Final answer:
Ghost shoppers are the best tool for determining how retail clerks would respond to a customer in a wheelchair, as they provide real-world observational data. Other methods like complaints systems, role playing, satisfaction surveys, and exit interviews might not capture interactions as effectively.
Step-by-step explanation:
If a discount store wanted to determine how its retail clerks would respond to a customer who was in a wheelchair, the best choice of tool would likely be to use ghost shoppers. This method would involve sending in a shopper acting as a customer with a disability to observe and report on the clerks’ interactions in a real-world scenario. Other methods, such as a complaint and suggestion system, role playing, and customer satisfaction surveys, could be useful for gathering more general information or for training purposes, but they might not provide the immediate and specific observational data that a ghost shopper would. Additionally, exit interviews with customers might not capture the subtleties of each interaction or could be biased by the customers’ personal experiences.
For example, in a scenario similar to Gavi's Fast Food Restaurant, customer complaints about the line-up system led to a tangible solution involving floor markings to improve the queuing process. However, ghost shoppers could have been used as a proactive measure to identify and address the issue before it escalated to complaints, ensuring customer satisfaction and a smooth service experience.