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ESA Helps London Retailers Prepare for Olympics
Skillsmart Retail, the UK's retail sector skills council, has commissioned ESA to assess the shopping experience in Forest Gate, East London. The research will pinpoint how shops in the area can broaden their appeal ahead of the anticipated influx of 1.5 million extra visitors to London for the Olympics.
The research has three separate elements - town centre audits, mystery shopping, and consumer interviewing. The audits will assess general appearance and convenience, taking into account factors such as graffiti and accessibility. The mystery shopping will focus on independent retailers, assessing various aspects of customer service. The consumer interviews are designed to provide additional insight into shoppers' and visitors' overall experience. Skillsmart Retail will use the findings to develop a training and development programme for local shop owners.
Ian Wheeler, Research Manager at Skillsmart, says retailers in Forest Gate are keen to understand how the area is perceived, to help them 'ensure that their businesses and the area in general are flourishing in 2012'.
ESA, based in St Albans, is a founder member and sole UK representative of the International Mystery Shopping Association (IMSA). The company's web site is at www.esa.co.uk
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