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CHARTER/SPECTRUM COMMUNICATIONS Shop Form Instructions

Charter/Spectrum Communications is a leading broadband communications company and cable operator in the United States.

Go to https://www.spectrum.com/ for more information.

IMPORTANT: If you go to one of these locations, and you realize you cannot shop as an existing customer, you can make up an alias and pose as a potential new customer.

IMPORTANT: You MUST use one of the scenarios starting on the bottom of PAGE 2 of these instructions. If you do not, your shop may be canceled.

IMPORTANT: You must be sure to give an address in the service area of that location.

If you go to the wrong store and they do not have your account in their computer system, YOUR SHOP WILL BE CANCELLED AND YOU WILL NOT BE PAID! If you have any questions, please contact the coordinating department at [email protected]

Shop Description For this shop you will:

• Visit on your assigned date during the location’s business hours

• Make detailed observations on the exterior of the facility and signage

• You must discreetly take a photo of the exterior of the location (see below for photo details)

• Make detailed observations on the interior of the facility, cleanliness of workstations and the atmosphere

• Obtain the name of the associate you spoke to. If they do not provide their name, you must ask for it.

• READ THE SCENARIO OPTIONS BELOW AND FOLLOW THE SCENARIOS EXACTLY!

o If you have Mobile service through Spectrum, you cannot go in as an existing customer. You must pose as a potential customer instead.

• Make detailed observations on the interaction with the specialist

• You must obtain a brochure on services, receipt or business card. If you are not offered any of these you must ask for one.

o Before uploading your proof of shop, you must handwrite your shop/audit ID number (found on the top of your shop form or your Shops to Do) on the front.

• You may not use any video or audio recording devices at any time during this audit

Payment Please see your Assignment Sheet for Payment information

Specific Instructions SPECIFIC SHOP DETAILS:

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Check https://www.spectrum.com/or google the location to confirm business hours for the location you have assigned. Visit on your assigned date.

You must discreetly take a photo of the exterior of the location. It must be a clear image which shows the complete storefront. We recommend taking the photo from inside your car. To ensure your anonymity you must be discreet! If the image of the storefront is taken too close to the building, or appears to not be discrete, the shop will be cancelled and you will not be paid.

Example:

It is MANDATORY that you take your image AFTER you leave the shop. Take it from an area where the associates cannot see you. If you are spotted taking the picture by employees, your shop will be cancelled, you will not be paid, and you will be

restricted from completing future shops for this client.

SCENARIOS:

In addition to the below scenarios, you must be open to new services/upgrades as the associate brings them up. Allow them to explain. Do not prompt the associate more than you have to; the point of this assignment is to see if they offer you new

services/upgrades and what they do to explain them. At the end, you can politely decline.

Only the following scenarios are acceptable:

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EXISTING CUSTOMERS:

• Four services are offered by the client: Cable, Internet, Home Phone, and Mobile. You must have at least one of these services, EXCEPT for Mobile. IMPORTANT: If you have Mobile service through Spectrum, regardless of whichever other services you have, you must use a Potential Customer scenario instead.

• You must go into the location and want to inquire about your account. You can either ask to make a payment on your bill, or you can simply ask what your account balance is. DO NOT DIRECTLY ASK TO UPGRADE YOUR SERVICES. Give the specialist a chance to ask you about it first.

• If you are paying part of your bill, make the payment a minimum of $10.

• If you are paying your bill, you must be an account holder or account user.

o You MUST BE authorized to make changes on the account.

• At an alternative, you may also pick up/return equipment. You must still be open to associate suggestions/upgrades and allow them to explain.

• If you are paying your bill, do not simply pay at the kiosk and leave. You must speak with someone at the counter about your account (even if you do initially use the kiosk to pay your bill). You can say you have questions about your bill/service. Have these questions ready.

POTENTIAL/NEW CUSTOMERS:

• There is one acceptable scenario to use as a potential customer.

• Pose as someone interested in possibly starting service FOR YOURSELF.

• You do not have to live in the service area of the shop you perform.

You can pose as someone who will be moving to the area soon. You would like to see what service is available and what packages you qualify for.

o For this scenario say you are moving to the city the shop is located in. Check https://www.spectrum.com/ before going to the location and choose a specific serviceable address to tell the associate if asked. You may not ask about an area that is not serviced by the client for this scenario. Also, you may not ask about an area that already has Spectrum service. You are looking for an address that can be serviced by Spectrum, but does not currently have service.

• You must pose as the owner of the property you are asking about. Rentals are not accepted as the store may need the owner’s permission to set up service.

MOBILE: EXISTING AND POTENTIAL CUSTOMERS:

• This is for BOTH existing and potential customers.

• Items to note include whether the specialist brought up the mobile products and whether they offered to show you them. Mobile products can either be displayed on a table or a wall (Pictures on the next page). Please see the form at the bottom of these instructions for further details. Do not bring up the products/services yourself. The point of this exercise is to see if the associate offers them.

• If the store DOES NOT have mobile phones on display, you will “N/A” 3 of the questions in this section.

