The holiday season is a time when businesses of all types see an increase in activity. For online businesses, this may mean dealing with more customer service inquiries than usual. The good news is that there are many things you can do to prepare your team and your systems to provide top-notch customer service during the hectic holiday season. In this blog post, we will share six tips to help your business deliver outstanding customer service this year!
- Create a Plan of Action Early: Customer service inquiries can come in many forms. To ensure that you are able to respond quickly and effectively, create a plan of action early on that outlines how your team will handle inquiries. Outline various scenarios, such as technical inquiries or general customer satisfaction questions, and assign roles to each team member so everyone knows who is responsible for what. This will help keep things organized during the holiday rush.
- Double Down on Empathy: During this time of year it can be easy to get overwhelmed with the influx of customer service requests coming through your door. In these situations, it is important to remember to show empathy towards customers and understand their needs first and foremost. Take the time to listen and truly assess the customer's issue, as it may be something that can be solved quickly with a bit of kindness and understanding.
- Fix Any Bugs in Your Online Presence: The holiday season is a great time to audit your website or online presence for any bugs or glitches that might cause issues for customers using your service. Take the time to test out various functions of your system, such as checkout process, payment gateway etc., so you can identify and fix any problems before they become an issue for customers.
- Offer Curbside Pickup: For brick-and-mortar stores, curbside pickup is becoming increasingly popular among shoppers during the pandemic. Offering this option allows customers to safely and conveniently pick up their items without having to enter the store. Make sure your staff is properly trained on how to handle curbside pickups, and be sure to create a streamlined process for customers.
- Make a Seasonal Marketing Strategy: Before the holiday season starts, come up with a clear marketing strategy that outlines what promotions you will offer and through which channels you plan to reach out to customers. This will help ensure that your efforts are targeted and effective during this busy time of year.
- Equip Your Staff: Finally, make sure your staff members are well equipped with all the necessary tools they need to provide outstanding customer service during the holiday rush. Ensure they have access to resources such as FAQs or helpful customer service scripts to make answering inquiries easier.
By following these tips, your business will be well-prepared to deliver outstanding customer service this holiday season. With a little extra preparation and planning, you can ensure that customers have a great experience with your company and keep them coming back for more!