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| Photo Credit: newyork.cbslocal,com |
While the holidays
are a time filled with love and joy, they can also be one of the most hectic
times of the year. Yes, I am talking about the infamous holiday shopping experiences.
No parking, long lines, and crazy crowds are something everyone can agree does
not put cheer into the holiday season.
While shopping for
consumers is hectic on its own, the companies are feeling the holiday pressure
as well. Large and small businesses alike must strengthen customer
service options to prepare for the increased volume of sales. Not just for the
initial sale, but also for the customer service, care, support and overall customer engagement that follows.
According to an article
from salesforce.com, one tip for your company’s customer service to conquer the
holiday rush is to “improve self-service support.” Since companies can already predict
the high volume of customer interactions (and the short fuses they have by the
end of a long day), implementing a web-based, Virtual Customer Assistant (VCA) for
consumers to find the answers to questions on their own terms will
take some of the load off, while making consumers happy they didn't have to spend even more time waiting on hold or getting passed around to
different representatives.
VCA’s aren't just useful
for support questions though. For example, many electronics require product registration. The VCA can quickly offer guidance through the process, while
answering any questions that may arise, and/or cross-sell
other products/services when appropriate.
Mobile shopping is
another major factor effecting companies this year. “If it wasn't official last
year, it will be this year – holiday shoppers are eager to shop online for gifts and other needs. According to a survey, 56 percent plan to shop
online, up from 51.5 percent last year and the most in the survey’s 13- year
history. Additionally, the average person plans to do 44.4 percent of their
shopping online, the most since NRF first asked to 2006.” (National
Retail Federation) Providing customers with the tools they need to make
the holiday shopping experience easier is key to increasing sales, but moreover, increasing loyalty.
How is your company
enhancing self-service and engagement options this year? Does your strategy incorporate
usability for mobile shoppers?
We hope everyone has
a great Thanksgiving weekend. Enjoy!
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