New Year Message from Luis Duarte, President MSPA EA

January 12, 2022

Hello and Happy New Year to all our MSPA members and friends.

We leave behind our last chapter in 2021, a year that has been difficult for many. A year filled with uncertainty, restrictions, and for many people personal tragedy, either through watching family or friends struggle with illness or in continuing to do business in difficult circumstances. My heart goes out to everyone who has struggled.

No one can predict the future but the latest news, and the Victory of science through Vaccination and the positive efforts of communities all over our world, makes us believe that it is time to turn this page of our history and we can get ready for the recovery and for growth of our businesses and embrace the changes that our clients and colleagues expect from us. With the good fortune to be your President at the MSPA EA I cannot think of a better place to do this and transform our businesses than in our home of Mystery Shopping!

This is the place where you truly can connect, learn and share. Many success stories were told this year despite the difficulties we faced. Could you benefit and get inspired for your business from learning how one of our members merged their Mystery Shopping and their Market Research Unit and are now a CX company? Or another member that embraced technology and is now helping their clients through Mystery Shopping but also through a team of more than 10 developers? Join our events to hear these and other stories that will help your company’s strategy.

I would like to share with you some highlights from our 2022 programme:

Client Case studies – acting on members’ desire to hear what has been working, bringing value to our clients. We will bring to you very interesting methodologies & creative solutions to business problems. Read the first Client Case Study, by Jill Spencer, ReactCX.

Masterclasses – learn how members successfully implemented their growth strategies, which challenges they faced and how they were overcome. March 24th, 2022 is the date for our first 3 Masterclasses at one workshop, we hope to meet you live in Amsterdam otherwise a virtual option will be available!

Education opportunities – be a lifelong learner and prepare your team and yourself for the Future. New LMS courses for staff and shoppers are on their way to you! Including an important cours on Mystery Shopping Best Practice and MSPA Guidelines coming very soon!

Business Opportunities & Networking – your parents taught you not to speak to strangers but……make an exception and have a chat with one or more of the 22 companies from Europe and Africa that joined. We are now a significant family of 214 companies.

The Smiling Report – Our annual worldwide survey performed by MSPA members, highly appreciated by media and clients worldwide! With the launch of a brand new dashboard and about to start collecting your data from 2021, we are looking forward presenting the Smiling Report 2022!

MSPA podcasts – launched as a new initiative this year with a diverse type of content designed to and more to all our news channels

Elite Member Status 2022 – don’t miss out the deadline to apply, January 28th 2022, and be awarded with Elite status for the entire year!

Member views, blogs and articles – Do you have any stories of positive diversifications into new markets? Have you discovered new methods or approaches to mystery shopping? Did the pandemic give you the opportunity to think of new ideas and look at things differently? We would love hearing them! Read the latest article from Valeriy Khrapov, Romir and check the members area to read or download all members articles!

Our virtual HUB meetings – in which we catch up every quarter about the news in our industry

And of course, our Conference in Bulgaria – we currently intend to have a conference in 8-10 June 2022. Mark your agenda and watch the news messages! We will keep reviewing “go/no go” based on health risk.

The MSPA is grateful for your continued support and we strive above all to offer excellent value for your membership. Renewal invoices have been sent out so let us know if you do not have yours yet or have any questions, we look forward to staying connected and your continued support.

I wish you and your families and colleagues first good health, then new adventures to push you beyond your comfort.