Thanksgiving is on its way with all of the trimmings – and the remainder of the holiday season is snapping at its heels. While there is plenty of fun and merriment to be had, ensuring flawless holiday customer service may be a make it or break it endeavor for many businesses prior to the New Year.
Here are three tips to help you put your best stocking forward.
- Make a list and check it twice: In other words, prioritize and schedule in advance. The holiday rush is just that – a merry whirlwind that can spiral out of your control in a second if you don’t plan ahead. If your company is accustomed to an onslaught of calls and foot traffic at this time of year, now is the time to meticulously map out coverage. This ensures your customers are cared for promptly, while also giving you ample time to put contingencies in place when team members are out of town or otherwise indisposed. Making certain that you have personnel scheduled throughout the New Year also helps to reduce the chance of employees feeling slighted or misused. Consider incentives, such as work from home scenarios, rotating schedules, a luxury prize raffle, or that old standby, overtime.
- Be crystal clear with your clientele: The holidays are a time of modified schedules and adjusted hours. Whether closing early on the holidays, or staying open later in the days preceding, giving your customers a heads-up way in advance is best practice and good business. Every little bit of time you save a customer is meaningful and boosts your reputation as a company that cares. Recording customized greetings can help you maximize your workflows – and your customers’. These messages can play for a predetermined period of time that carries you through the holiday rush, then automatically switch back to a standard message. This also frees your in-house staff from answering the same question time and time again.
- Find some holiday helpers: Edwards Answering Service is fluent in multiple industries and is adept at helping our clients handle increased call volumes. As your virtual receptionist, we’ll make certain that coveted leads and frantic customers never end up in a voice mailbox. Just like the elves up north, our “factory” never closes – regardless of how much snow should fall. We are operational 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, which means we can handle your office’s administrative busywork while you focus entirely on building better relationships with your customers.
Contact us today to learn more about scheduling holiday customer service assistance and be sure to ask about our free one-week trial.