As the holiday shopping season wraps up and you get ready for the New Year, you’re going to encounter certain questions from harried and panicked customers. Everyone will be worried about the status of their order, and it’s your job to keep them from going off the deep end! Let’s take a look at some common last minute questions you’ll get and what to do about them.
Shipping
Of course another big point of contention with holiday shoppers is shipping. Namely, they want to know if the stuff they ordered for their friends and family will be there on time! Now hopefully your company has put up explicit times for people to order your products so customers get it on time. Some extra vigilant stores have reminders that pop up on the shopping cart page…just in case.
But even in cases like these, stores still get many calls from irate customers wondering where their stuff is. It’s not that customers can’t read, or are particularly combative; merely that they are stressed, tired, and just want to make sure everything is going to be okay under the tree this weekend.
Installation/Implementation
These series of questions will no doubt start around the time of Christmas but carry through the beginnings of 2012. If your store sells anything that requires installation or implementation (like software), then you’re going to field questions from folks who got it as a gift.
Each team member on staff must know the product inside and out, backwards and forwards. Of course if the product in question is your company’s specialty, that’s probably a given. But just in case, have a quick meeting to clear up any questions anyone might have.
Gift Services
Everybody likes getting stuff for free or receiving help. It’s arguably even more appreciated during the holidays. That’s why many stores offer freebies and services to assist their worn-out customers during this time.
For example, Amazon is offering gift wrapping for a fee, and Audible has set up a special page for Gift Memberships you can send to loved ones. The easier you can make peoples’ lives, the more likely they are going to shop with you after the holidays are over. Make sure everything is in place and ready to go when the phone calls come!
Holiday Hours
If you have any kind of physical presence, one of the most common questions you’re likely to encounter is about your holiday hours. This will be especially true if it’s not evident on your website or any marketing materials. If things go wrong, your customers want to know they can reach you, and stores often have varying hours. They’ll simply want a heads up, especially when close to the actual date.
Make sure everyone on your team knows exactly what the holiday hours are going into these final days. Print out a handy sheet for every team member to keep nearby for reference. This is especially important if the hours are different each day leading up to Christmas.