It is clear that, irrespective of industry or size, most businesses regard the holiday season as one of the busiest and most vital times of the year. While companies prepare to handle the surge in business during the holidays, they also seek to reduce operations once the season ends. Nevertheless, the post-holiday months, often viewed as a slow time, present a chance to convert seasonal gift-givers and recipients into loyal, repeat customers. This opportunity starts with customer support.
Here are three ways support teams can create a post-holiday customer experience that drives revenue and creates brand loyalty.
Leverage Holiday Data
Building customized reports and gathering key analytics and data specifically around the holiday rush can be critical in providing support teams with the context they need to expedite issues in a hyper-personalized manner.
Having a deep understanding of the features and functionalities of products that were in high demand throughout the holiday season can dramatically help support teams streamline incoming issues and inquiries. This means developing educational materials for support agents to help them become product experts, and understanding where the majority of purchases came from. With more contextual information around whether products were purchased online, in-store, or even through an app, support agents have the data they need in order to help customers through their post-holiday support issues and give new customers the experience they’re hoping for.
Staffing and Routing
For many businesses, especially retailers, the holidays require extra staffing and help. The same goes for support teams directly after the holiday season. However, simply having more agents available, or more lines open doesn’t necessarily translate to a better customer experience. Instead, support teams should focus on channel-specific staffing and implementing intelligent routing capabilities.
Leveraging integrations such as WFM tools, support leaders can gather strategic insight into peak hours for support interactions as well as which channels customers are most commonly using. WIth this data, support teams can be appropriately staffed across all the key channels making it easy for customers to not only reach an agent, but do so in a timely manner. Additionally, through automation, NLP, and more, support organizations should be setting up post-holiday specific intelligent routing queues. This process not only helps provide more accurate wait times for customers, but it also helps ensure that customers will be connected with the appropriate support agent, avoiding the all too common and frustrating experience of being placed on hold over and over again.
Update FAQs and Self-Service Options
Self-service and FAQ channels are increasingly becoming popular channels for customers looking for quick fixes, general information, and non-urgent issues. However sometimes, customers can find themselves scrolling through numerous options of answers trying to find the right one for them, defeating the entire purpose of these channels altogether.
In order to streamline post holiday support, take note of which products and services were big sellars over the holiday season and prioritize questions and options that pertain to those products. Additionally, surface these relevant points not just for customers, but for support agents as well. Whether it is a customer or an agent, being able to find the information they need in minimal time and as few steps as possible are essential building blocks for creating an efficient and trustworthy experience.
Turning Holiday Support into Long Term ROI
After the holidays, customers are trying to settle down, take charge of their resolutions, and get back into their normal routine. The last thing they need is to have a negative support experience.
This time of year provides businesses with a huge opportunity to create brand loyal customers. Providing great post-holiday customer support creates an experience that can turn one-time buyers and those who those gifts were bought for into loyal customers for years to come.