At any given time, about 40 UF students are undercover, ordering and rating on-campus services.
Every semester, students apply to be secret shoppers, going around to review one or more of five business-partner areas on campus: Gator Corner Dining Center, UF Bookstore, Pepsi Vending, Gator 1 Central and Canteen Vending.
They buy products and later write up reviews about their experiences, said Ray Martignetti, the district general manager of Canteen Vending. Students rate based on customer service, cleanliness and quality of products.
In one case, a secret shopper filed a report for a vending machine in which some M&Ms shattered during the bag’s drop, he said.
UF’s business services division started hiring students to be secret shoppers in Spring 2015, he said. Since then, satisfaction with services has improved.
Though students aren’t paid for the position, participants get gift cards, coupons or products, he said. The businesses get notified immediately when a survey is filled out.
After reports are filed, the division gives the vendor the reports within 24 hours to fix any issues, he said.
“Rather than view comments as complaints, we view all comments as opportunities,” said Bill McGinn, the assistant director of business services.
Canteen Vending, which maintains all of the vending machines on campus, received its most recent report Monday, Martignetti said. It went from a starting satisfaction rate of 80 percent last year to about 98 percent.
“It’s another set of eyes on things,” he said, “and it only makes us better.”
UF alumna Carla Cabrita was one of the first secret shoppers hired in Spring 2015. She said she used to go to UF’s dining halls.
“Through these surveys I have witnessed the cleanliness in the dining halls improve,” Cabrita said. “Our feedback helped to implement regular cleaning schedules that are posted on the back of the restroom doors.”
Cabrita said customer service has also improved with the secret shopper program.
“I have noticed that I am consistently greeted and made to feel a priority,” Cabrita said.
During the five semesters the UF alumna participated, she said quality improved.
“I think it is important that students can play a role in improving the dining service for our peers,” she said.
Though McGinn said the program has reached its capacity this semester, new students will be hired in January.
“Our UF business partners are very supportive of the secret shopper programs and look forward to any and all comments made — good, bad or indifferent.” McGinn said.
