Black Friday and Cyber Monday (BFCM) are soon to come. Quick question for you: Is your customer service team ready for the busiest online shopping weekend of the year? ICYMI, an all-time high of 200.4 million shoppers took advantage of the weekend shopping sale last year.
While the likely boost in sales is exciting, it’s common for your reps to feel overwhelmed during this time. But that’s only if they’re not prepared. And guess what? Your team can definitely handle BFCM customer support like pros if they are equipped with BFCM policies.
What are they? Let’s dive into the five key policies that will arm your CS team to excel in the holiday season—especially when things get really busy.
Understanding BFCM and its impact on customer service
Black Friday and Cyber Monday (BFCM) are two of the busiest shopping days of the year, with millions of customers flocking to online retailers to take advantage of deep discounts and promotions. As a result, customer service teams are put to the test, handling a surge in customer inquiries and support tickets.
During BFCM, customer expectations are sky-high. They demand quick and efficient support, and any delay can lead to frustration. A study found that 12% of customers expect a response to their inquiry within 15 minutes. Meeting these expectations requires a well-prepared customer service team, equipped with the right tools and strategies to handle the increased volume of inquiries.
Why your team needs strong BFCM policies for customer service
Black Friday and Cyber Monday aren’t your average shopping days. Noticed the increased consumer demand, competitive pricing, and extended shopping hours? In fact, most Americans plan to spend $500 during the period. So yep, these days scream shopping season!
However, brick-and-mortar stores often face significant challenges during these events, especially in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has shifted consumer preference towards online shopping.
But the backend reality is this: a huge influx of orders equals flooding of inquiries, complaints, and requests. And who’s going to deal with all of these? Your CS team.
Now, this can only go one of these two ways: Either they crumble during BFCM or they thrive and celebrate with your sales.
If it’s the latter that you hope for, better prepare them already as early as now. There’s still more than enough time to empower your team with comprehensive BFCM policies.
Key benefits of implementing strong BFCM policies
Confidence and efficiency
When your customer support team has solid policies to lean on, they’re able to handle customer inquiries both with confidence and speed. These policies help direct customers to the right resources, such as a well-structured knowledge base containing essential information like product specifications, return policies, and shipping details. No second-guessing—just efficient resolutions to facilitate smoother customer experiences during the BFCM season and all throughout the holiday shopping season.
Reduced stress
Clear guidelines take the pressure off your agents. Instead of scrambling for answers, they can focus on doing what they do best—helping customers. When policies are clear and laid out, customer support agents can handle customer inquiries with confidence, knowing that there are specific policies and instructions to fall back on. Less stress means better performance.
Clear guidelines also enhance customer loyalty by ensuring positive interactions. When customers receive consistent and effective support, especially during high-stress sales events like Black Friday and Cyber Monday, they are more likely to return and make repeat purchases.
Consistency across the board
Strong policies mean that every customer—no matter who they talk to—gets the same great experience. At BFCM’s busiest times, this consistency keeps customer satisfaction levels up.
Imagine this: a customer reaches out with an issue about their BFCM order. But instead of getting a prompt response, they’re left on hold—indefinitely. Behind the scenes, your CS team scrambles to figure out what to do. There are no protocols, no scripts, no flowcharts…
What a disappointment, huh? Now imagine that same team knowing exactly how to respond. No hesitation, no confusion, just fast, confident, and effective support—hat’s the power of strong Black Friday Cyber Monday policies. Whether the issues are about refunds, shipping delays, or whatever else might come their way, a customer support team that is prepared beforehand is a team that can drive success during BFCM.
5 policies to arm your CS team for BFCM
These five key policies will give your team the structure they need to deliver efficient customer support during the much-awaited Black Friday Cyber Monday weekend.
1. Customer service policies: Setting the ground rules
Let’s dive into the first crucial policy for arming your CS team as BFCM approaches—a customer service policy. From the name itself, this outlines the standards, guidelines, and procedures that your customer service agents should follow. Like 80% of businesses that prioritize customer experience, the purpose is to ensure consistent and high-quality interactions with your support team.
Here are some important information that you must include in your policies:
- Response times: During BFCM, every second counts. Faster response times = more customer inquiries handled. More inquiries handled = happier customers.
- Channels of communication. Will your customer support team be available on live chat, email, phone, social media all throughout BFCM? What hours will they be available? These policies need to be cemented beforehand so your customer support team knows what is expected of them.
- Escalation procedures: Not all customer inquiries should be escalated. Outline clear procedures and criteria that define how and when an issue gets escalated to a higher level of support.
But here’s something that not every business does—empowering your team to make quick, independent decisions so everything moves faster.
In a study, 67% are willing to go the extra mile when they’re empowered. Of course, there are some issues that require escalation (hence those ground rules), but you must see your agents as problem-solvers, too. Customers get resolutions right away, and your team can handle a larger volume of inquiries without slowing things down. And the sense of ownership? Watch as it naturally leads to better shopper interactions.
2. Service Level Agreements (SLAs): Meeting and exceeding promises
Another policy to smoothen BFCM customer support is Service Level Agreements or SLAs. They’re a document but more like a contract between a service provider and its customers. It details the services the provider will deliver to existing customers but it also holds the provider accountable if they fail to meet the agreed-upon service standards.
