COURTS Mystery Shopper Undercover Boss

Mystery shopper and undercover boss: Courts CEO goes incognito to connect with staff, customers.

SINGAPORE – Stroll into a Courts store on any given day and you might just spy retail chain boss Harry Higashiura decked out in whatever disguise he had decided on.

One day, he might be in the role of an attentive salesman decked out in Courts’ trademark blue and yellow. On another, he appears as a curious customer, a “mystery shopper” in a T-shirt, shorts and cap, blending in with the throng of customers.

Never mind the game of Where’s Waldo, this is Where’s Harry, a ruse the 41-year-old country chief executive of Courts Singapore and Malaysia adopts to stay connected with his staff and gain a better understanding of his customers’ preferences.

Mr Higashiura told The Straits Times in a recent interview at the Courts Megastore in Tampines that this hands-on style of leadership has defined his role as CEO since his appointment in 2023.

While he’s “not the perfect salesperson”, Mr Higashiura said he strives to seal the deal with customers whenever he trades his suit and tie for a Courts-branded polo tee. These interactions, which happen a few times a week, allow him to gather valuable feedback on products directly from customers.

He also regularly seeks opinions about the company in his everyday encounters, such as during conversations with taxi drivers.

“People sometimes tell me that they are looking for a certain item, but Courts does not sell it; this is the hint for us to improve our offerings.”

Mr Higashiura’s undercover missions often see him pose as a regular customer, often asking staff challenging questions about product specifications and stock availability.

“Sometimes, after I’m done mystery shopping, I’ll introduce myself right away, give the staff my feedback, and then put on the Courts uniform to work alongside them,” he said, adding that while employees are often surprised by his visits, they soon appreciate the value it brings as it fosters more open discussions and helps them adopt an enhanced customer-focused mindset.

“But till now, nobody can recognise me in my mystery shopper outfit, even after doing this for a while,” Mr Higashiura quipped.

Courts, a stalwart in the furniture, home appliances and IT industries, was acquired by Japanese electronics giant Nojima Corporation in 2019.

Nojima operates 13 Courts stores in Singapore, including one flagship store each in Tampines and Orchard. It has 116 stores under both the Courts and Nojima brands across Asia, employing around 1,700 people, with 505 based in Singapore.

Mr Higashiura, who is from Nagano, Japan, said that apart from undercover work, his management style also involves encouraging his staff, especially younger members, to try new ideas and even make mistakes, despite what they might cost the company.

“Making a mistake also means that they have probably tried something new, but as long as they learn from their mistakes, I think experience in failure is valuable, and I am happy to invest in their mistake,” he said.

His staff once decided to try to live-stream on social media to sell a product.

“I didn’t expect much, but surprisingly, a customer who watched the live streaming came to the store specifically looking for that staff member who appeared in the video to make the purchase,” he said.

Mr Higashiura, who started his career in 2007 as a sales associate at Nojima before rising through the ranks to become group chief commercial officer at Nojima Apac and country chief executive of Courts Singapore and Malaysia, said the favourite part of his job is seeing his staff growing professionally.

He said: “Last time, I wanted to grow my career, and the focus was on myself.

“After becoming CEO, it’s not about me anymore: I have to give my staff challenges for them to overcome and, in the process, grow.

“When they overcome those challenges and are satisfied with their achievements, that’s the happiest thing I can have.”

Mr Higashiura said that Nojima Apac plans to open another store in Singapore by 2025, and four in Malaysia the same year.

He also pointed to e-commerce and artificial intelligence (AI) as trends that will continue to shape Courts’ operations and Singapore’s overall retail scene.

“To be honest, I was very worried during the Covid-19 pandemic when a lot of people shopped online,” he said.

“But since then, we see that people are coming back to our stores, and this shows that they are not just looking for the convenience of purchasing a product online, but also the human touch point and support that we can give.”

Mr Higashiura said he is confident in Courts’ ability to operate successfully in both the e-commerce space and through its physical stores, particularly for big-ticket items.

“If our shoppers shop online via the Courts website, of course, they can still get the information they need about the product, but I think people would want to have a conversation with our staff and promoters, so that they can be confident in their decision-making,” he said.

Mr Higashiura added that the company plans to expand its range of electronic devices with AI capabilities.

He noted that Nojima Corporation is trialling an AI model that could be introduced in Singapore as a digital information counter to allow customers to learn more about products when staff are occupied.

On a more personal note, Mr Higashiura said he wants to be recognised as a bridge between colleagues from different countries and cultures, contributing to the exchange of new ideas and value. He said: “I don’t want to chase another title or a higher position in the company, I just want to become part of the team.”