PLEASE SEE THE NEXT PAGE FOR MOBILE DISPLAY PICTURES:

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PICTURE OF A PHONE TABLE W/ ACCESSORY WALL IN BACKGROUND:

IMAGE OF A PHONE DISPLAY WALL w/ ACCESSORIES

PLEASE KEEP IN MIND:

When filling out the form, make sure to fill out all relevant sections to your scenario.

If you are not sure which sections to fill out, contact [email protected] immediately. See the form at the bottom of your paperwork for details.

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You must be open to new services/upgrades as the associate brings them up. Allow them to explain. Do not prompt the associate more than you have to; the point of this

assignment if you see if they offered you new services/upgrades and what they do to explain them. At the end, you can politely decline.

You must interact with a sales specialist during your visit, even if there is a line and a significant wait time.

You must obtain the name AND description of the specialist who assists you. If the specialist does not offer his/her name, you must ask for it.

There is a timing question on the shop form. Please wear a watch or use a cell phone and reference it discreetly.

• How long did you wait in line?

If you are greeted upon entry, note exactly how you are greeted.

Observe if the Specialist is friendly, pleasant, knowledgeable and professional throughout your interaction.

Note whether the specialist recommends specific services/products/upgrades

Detailed commentary is required. Please see the shop form at the bottom of these instructions.

For the question: “What improvements do you suggest to make Spectrum Customers and Potential Customers have better experiences than what you experienced today,” please make sure to mention something that could be an improvement, even if your overall experience was great.

The use of any video or audio recording devices is strictly prohibited during this shop.

PROOF OF SHOP

You must take a discrete picture of the store exterior.

• The picture must be clear and include the Charter signage.

• The picture must be taken from a distance as to not threaten your anonymity as a secret shopper.

• Take the picture from the parking lot.

• It is mandatory that you take the picture AFTER your visit, not BEFORE your visit.

• If the picture is not clear, or taken from a distance where you could potentially be seen by store employees, your shop will be cancelled and you will not be paid.

You must obtain a brochure on services or a business card, or if you pay your bill, your receipt can be used as your proof of shop. If you are not offered these you must ask for one. Before uploading your proof of shop, you must handwrite your shop/audit ID number (found on the top of your shop form or your Shops to Do) on the front.

Review the shop form that is provided at the end of these instructions to familiarize yourself with all of the specific observations you must make.

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If you have any questions about this assignment, please email [email protected].

General Instructions REVIEW YOUR PAPERWORK

• Remain anonymous as a secret shopper at all times, unless your specific shop instructions state otherwise. Never take the instructions or shop form into the facility.

Never call the facility if you have questions about your assignment. Direct all questions to [email protected].

• It is your responsibility to confirm the business hours for this location. You can do this by calling the location ahead of time and confirming their business hours. This is especially important on holidays (i.e. New Year’s Day, President’s Day, July 4^th, Veterans’ Day, etc). If you visit a location and it is closed for a routine business reason you could have confirmed, we will be unable to accept the shop and you will not be paid.

• Please read all questions on the shop form prior to completing your shop so that you are familiar with the requirements of the assignment. It is very important that you record detailed observations in all areas of the shop.

• You must visit the assigned location on your assigned date and time only – see your assignment sheet for details.

• If you do not go on the date and time assigned, we will be unable to accept your shop and you will not be paid.

• Some of the shop locations may be in close proximity to each other.

You must make sure that you go to the correct location. If you go to the wrong location your shop will be canceled and you will not be paid.

• You must obtain the name of the associate you speak to. If they do not tell you their name, you must ask for it.

• You will be asked to submit your receipt or other specified proof of shop

completion with your shop form. Please review the specific shop instructions to verify required proof of shop. You can either photograph or scan the receipt/proof of shop completion and then attach it to the shop form. Please keep it for 120 days in case of any questions.

o You must make sure that the required upload documentation is a crisp and legible image. The image cannot be blurry and the entire document must be visible.

• You may not use any form of coupon while performing a shop.

• There may be several timing questions on the audit, so familiarize yourself with them before your visit. Wear a watch or use a cell phone and discreetly note the timing of the service. For example: How long did it take for the associate to greet you?

• Some companies may utilize surveillance tapes from their stores and match shopping reports with taped interactions. Your shop behavior can be challenged if not reported correctly. If you do not follow the shop instructions and specific scenario, your shop will be canceled without pay.

• You must give your full attention to the shop while at the location. Do not take or make personal calls during a shop. It is preferred that you do not bring children with you unless required for the specific shop scenario.

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• When completing your shop form online, pick the answer(s) that best describe your experience. Be specific – what parts of the visit were pleasing, disappointing, etc.

Make sure your answers match. For example: If there were negative experiences on your visit, do not say it met expectations.

• Provide factual observations only. Do not include personal opinion, speculation or assumptions.

• Check your email regularly after submitting your shop. You must respond to any editor contact within 24 hours. Failure to respond to contact from an editor in a timely manner may result in a deduction in payment or cancelation of your shop.

