Going above and beyond for your customers will keep them coming back.

Customer Service — We all know that it’s far more affordable to retain your customers than it is to attract new ones. It’s important that you know your customers and how you can go above and beyond for them. The holiday season is a fantastic opportunity to remind your customers why they should stick around for another year (or more).

While every day is a good day to delight your customers, these best practices are especially important around the holidays, when stress levels rise and patience levels drop. Here are some ways you can do extra for your customers this season.

6 Ways to Delight Your Customers with Customer Service This Holiday Season

1) Prepare for the holiday rush

The holiday season is a crazy time, so make each and every interaction with your company a positive one. Being prepared will help you do so. While customers may expect longer lines and wait times around the end of the year, it’s never a bad thing to surprise them with the opposite. Keep your customer service team well-staffed so they can engage with customers when needed. Limiting how many people they have to interact with will keep frustration levels low and holiday spirits up.

2) Pay attention to your social media channels

Consumers send more messages to businesses during the holidays. According to recent research by Sprout Social, retailers can expect an average of 18% more social messages per month during 2021’s holiday season than normal months. More and more, people are wanting to interact with customer service on social media instead of standing in lines or holding the phone. Interaction with messaging systems is much more convenient.

Have support reps available to help on social media, and maybe even add more reps to your channels during the holiday season to ensure someone is always ready to help. You’ll also be meeting customers where they already are, helping them succeed during the holiday season and continue to have seamless experiences.

3) Offer a compelling discount

By a compelling discount, we don’t simply mean “10% off your next order.” Instead, try a discount that will inspire your customer to continue shopping with you.

What that looks like will depend on your product or service. You should focus on the value your product or service provides customers, not just the price you discount it by. In other words, position yourself in a way where buying your product is a complete no-brainer.

Write your promotion carefully. According to Psychology Today, a “Get $ Off” promotion emphasizes achieving a gain, while the “Save $” wording emphasizes avoiding a loss — and customers recognize that difference.

4) Get personal with customer service

Great customer service is about more than just solving your customer’s issue. Go above and beyond to personally remind your customers how grateful you are for their business and why you care. 

We may live in a digital world, but it means a lot to receive something handwritten, and capitalizing on the holiday spirit in this way can build a positive brand association. This could be a simple greeting or thank you card in the mail or as extravagant as a gift delivered to their door.

Here are some of his best practices for personalized communication with customers:

• Use tone and language that aligns with your customers’ knowledge and experience with the product.
• Listen to your customer and empower them. Asking the customer direct questions about their preferences both personalizes the experience and builds their confidence in the product.
• Send follow-up messages to customers after each interaction to thank them and offer further assistance if needed.
• Recommend features and tools based on their history and business needs and always provide notated documentation.
• The strategy of sending personalized notes or gifts works well because, with every exchange, customers are encouraged to become brand ambassadors.

5) Invest in premium packaging

Anyone that’s spent any amount of time wrestling with a roll of wrapping paper and a tape dispenser knows the value of a pretty package. In fact, according to a recent Dotcom Distribution packaging study, branded or gift-like packaging makes customers more excited about receiving an item, especially younger shoppers. 

Moreover, 42% of respondents credited sustainable packaging as a feature most likely to make them want to shop with a brand again. 

First impressions make a huge difference in our fast-paced, digital lives, so using premium packaging allows your product to stand out against others. 

6) Be transparent about the small print

Refund and exchange policies, as well as additional services, are often part of the small print on your website or receipts. As busy and loud as the holiday season is, do your customers a favor and place those policies and services front and center. 

When buying gifts, customers prefer a return policy that ensures they can easily return them. You have a better shot at increasing sales and keeping if you can offer this, especially if you offer free returns. In fact, 55% of consumers won’t even shop with a company that doesn’t offer free returns.

Delight Your Customers with Excellent Customer Service

These customer service strategies are a chance to delight your customers, express your gratitude, and remind them why you care.

Offering compelling discounts with creative call-to-actions will inspire your customers to buy, but great customer service is why they will return. Remember to focus on the value that you are bringing your customer, not just how low you can get your prices.

By Leslie Radford