Last Updated on November 14, 2024 by Holland Rocha
The holiday season brings high volumes and urgent requests that put extra pressure on customer service teams. Unfortunately, this rush often leads to common holiday customer service mistakes that can hurt customer satisfaction and increase stress. Here’s a look at these mistakes—and practical ways to avoid them for a smoother, more successful season.
1. Not Preparing for Peak Days with Extra Staff or Support Options
The Mistake: Many brands underestimate just how much demand will increase on peak days, such as after major holiday promotions. Understaffing leads to overwhelmed agents, rushed responses, and errors. All this can of course lead to unhappy customers.
The Fix: Review your sales and average response times from the previous year. This will help you to forecast peak days and allow you to adjust staffing or schedule additional support during high-demand hours. Consider leveraging temporary or seasonal support staff, and make sure all team members are familiar with high-frequency questions, and policies.
2. Failing to Provide Clear Return and Shipping Information
The Mistake: Unclear or inconsistent information about returns, exchanges, and shipping delays can quickly frustrate customers, leading to repeat inquiries or, worse, negative reviews.
The Fix: Create a comprehensive holiday FAQ page and link it within customer interactions. Include return deadlines, expected shipping times, and potential delays. Use Response Templates so your team can deliver this information quickly and minimize misunderstandings.
3. Overwhelming Support Teams with Repetitive Questions
The Mistake: Answering the same questions over and over can wear down your team, leading to burnout and lower quality responses—especially when they need to focus on more complex inquiries.
The Fix: Use AI and automation to handle frequent questions around topics like order tracking, store hours, or holiday promotions. This allows your team to focus on more detailed, personalized responses that require human interaction.
4. Neglecting Personalized Responses
The Mistake: Under pressure, it’s easy to slip into copy-pasting responses. However, customers value brands that show they care and understand their specific concerns, especially during the holiday season.
The Fix: While templates are valuable, adding a personal touch is key. Encourage your agents to check customer history, which lets agents see past interactions and orders, helping them tailor responses that show empathy and genuine assistance, even in busy times.
By recognizing and preparing for these holiday customer service mistakes, your team can keep customers happy and maintain smooth operations through the busiest time of year.