ARC wouldn’t be the premier telephone mystery shopping and quality solutions company it currently is without the vision and direction of its CEO, and there are at least 5 noteworthy things that put ARC CEO Cheryl Thibault in a class by herself.
1. Experience at All Levels of theTelephone Mystery Shopping Industry
Cheryl started as a telephone mystery shopper. She made the mystery shopping calls, recording them on a tape recorder hooked up to her phone. She then compiled the reports, printed them out, and mailed them to the client.
She quickly worked her way up and eventually ran the company owned by the man who pioneered telephone mystery shopping.
2. Innovator in Putting New Solutions and Processes in Place
While employed at that first telephone mystery shopping company from 1991-1996, Cheryl added the crucial quality assurance step of editing mystery shopper reports before they went out to the client. This process provided a double check on the scoring and made sure that the reports were 100% accurate before they were sent to the client.
When she started ARC in June 1996, Cheryl quickly moved away from physical reporting. She had a programmer create telephone mystery shopping forms in an Access database that would then compile reports that they could email their clients.
Clients would get the recordings and the reports, which was an improvement. But it became even better when ARC went to online reporting systems and platforms that clients could access at their convenience.
ARC also was among the first to buy phone numbers for shoppers to use that would make them appear local, although they could be anywhere.
ARC, under Cheryl’s direction and vision, became the premier telephone mystery shopping company. They were the first to use digital recordings in the quality assurance process. And that then evolved into their call monitoring process and service.
3. Industry Visionary and Connector
Cheryl’s always been service-minded and passionate about telephone mystery shopping and customer experience. She’s known as a connector … connecting people and companies to make the industry better. This allows companies in the industry to better serve clients, giving them information and actionable data to, in turn, become better themselves.
For example, Cheryl has created partnerships between call recording companies and reporting companies so that recording and reporting could be all in one place for clients’ convenience and easy access.
Cheryl also has been a longtime member of industry trade association MSPA Americas, and ARC was named an Elite Member in 2024. She is currently serving on the Board of Directors of MSPA Americas.
4. Ethics is a Key Core Value
Cheryl started ARC in 1996 due to an ethical disagreement with her prior boss. And ethics remain a huge part of ARC’s core values and foundation as a company. As CEO, she regularly encourages questions such as:
- Is it good for the customer?
- Is it good for the company?
- Is it ethical?
- Are we willing to be held accountable for it?
Quality and excellence is essential to Cheryl. She holds herself and her company to the highest standards.
5. Committed to Giving Back
Cheryl supports numerous organizations that make a positive social impact.
One of these organizations is the Cornwall Woman’s Society, a non-profit founded in 1924 to offer grants to local students entering college. In 2024, Cheryl helped CWS raise $50,000 at their annual rummage sale to fund educational grants and support local charities.
Other institutions that Cheryl supports include:
- World Resources Institute
- World Food Programme
- International Justice Mission
- Housatonic Valley Association
And On a Personal Level …
While Cheryl has many professional accolades and accomplishments, she’s not all work and no play.
Cheryl loves to entertain and spend time with family and friends. She enjoys gardening, traveling, running, and sailing.
She’s also a self-admitted foodie. She loves both cooking in her own kitchen and going out to various restaurants. She particularly enjoys discovering new and unique food and wine pairings.
Book a Meeting with Cheryl
If you’re interested in finding a quality solution for your contact center, Cheryl would love to connect with you to discuss how ARC can help.
To get in touch, use our convenient online form to book a meeting, call 1-800-397-3515, or send an email to info@arcqs.com.