Performance in People (PiP) has put together a list of frequently asked questions about the Behavioural Measurement Score® (BMS®).
1. What is the BMS®?
PiP’s BMS® is an objective way of measuring the key behaviours that impact most on the customer experience: Friendly, Enthusiastic, Professional, Interested, Attentive and Helpful. Although process is still important, PiP recognise that process alone does not deliver an excellent customer experience; it is how the customer feels they are treated through demonstrating the right behaviours.
2. Who uses BMS®?
Since its development in 2013, BMS® has been adopted by over 100 organisations throughout the UK across multiple industries including retail, automotive, hospitality and financial. BMS® was also the gold-winner of ‘The UK’s Best Customer Experience Measurement’ category at the UK Customer Experience Awards!
3. How is BMS® scored?
Each customer facing member of staff’s behaviour is measured on a scale of 0-5. There are positive and negative characteristics associated with each behaviour. If the member of staff demonstrates a positive characteristic, they gain 1 point and if they demonstrate a negative, they lose 1 point. Scoring never goes below 0 or above 5.
4. Who marks BMS®?
BMS® is not marked by the mystery shopper, it is marked by PiP’s team of Quality Controllers (QC’s) who are experts in BMS® marking. All QC’s are rigorously trained and audited in BMS® to ensure consistency and fairness in scoring.
Pictured below: some of our QC's with our BMS Manager who were recently rewarded for their great work!
5. How do PiP ensure consistency in marking BMS®?
PiP has a dedicated BMS® Manager who closely works with our Quality Control teams to monitor individual scoring. The BMS® Manager conducts regular spot checks, holds 1-2-1 reviews with the QC’s and hosts monthly audit meetings. Within the monthly audits all QC’s watch and score the same visit. Characteristics are then discussed in an open forum until the group is led to a collective understanding.
6. How do organisations get staff engaged with BMS®?
There’s a range of approaches to increase engagement including; sharing PiP’s BMS® animation film with all staff, organising BMS® Direct training workshops to educate staff, host a launch event, creating company branded BMS® posters displaying the key behaviours and characteristics, creating branded BMS® merchandise and even focusing on 2 or 3 behaviours at a time instead of all 6.
7. What is the best way for BMS® to be understood throughout the organisation?
PiP have a BMS® Direct learning workshop for customer facing staff to understand how behavioural performance can affect their customer service delivery. The workshop demonstrates how the 6 key behaviours and contributing characteristics can influence a customer experience and potential sales performance. They will also learn how to deliver an excellent customer experience, above and beyond ‘process’ and ‘sales’ expectations.
8. What reporting is available on BMS®?
PiP provide valuable BMS® benchmarking data for clients to understand their specific areas of behavioural performance and how they compare within and outside of their industry. PiP can also share key statistics on how BMS® performance compares with consumer expectations.
9. Is there an opportunity to be rewarded for exceptional BMS® performance?
PiP’s quarterly BMS® competition gives staff featured on their video mystery shop or telephone mystery shop the chance to win up to a £500 prize along with a prestigious BMS® trophy, for delivering the best service experience and BMS® performance across PiP’s client base. Nominees are put forward by the Quality Control team who are experts in customer service and recognising fantastic behavioural performance across multiple industries. 1st, 2nd and 3rd winners are selected by our BMS® Manager and Senior Management team.
Click here to see some of our recent winners.
10. Why is BMS® so important?
The way a member of staff makes the customer feel through demonstrating the right behaviours is influential in whether the customer returns and purchase. All of PiP’s clients recognise the importance of this and PiP’s BMS® research has also proven a link between improvements in BMS® score and how this translates into improved business results, in particular commerciality.
If we've not answered your questions about the BMS® methodology, please contact us!
