Investing in a holiday customer service plan is essential to growing your business. 52% of consumers say they have made an additional purchase from a company after a positive customer service experience.
But, managing all of the moving parts of your business can feel overwhelming, especially with the onset of the winter season. Managing your customer demands with the needs of your workforce can be easy when you partner with an experienced team like Call Experts.
With almost 40 years of experience supporting businesses through the holiday season, we’ve learned some tips and tricks to help streamline holiday customer service. Keep reading to learn more and to get our 4 tips for a successful holiday customer service strategy.
Don’t Make Customers Suffer. Prepare for Holiday Customer Service.
During the holidays, most businesses expect an increase in calls and website traffic. But, what does this increase in traffic really mean for your business? You need to be prepared.
And the truth is in the numbers. According to a recent article from CNN, “Retail sales for the combined November-December shopping months will grow between 6% and 8% this year compared with the 2021 holiday season, to between $942.6 billion and $960.4 billion, according to projections released Thursday from the National Retail Federation, the industry’s largest trade group.”
Whether offering holiday products and services or simply a holiday promotion, a successful holiday customer service strategy will consider your customers’ seasonal needs.
This consideration means customizing your customer service experience to anticipate the holiday support they’ll need. For many businesses, this means extending hours and being available 24/7 to support customer calls.
The right staffing strategy is also vital to providing a superior customer experience. Start by collecting data from previous seasons. The more data you have, the more successful you’ll be.
Building the right holiday customer service strategy can feel overwhelming. At Call Experts, we have almost 40 years of experience helping businesses thrive throughout the holiday seasons. Keep reading to get our 4 tips on building the best holiday customer service strategy for your business.
A Successful Holiday Customer Service Strategy Starts Here
The holidays are peak season for many, which is why its so essential to perfect your holiday customer service strategy. Being available to answer every call helps to increase sales, retain customers, and build brand advocates.
If you’re not sure where to start, here are our 4 tips to creating the perfect holiday customer service strategy now.
Shift Hours to Create Brand Advocates
One way to support a successful holiday customer service strategy is by adjusting your availability for calls, questions, and support.
Most businesses outsource the after hours support during the holiday season. Outsourcing makes it possibel for their employees to focus on other customer service channels, like monitoring social media and email to address customer requests.
But why does it make a difference to shift hours?
Customers who experience a good brand experience are likely to buy more and recommend the brand to others. And, creating connections that recommend your brand to others makes a huge difference to your bottom line. Peer-to-peer marketing is the leading driver behind 20-50% of all purchasing decisions.
So, if you can have a friendly expert available for any call or request that comes to your business, you’re more likely to convert.
Always Plan Ahead
To provide excellent holiday customer service, you must prepare your team and support systems for the workload. A well-rounded planning process will ensure that you and your team are ready for the holiday season.
In addition to ensuring you’ve set the right expectations with your team, you must schedule your support staff in advance. Having the correct number of customer support agents is essential, but hiring too many may create more work internally than needed.
But where do you even start with predicting scheduling needs for the holidays?
The easiest way to guarantee coverage during the holidays (without encouraging staff burnout) is to partner with an experienced contact center like Call Experts.
We work with you to determine your holiday customer service needs. Once we have an understanding of your projected calls for the season, our experts will manage everything. Our team is trained to take action and get results fast.
A Missed Call is a Missed Opportunity for Your Business
70% of mobile searchers say they regularly call a business from a mobile search ad. And, according to American Express, when it comes to resolving a complex issue, 40% of consumers want to speak to a real person over the phone.
The numbers show it, when you miss a call you’re missing opportunities for your business to grow and retain loyal customers.
As you move into this holiday season, it’s essential to consider outsourcing (especially if you experience seasonal upticks). You dont have to spend valuable time and resources managing your holiday customer service strategy, leave it to the experts at Call Experts.
Have Fun
Holiday customer service spikes are stressful, but it’s also an opportunity to test your staff and systems.
During the holiday season, customers will judge your company by the quality of your customer service. So be sympathetic and understand that most grumpy customers are just having a bad day.
Fortunately, if you prepare in advance, you can handle the spikes and maintain a stellar customer experience. Make sure your team has a holiday plan, and everyone in the company is prepared to take on the extra workload. Or, if you’re outsourcing your support, start working with your partner now so you’re prepared.
Holiday Customer Service with Call Experts
With the holiday season fast approaching, you’ll want to be prepared for the influx of customer service calls. That’s where a team like Call Experts comes in.
Call Experts is a family-owned business that offers extensive customer service support for businesses, from appointment scheduling and after-hours support to on-call support and compliance tracking phonelines.
At Call Experts, we offer top of the line inbound and outbound customer service. With our concierge approach, you can choose a flexible program that fits the exact needs of your business.
Final Thoughts on Holiday Customer Service
The holidays are a time for giving and gratitude, but it can also be a time for stress, exhaustion, and disappointment. Sometimes we just don’t have the energy to deal with certain things: the crowds, the rush of last minute shoppers, the pressure to find that perfect gift.
And, as a business owner, holiday customer service can feel stressful.
With Call Experts’ holiday customer service team, you can give your customers a reliable source of help—even when you’re not there. Supporting your customers throughout the holiday season is our specialty.
Our agents are always available to take calls and handle inquiries gracefully and efficiently, even during busy times of the year. When you’re out of the office or on vacation, and your customers need help, it’s reassuring to know they can reach someone who will address their concerns quickly and efficiently.
We look forward to providing exceptional holiday customer service for your clients this season! Contact us now.
