5 Customer Service Tips to Beat Holiday Performance Expectations
The weather is getting crisp, pumpkin spice is back, and Halloween decorations are slowly going up. That must mean fall is in the air! It’s hard to believe that the time has already come for merchants to prepare for what will be perhaps the most critical holiday shopping season to date -- regaining sales momentum and capturing customer interest as they begin thinking about their gift lists.
This holiday shopping season will be a unique one, with an unprecedented amount of holiday shopping moving to the online channel as customers remain hesitant to shop in person. In 2020 more than ever, a smart, efficient and direct customer service strategy should be the foundation upon which your holiday promotion plan is built. We did our research and gathered the top 5 customer service tips to leverage this year for a successful holiday shopping season:
Don’t get caught off guard by the move to online
We can’t stress enough the importance of tailoring your customer service strategy for the influx of holiday shopping predicted to take place online this season. According to a recent survey of US shoppers, nearly two-thirds said they plan to increase their online purchases this year.
Stop online-related customer service issues before they happen by doing a walkthrough and audit of your ecommerce site with your customer service team. Mimic the user experience by browsing, adding items to your cart and going through checkout. Assess how difficult or easy the process was and any issues. Conduct load testing and plan accordingly for unprecedented surges in digital activity. It will be critical to prepare for an online shopping surge throughout the entire customer journey, so that customers are satisfied and return to the site.
Omnichannel shopping means omnichannel customer service
COVID-19 has brought with it a new hybrid shopping experience. From fully online to curbside pick-up to in-store shopping, customers expect top service and their questions answered no matter which avenue they choose. This holiday season, some retailers plan to expand their footprints to allow for greater social distancing by setting up tents in their parking lots. With changes like these, it’s critical to communicate with customers ahead of time, so they know what to expect and where to go.
Teams should have mobile customer service and POS strategies in place so customers can check out quickly from any location and get their questions answered whether they are online, in their cars, at the store or socially distanced pop-up location. Prepare your customer service team for this move to hybrid and omnichannel by laying out clear expectations and guidance.
Be transparent about delivery issues and other disruptions
According to Salesforce, “The ability for packages to arrive on the doorstep this holiday will be significantly constrained.” The company predicts about 700 million gifts that are at risk of not arriving in time, which of course spells out both customer service and operational issues. They predict billions of “Where Is My Order” (WISMO) inquiries to be fielded by customer service agents, as well as increases in delivery surcharges, and online returns and exchanges as customers are dissatisfied with delivery time estimates.
With this new constrained paradigm in mind, remember that knowledge is power. Empower your customers with clear, concise and transparent communications about their orders at every step of the way. The possibility of shipping and delivery delays should be clearly at every step of the way – from home page, to product pages to checkout to confirmation emails. And it doesn’t stop there. Send email and SMS updates through every step of the fulfillment process to reduce anxiety among customers.
Keep your customer service team safe and motivated
Holiday shopping is a time where retailers and brands, justifiably so, are hyper-focused on the customer experience. But don’t forget about your employees’ experience by accidentally overlooking their needs, safety, and mental and physical wellbeing amidst the holiday rush. Remember that this is a time where people are worried about their employment and job stability – your employees will be looking to you for guidance more than ever. Improve the morale of your customer service team by listening to them, taking care of their needs and keeping them motivated with fun activities and recognizing them for their accomplishments.
If the majority of your holiday purchases are predicted to come from online, consider providing your customer service team the ability to work from home. Arm them with the proper tools and measurement metrics to monitor their performance and productivity.
Consider providing alternative payment options
Two-thirds of Gen Z consumers and over half of millennials said that they used “Buy Now, Pay Later” options for the first time during the COVID-19 pandemic. As U.S. shoppers continue to be mindful of their spending, consider providing your customers with the option to pay with interest-free installments, so they don’t have to worry about covering the cost of their gifts up front. Afterpay is available to our merchant partners both in-store and online, and is easy to set up. It provides your customers with a responsible and flexible way to shop from discovery all the way to check-out.
Interested in implementing Afterpay for your customers? Reach out to our team today at sales@afterpay.com.
Categories