Did you know that most guests decide whether or not they are going to return to your church in the first 10 minutes? As they say, you never get a second chance to make a first impression. If you’re serious about reaching the lost and creating safe, friendly, welcoming environments where newcomers can encounter the Living God, you should seriously consider investing in a secret shopper service.
The ministry of Guest Services or Hospitality is a crucial ministry to the local church. Through it, newcomers and guests are welcomed into the congregation with loving arms. A secret shopper seeks to remove all the barriers and confusion that a typical newcomer might experience.
Greg Atkinson serves as a secret shopper or mystery worshiper for churches across the nation. Greg has done this service for churches of all sizes – from small church plants to churches over 20,000 in attendance. No matter what size, denomination or style church you lead, Greg has a Kingdom heart and wants to help you do what you do better.
Whether your church is historic and traditional like Menlo Park Presbyterian in California and First Baptist Dallas, or modern and rocking like New Life Church in Colorado Springs and Bayside Church in Sacramento (where Lincoln Brewster leads worship) – Greg will make sure your church is doing things with excellence and an eye towards hospitality.
What does a secret shopper do? This service to your church will include an eye on everything from your church’s website and online presence, branding, parking lot, lobby, nursery, facilities, signage, restrooms, your church’s overall feel, then Greg has a big focus on the entire corporate worship experience including music, production, and preaching.
How comprehensive and thorough is our work? The last report we did for a church had was over 100 pages. From the beginning, Greg has noticed things you’d never think of or have grown too familiar with and he passes this knowledge and sensitivity on to your leadership.
Isn’t hiring a secret shopper expensive? It depends on who you hire. Other secret shoppers charge significantly more than Worship Impressions. Greg has tried his best to make this crucial service for healthy and growing churches as affordable as possible, by basing his prices on church size. Smaller churches (with less to evaluate) pay Greg’s lowest possible fee. Large churches (with more to evaluate), pay more.
For a small one-time investment, your church can have a trained professional with a heart for all kinds of churches come into your church and critique, encourage and challenge your team.
When will we get the results of our secret shopper’s visit? Feedback will be given in a meeting via a video conference call at a later date (within 3 weeks). Greg also gives follow-up tips and action steps for your church to go to the next level and links you to strategic partners that can help you with key improvements.
Greg likes to form long-term relationships with his clients. Greg has gone back a year or 18 months later to do a follow-up visit. Greg will be there every step of the way on your church’s journey to reach and keep more guests.
If you prefer our Package Two, Greg will also train your leadership and volunteers while he’s in town.