Mystery Shopping is an investment that pays for itself.
It represents only a fraction of the marketing budget but delivers measurable returns by preventing revenue leakage, improving conversion, and ensuring that every marketing effort translates into tangible results. 

Advertising agencies, business consultancies, and brand marketers can and should incorporate Mystery Shopping into their marketing and communication planning. It is a low-cost, high-impact tool that provides valuable insights and guarantees more consistent, measurable results. 

Two Waves of Mystery Shopping: Diagnosis and Performance Assurance 

The ideal approach is to conduct Mystery Shopping in two distinct waves. 

The first takes place before the campaign, to diagnose service quality and the customer journey (and make improvements). 

The second occurs during the campaign, ensuring that everything runs smoothly and that the investment is performing at its full potential. 

BARE International clients who adopt this dual-wave strategy have achieved remarkable outcomes: more efficient campaigns, reduced waste, and significantly higher conversion rates. 

From Creation to Execution: Where Experience Delivers Real Value 

If the goal is to ensure that your brand shines not only in media plans and creative pieces but also at the point of sale, the key is to listen to those who truly matter, the customers. 

They are the ones who live the experience, in-store or online, and can reveal where opportunities for improvement truly exist. 

Today, marketing and communication professionals can expand their impact beyond creativity and media. Integrating Mystery Shopping into a marketing strategy ensures that creative investments translate into real results. 

Data is important, but if agencies do not help their clients ensure flawless execution at the point of sale, marketing and communication efforts can falter.