The CRTC is looking to hire a contractor to gather data about telecom and TV retail sales practices using secret shoppers as part of the regulator’s ongoing assessment of misleading or aggressive sales practices in the communications services sector.
This new secret shopper project is to continue the work already undertaken on behalf of the CRTC in 2019-2020 and 2021-2022. The commission’s primary research objective is to gain a better understanding of how front-line employees of service providers sell communications services and how consumers experience the sales process.
The CRTC’s request for proposal, published Aug. 11, says bidders must demonstrate they are capable of meeting the minimum number of 1,400 secret shops nationally among Canada’s largest service providers, including their flanker brands, using three specific sales channels: in person at a service provider’s retail location or kiosk (50 per cent of secret shops); over the phone (25 per cent); and through an online chat function if offered by the service provider (25 per cent).
Due to the national scope of the secret shopping exercise, the CRTC requires a sample of retail locations across the country that are proportional to each region’s population, except where the service provider does not have retail location representation in a particular region. Secret shops must take place in a variety of rural areas and population centres, the RFP says.
The bidder who is awarded the contract for the secret shopper project must include in the exercise four scripted scenarios that mystery shoppers will be required to follow. These scenarios include: shoppers looking to downgrade from current plans; shoppers looking to upgrade from their current plan; shoppers looking for low cost or occasional use plans; and shoppers with a disability looking for accessible plans. Through all four scenarios, the CRTC wants to know if shoppers are offered paper bills or told they are available upon asking.
In addition, secret shoppers will be required to gather information on all products or services that are discussed and offered during the sales interaction, such as bundles with other communications services or other related optional products and services.
The primary method of data collection will be a post-shop questionnaire in which shoppers will provide details about themselves and their shopping experiences. Data sources will also include any documents provided to the secret shopper during their interaction, such as promotional material, tailored offers, terms and conditions, product agreements or other disclosure documents.
The deadline for RFP submissions is Aug. 29 at 3 p.m. ET.
The CRTC says the contract period will be from Oct. 1, 2025 to Sept. 30, 2027. With a project plan approved this October, a pilot phase of secret shopping is expected to be conducted in November. Following the implementation of required changes, secret shopping fieldwork is expected to be completed by February 2026. Data, analysis and reports are to be delivered in May 2026, with the final delivery of approved reports and presentation to the CRTC expected in July 2026.