• Posting comments or filling out surveys on any other website regarding a shop for which you are being paid is strictly prohibited and may result in penalties up to your shop being canceled without pay and being dropped as a shopper.

Any person suspected of fraud will immediately be dropped from our system and NOT paid.

NOTE FAILURE TO ABIDE BY THE SHOP FORM INSTRUCTIONS MAY RESULT

IN A DEDUCTION OF PAYMENT OR CANCELATION OF YOUR SHOP.

1 Initial Impression

Image of Receipt or Brochure

Picture of Storefront

1 Overall, was the store well kept with clean windows, doors and trash-free? Yes No

2 Were COVID-19 procedures in place? (Masks, Signage, etc.) Yes No

3 Was the Store Specialist wearing a Spectrum Uniform and Name Tag? Yes No

4 On a scale from 1 to 10, how do you rate the overall atmosphere of the location?

5 Provide examples and details to explain your rating above

2 Specialist Interaction & Sales Consultation

Name Description

1 Did the Specialist provide a warm, sincere greeting on the sales floor with name exchange and use

of the word “Spectum”? Yes No

2 Was the Specialist friendly, conversational and eager to assist? Yes No

3 The Specialist made good eye contact and you observed a smile or welcoming expression around

their eyes Yes No

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4 Mark all the services you had with Spectrum prior to today's visit

Option 1. Internet Option 2. Voice Option 3. Video Option 4. Mobile Option 5. N/A

5 What was the reason for your visit?

Option 1. Bill Payment Option 2. Equipment Exchange/Self-Install Kit Option 3. Learn about Spectrum Services

6 Did the Specialist ask for your driver's license or another form of ID before he/she discussed your

account? Yes No

7 Did the Specialist give you information on the benefits and value of your existing services? Yes No

8 The Specialist asked what you (and/or family) like to do for entertainment & accessibility and

suggested services/package for you (and/or family)? Yes No

9 Did the Specialist ask multiple open-ended questions to discover your needs for all 4 lines of

business? (TV, Internet, Voice, Mobile) Yes No

10 Did the Specialist attempt to sell you a bundle with multiple products?

Option 1 - Double Play Option 2 - Triple Play Option 3 - Quad Play Option 4 – N/A

11 Please provide a summary of the sales presentation that was made

12 Did the Specialist communicate the value of Spectrum by showcasing and comparing competitive

advantages and offers? Yes No

13 The Specialist used a Spectrum flyer/Sales Sheet to explain Spectrum services/product upgrades

and demonstrated where available? Yes No

14 Did the Specialist explain the benefits of self-installation? Yes No

15 Were the price (value) and benefit for service(s) provided? Yes No

16 Did Specialist educate you on how to access any product or service features as part of your bundle

(My Account, On Demand, TV On The Go, Spectrum TV App, Spectrum Mobile App)? Yes No

17 Did the Specialist encourage you to sign up/upgrade today? Yes No

18 When you expressed an objection, did the Specialist attempt to overcome it by discussing the value

of the services and offer? Yes No

19 Did the Specialist ask you to provide a mobile number and email address while accessing your

account and explain why? Yes No

20 As you were leaving, did the Specialist recap the transaction and express sincere thanks for your

business or interest? Yes No

3. Mobile: Existing and

Potential Customers

1 Before your visit, were you aware that Spectrum is now selling mobile products? Yes No

2 Did the Specialist ask about your current mobile service provider and how you use your device? Yes No

3 Did the Specialist ask how many devices are used in your household? Yes No

4 Did the Specialist utilize the Savings Calculator to share with you your monthly and annual savings

by switching to Spectrum Mobile? Yes No

5* Did the Specialist offer to walk you over or refer you to the mobile tables? Yes No

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6 Provide a detailed account of your interaction with the Specialist and his/her presentation regarding

the suggested services, products and packages

7 If you were in the market to change your TV, Internet, Voice & Mobile provider, were you given

adequate information to make an informed decision to consider switching to Spectrum? Yes No

8 Please elaborate on "why or why not" based on the way the Specialist sold the service(s) during

your visit.

4. Overall Satisfaction

1 What improvements do you suggest to make Spectrum customers and potential customers have

better experiences than what you experienced today?

2 On a scale of 1-10, how likely are you to recommend Spectrum to a friend or family member?

3 Please use the space below to identify other items/topics that you would like to report to Spectrum

that were not covered in this report.

1 Where you greeted by Store personnel upon arrival (outside)? Yes No

1a If No, please explain

2 Did the Store personnel provide clear instructions/expectations as you waited outside to be seen by

the next available Specialist? Yes No

3 Were company COVID-19 guidelines posted on the door easy to understand and follow? Yes No

4 Was social distancing being maintained according to local/state guidelines while waiting outside the

store? Yes No

5 Were all associates wearing face masks? Yes No

6 Did you witness any associates making physical contact with customers (e.g. handshakes) Yes No

6a If Yes, please explain

7 Was social distancing being maintained according to local/state guidelines while in the store? Yes No