Whether you’re the owner, the GM, a shift lead, or the marketing intern, if you work there, you’re too close. You know the brand. You know the story. You know the expectations.
And that’s exactly why you can’t secret shop your own dispensary.
At Above Board, we specialize in anonymous, persona-driven secret shopping for cannabis retailers. We see the things your team misses not because they’re bad at their jobs, but because you’re all too familiar with the playbook.
Here’s why internal audits can’t compete with real secret shopping.
You’re Too Close to See Clearly
When you’re part of the team, you’re invested both emotionally and professionally in everything from how the products are displayed to how customers are greeted. You’ve sat in the trainings. You’ve written the SOPs. You’ve probably even helped pick the playlist.
But that closeness is a double-edged bong.
Even with the best intentions, internal audits tend to confirm what you want to see. You gloss over rough edges. You fill in gaps automatically. You assume your team is following the script because you wrote it.
Familiarity makes flaws harder to notice. The more you know, the less you observe.
Your Presence Changes Everything
Staff know when someone from the company is “auditing.” Even if you don’t announce it, your face, posture, and clipboard give it away.
The result?
Your team goes into performance mode. They over-explain. They smile more. They follow protocol to the letter.
It’s not real.
It’s a dress rehearsal for an audience they know.
Same goes for other customers. When someone is obviously inspecting the store, they behave differently too. You’re not capturing reality. You’re capturing the performance.
You’re Not a Real Customer (Anymore)
Even if you try to role-play as a first-timer or a wellness seeker, you already know:
- What each product does
- Where everything’s located
- What the kiosk flow is
- Which brands are in stock
You’re not going to ask the questions a true customer would. You won’t get lost or confused.
And if there are hiccups? You’ll excuse them. You’ll rationalize. You’ll say, “They were just having a busy day.”
But guess what?
Customers don’t think that way. They just don’t come back. And regulators certainly don’t think that way.
The Answer: Above Board Secret Shopping
We’re not your staff. We’re not your friends. We’re not on the group Slack sharing memes.
That’s what makes us valuable.
At Above Board, we:
- Send trained, anonymous shoppers with no internal bias
- Use real consumer personas (like The Sleeper, The Gifter, or The Casual Re-Up)
- Evaluate across key categories: engagement, compliance, product knowledge, store flow, promotions, and more
- Provide detailed scoring + commentary, not vague “vibe checks”
You get the full, unfiltered picture of what’s really happening on the floor.
You Can’t Fix What You Can’t See
You already audit your inventory. You already audit your finances.
It’s time to audit your customer experience with someone who doesn’t already know the script.
Let Above Board be the quiet voice that helps you level up your compliance, training, and customer satisfaction before regulators or 1-star reviews get there first.