It outlines:
- the level of performance to be expected
- how performance will be measured
- what happens if performance levels are not met
In the context of customer service, it gives both your team and your customers clarity and alignment. So for one, SLAs are important for a positive end-user experience. A word of caution—although every CS team wants lightning-fast response times, it’s important to be realistic. Set only achievable ones.
Another thing, keep in mind that BFCM is unpredictable. That’s why it’s best to monitor everything in real-time. Be prepared to make temporary adjustments on the spot if necessary.
To know if your SLA is still on track during high-traffic periods (like BFCM), here are five tips:
- Prioritize high-impact channels so you’re more likely to meet or even exceed your SLAs where it matters most.
- Automate what you can (like sending order confirmations, tracking updates, or even answering FAQs)—because these can be absolute lifesavers during BFCM.
- Implement a triage system when dealing with tons of support tickets.
- Plan your staffing wisely, burnout is a real threat. Consider outsourcing additional staff to help with the BFCM season.
- Leverage chatbots and AI-powered tools to automate routine tasks and provide instant responses to common queries.
3. Shipping and fulfillment policies: Managing expectations
Thirdly, you have the shipping and fulfillment policies. These define how and when your customers can expect their orders to be processed, shipped, and delivered. These are the playbook or the rules of the game your team follows to ensure every customer knows exactly when their order will arrive and what to do if things go off course.
Why is this important? Keep in mind that the BFCM season is unlike the rest of the year. When your usual delivery time is one week, BFCM deliveries may take longer. It’s not solely your fault—you have to remember that a lot of businesses are banking on BFCM. This means that compared to other months, there simply is a very busy movement in the courier and logistics industry.
First, the shipping guidelines. While it’s easy to think that this is only about logistics, there’s more to it—they’re also about setting the right expectations. When customers know upfront what to expect (and when to expect it), they’re much more forgiving if things don’t go perfectly. If your usual delivery time is 3–5 days, but you know the whole holiday shopping rush will push it to 7–10 days, let your customers know before they even hit that checkout button.
Now, onto the fulfillment part. As soon as you know there’s a delay, reach out to your customers. A quick update email or a real-time notification goes a long way in keeping trust. Plus, it stops them from spamming your support team with angry messages. So, make sure your fulfillment delay communications are proactive, not reactive.
Some strategies when things aren’t going according to plan:
- Set up email triggers that notify customers when their orders are delayed or when there’s a change in delivery status.
- Personalize your messages.
- If possible, give them a tracking link where they can monitor their order’s journey.
- Handle any follow-up questions or concerns quickly and with empathy.
- Learn how to handle delayed deliveries by offering genuine apologies combined with incentives like coupons or discounts on the next purchases.
4. Refund and return policies: Ensuring customer satisfaction post-purchase
Fourth is the policy outlining the terms and conditions under which customers can send back products or request money back—the refund and return policies. It’s not rare that something goes wrong after a customer makes a purchase (at least 30% of online orders are returned).
Effective return policies can help retain customers by providing a positive post-purchase experience.
If and when a customer decides to return their purchases or even to ask for refunds, use this as an opportunity to provide a better customer experience.
Hence, your online sales and service reps need a solid refund and return policy with the following info:
- Eligibility under which returns are accepted
- Steps involved in returning a product
- Limitations to the return policy (like for custom orders or clearance items)
- Refund process and processing time.
So whenever the inevitable happens and a customer needs to return a purchase that didn’t work out, you can actually make the whole process hassle-free. 92% of consumers said that if the return process was easy, they would consider buying again. A few tips to help you with that:
- First, be sure that your return and refund policy is easy to find —not hidden in fine print.
- Use automated tools to approve return requests instantly.
- Consider offering an extended return window.
- Keep customers informed throughout the process.
Plus here’s something to remember—besides returns, initiating refunds usually happen. A slow refund process can easily break the customer’s faith in your brand. And you know the consequence of that—sour customer relationships. Who would want to buy from a brand that only prioritizes sales, right? As much as possible, make the process quick and efficient.
5. Omnichannel support policies: Being everywhere your customers are
Most customers expect a seamless experience regardless of the channel they use. 73% of consumers now shop online using more than one channel. So it really makes sense that your business has omnichannel support policies. This lets your customer service team stay structured even when dispersed to different channels—especially during high-pressure times like BFCM.
What’s the advantage of this policy? You can maintain a unified voice (talk about tone, language, and quality of responses) across all support channels—whether a customer is chatting with your live chat team, sending a DM on social media, or emailing your support inbox. Here are quick tips for optimizing your omnichannel strategy for BFCM:
- Use a customer service platform that tracks all conversations, no matter the channel.
- Make sure your team knows the nuances of each of your support channels.
- Even if your responses are automated or templated, they should still feel personal.
Navigate the holiday shopping season smoothly with strong policies
Holiday rush or not, the key for businesses to survive (and thrive) during any situation is preparation. Arming your customer service team with BFCM policies lets them have the structure they need to deliver a consistent, high-quality customer experience. But that’s not all. Internally, these policies also protect your BFCM customer support team so they’ll not be overwhelmed in any way.
Are you sure your customer support staff is enough? Not even the best policies can help if you’re understaffed. It might be the best time to think about outsourcing your customer service for BFCM. LTVplus provides the first-class customer service outsourcing solutions you need for the surge. Just book a call and we’ll be more than happy to elaborate on our services.
