These are the problems that drive customers away.Mystery Shoppers is the company that helps bring them back.

Founded in 1994 by Beverly Gleason and her two daughters, Tiffany Gleason and Trish Amburn, Mystery Shoppers provides "undercover" customers who evaluate companies on issues that matter most - customer service.

"Customer service can make or break a business," Gleason said. "We provide companies with unbiased, accurate information about how well each location is performing. Our whole aim is to help companies become more effective. We want our clients to be better than anyone else, because that's what keeps the customer coming back."

Mystery Shoppers designs customer satisfaction surveys tailored to the companies under evaluation. It can keep an eye on the competition, sending secret shoppers to other firms to see how the opposition stacks up.

Mystery Shoppers sends evaluators into retail stores, banks, hospitals, four-star restaurants, fast food franchises, convenience stores, doctor's offices and service centers to evaluate them on cleanliness, cordiality and helpfulness. In today's service economy, attention to small details distinguishes one firm from the next. Are the tables cleaned? Is the staff helpful and friendly when customers walk through the door? Do employees follow company procedures? Mystery Shoppers points out where workers fall short of expectations, and where they exceed the standard.

"We've found that the companies that use our service develop a real knack for pleasing the customer, and that dedication is reflected in their sales," Gleason said. "Companies that don't value their customer, and don't give good service don't last very long."