What Is an Integrity Check and When Might You Need One?

Running a business requires a certain amount of trust. You trust your employees to treat customers respectfully, follow company policies, handle transactions appropriately, and represent your business the way you expect. You may have invested considerable time and effort into training your staff, establishing procedures, and building a reputation for quality service. But what happens when you’re not there to see what’s happening for yourself?

If you’ve ever wondered whether your employees are following procedures when management is away, whether customers are receiving the level of service you expect, or whether a particular employee may be taking advantage of your business, an integrity check could provide some answers.

Also known as secret shopping or mystery shopping, an integrity check allows a private investigator to discreetly evaluate an employee or business operation by posing as an ordinary customer. Rather than announcing that an employee is being evaluated, our investigators observe what happens naturally and document the experience.

For a business owner, this can provide something that reports, policies, and assumptions cannot always provide: an opportunity to see what is actually happening when you are not in the room. Here’s how Kinsey Investigations gets the job done.

What Is an Integrity Check?

An integrity check is a discreet investigation designed around the concerns of a business owner or manager. A private investigator acts as a customer or otherwise interacts with the business in a predetermined way while observing employee conduct and the overall customer experience.

The investigation can focus on the issues that matter most to your business. Depending on the circumstances, that could include employee demeanor, customer service, compliance with company policies, cash handling, security procedures, or potential employee theft.

The goal isn’t necessarily to catch someone doing something wrong. In fact, you may just want to know whether your employees are doing what you have asked them to do.

If everything checks out, that information can be valuable, too. Knowing that your employees are following procedures and providing appropriate service can give you greater confidence in your business operations.

When Should You Consider an Integrity Check?

You may not need an integrity check every time you have a minor concern about an employee. However, there are situations where getting an independent look at what is happening can make sense.

Maybe you’ve received complaints about an employee’s attitude toward customers, but you have never personally witnessed the behavior. Maybe you’ve noticed inconsistencies in how company policies are being followed. Or you might have reason to believe that cash, inventory, discounts, or other company resources are not being handled properly.

You may also have a location that seems to be underperforming despite having the same policies and training as your other locations. If you can’t figure out why, an independent observation of the customer experience may help identify what is happening.

Sometimes the concern is simply that you cannot be everywhere at once. As a business owner or manager, you have responsibilities that take you away from the front lines. An integrity check can provide an independent set of eyes without requiring you to personally monitor your employees.

What Happens During a Secret Shopping Investigation?

One of the advantages of an integrity check is that the investigator can observe employees without making it obvious that an evaluation is taking place.

Kinsey Investigations can work with you to understand what concerns you have and what you want the investigation to accomplish. Our investigators will then pose as a customer and interact with employees based on the assignment’s circumstances.

That might mean visiting a retail establishment, making a purchase, interacting with an employee, or evaluating a particular aspect of the customer experience. The investigator observes the interaction and documents relevant details.

This can be particularly helpful when you’re dealing with a situation where employees already know that management is watching them. If you announce that you are conducting an evaluation, employees may naturally change their behavior. A discreet integrity check allows you to get a different perspective on how your business operates during an ordinary customer interaction.

What Can an Integrity Check Tell You?

An integrity check can answer questions that are difficult to answer from behind a desk.

Are employees greeting customers appropriately? Are they following established procedures? Are they providing the type of service your customers should expect? Are company policies actually being followed in day-to-day operations?

If you have concerns about potential employee theft or other dishonest conduct, an integrity check may also help you determine whether those concerns warrant further attention.

The investigation can be tailored to the circumstances rather than treating every business the same way. Kinsey Investigations provides detailed reporting of observations and interactions, giving you information you can review after the assignment is complete.

And an investigation doesn’t have to focus exclusively on face-to-face customer interactions. Depending on your business and your concerns, secret shopper investigations can also involve phone or online customer service.

What If the Investigation Finds Nothing Wrong?

This is an important part of the integrity check process.

You may have a suspicion that something is wrong, but suspicion and evidence are not the same thing. An integrity check can help you separate the two.

If the investigator finds that an employee follows company procedures, treats customers appropriately, and handles the interaction as expected, you’ve gained useful information. You may discover that a complaint was an isolated incident or that a concern was based on incomplete information.

On the other hand, if our investigator observes behavior that doesn’t meet your expectations, you have a clearer starting point for deciding what to do next.

Either way, you’re making decisions based on an independent observation rather than simply guessing about what happens when you are not there.

Why Work With a Private Investigator?

You could ask a friend or another employee to act as a mystery shopper, but sensitive business concerns often require a more professional approach.

A private investigator understands the importance of discreet observation and detailed documentation. At Kinsey Investigations, integrity checks can be designed around your specific concerns rather than following a generic checklist.

This can be especially important when the issue involves a sensitive employee matter. You may not want the employee to know that you are investigating until you have a better understanding of the situation. Working with an experienced private investigation agency allows you to approach the matter discreetly and professionally.

Kinsey Investigations can also provide reporting that documents what the investigator observed during the assignment. If the situation eventually requires additional investigation or legal action, having thorough documentation may be important.

An Integrity Check Can Give You Peace of Mind

Being a business owner means making difficult decisions with incomplete information from time to time. You can’t personally observe every employee, every customer interaction, and every transaction. But when something doesn’t seem right, you don’t necessarily have to ignore that feeling or immediately confront an employee without knowing what is happening.

An integrity check gives you another option.

Whether you’re concerned about customer service, employee conduct, policy compliance, cash handling, or potential losses, a discreet investigation can help you get a clearer picture of your business from the customer’s perspective.

Kinsey Investigations is a licensed, woman-owned private investigation agency serving the Los Angeles area. If you have concerns about what is happening inside your business, you don’t have to try to figure everything out on your own.

Contact Kinsey Investigations today for your free, confidential consultation. Tell us about your concerns, and we can discuss whether an integrity check or another investigative service may be appropriate for your situation. When you need answers about what is really happening when you are not there, a discreet, professional investigation can help you move forward with greater clarity.