Is your store ready for the Black Friday/Cyber Monday (BFCM) wave? Mastercard SpendingPulse reported that eCommerce sales in 2023 were up +8.5% YOY. Other fun (and groundbreaking!) statistics from last year’s BFCM are:
With these skyrocketing numbers, it’s also logical to assume that the massive influx of online shoppers comes with an equally massive influx of customer inquiries. What does this mean? Not only should you prepare your inventory, stocks, and logistics, but your customer service team should be ready for a different kind of war.
Good news—here’s the ultimate checklist to get your team ready to face the BFCM hustle!
Despite economic challenges, most people still plan to shop during BFCM—and 16% (response from 3,000 surveyed US consumers) will do it more online in 2024. One thing’s for sure: your customer support agents must be ready to take on the rush to guarantee efficient servicing and maximum revenue!
We divided this checklist into four phases that’ll cover months before the event until post-BFCM.
Start by analyzing your data from last year’s BFCM. Did you see a spike in customer inquiries (shipping, status of orders)? Possible. On average, eCommerce businesses experience a 20% increase in ticket volume, according to Gorgias data. Here’s what you should look for in your data:
Example: If your customer service team fielded a surge in shipping inquiries on Black Friday afternoon last year, you can allocate more resources to that time slot this year.
If your forecast shows that you’ll need reinforcements—eCommerce VAs. Hire temporary service representatives to support your team. Customers receive timely assistance—plus it’ll prevent burnout on your team.
Example: If your current team can handle 100 inquiries per hour, but you anticipate 150, hiring three additional CSRs can bridge the gap.
After you’ve looked at last year’s numbers, forecast the number of inquiries you’ll receive. Let’s say you handled 5,000 inquiries during last year’s BFCM. To play it safe, anticipate a possible 50-100% increase this year. From the forecast:
Example: If you experienced a 50% increase in customer contacts last year, you might project a higher increase for the upcoming BFCM.
You want to be prepared for every possible question a customer might have during BFCM. So, create (or update) an online resource containing answers to frequently asked questions—a knowledge base. A well-structured one empowers customers to find information independently and reduces wait times.
Here’s an actionable tip: Make sure your agents are familiar with how to direct customers to your Knowledge Base. This hub is only as good as your team’s ability to use it.
Example: Include information about product specifications, return policies, shipping timelines, and order tracking in your knowledge base.
Let’s talk about templates and response macros strategies. These are your pre-written responses and automated action scripts. But don’t be robotic in copy-pasting. Customize and craft each message with your brand personality. The goal is to respond quickly and accurately while maintaining a personal touch so you must adjust the templates as needed.
Example: Develop email templates for order confirmations, shipping updates, and return instructions. Create macros for common tasks like updating order statuses or issuing refunds.
We’re delighting shoppers with great customer service and growing revenue for eCom stores every BFCM season.
First up, ensure all your customer service channels are functional and well-integrated. You need to be where your customers are, whether that’s email, chat, phone, or sliding into your DMs on social media. And more importantly, test it to meet customer expectations.
Example: Let’s say you’re testing your chat function. Take note of the following:
A triage system in customer service is a structured approach to managing incoming customer support tickets—and this is about prioritizing these requests based on urgency and complexity. With a good system in place, even the craziest BFCM rush can feel manageable.
Create priority levels like:
And set response time goals for each category. For high-priority issues, designate a team that includes those from other departments, such as IT and warehouse.
Example: Give your customer support a special hotline or chat channel to quickly escalate issues to the designated team.
When you’re upfront about longer wait times, customers can be more patient and understanding. So, don’t forget to update your auto-replies. They’re your first line of communication with a customer who’s reaching out, make it count!
Example: If a customer reaches out during BFCM, your automated replies could look like this:
Things going sideways during BFCM? That’s not ideal—but normal, all the same. The thing with BFCM is that it is just so unpredictable. Just develop a strategy for handling unexpected challenges BFCM may bring.
But a crucial piece is making sure your reps know the protocol for escalating major issues. Every team member should know exactly who to contact for different types of issues.
Example: You’re “customers reporting the same issue” threshold is five. It was triggered after the sixth customer complained that their confirmation emails weren’t arriving.
So, you follow the crisis management protocol. All customer service agents are notified of the issue and given the approved response to share with customers.
The story of how RoC Skincare achieved a CSAT score of 4.68 out of 5 with a dedicated chat support team.
The day after a big party—time to clean up, take stock, and figure out what worked and what didn’t. What went down during the BFCM madness? Answer using data only. Analyze key customer service metrics to identify strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities.
Example: Let’s say you’re digging into the data and you find:
Here’s how you might interpret them:
It’s here that you tell the complete story of your BFCM customer service experience. Collect feedback from customers to understand their thoughts and opinions. Think of this whole process as a continuous improvement loop. Each year, you gather feedback, make changes, and come back stronger.
Don’t forget to get feedback from YOUR team. Create a survey where they can give honest feedback confidentially. Consider questions like these:
Example: Let’s say after gathering all this feedback, you discover three main things:
Here’s how you might use this to refine your strategy for next year:
This is where you get to show your customers that you’re not just BFCM ad buzz. But a brand that truly cares about their experience. Positive post-purchase experiences build customer loyalty.
If a customer had a genuinely bad experience, go above and beyond to make it right. A discount on their next purchase, a free gift, or even a full refund if warranted.
Example: Send emails of appreciation to BFCM customers and offer assistance with returns, exchanges, or product inquiries.
Don’t let the BFCM rush overwhelm you. With the right preparation, your eCommerce support staff won’t just handle the volume of questions—they’re also scoring points for your store. With our checklist, you can even arm them to become a force for sales. Happy customers mean stronger relationships and ultimately, repeat purchases.
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