Black Friday sounds great - retailers get a boost in sales and customers win with great discounts. Simple, right? Sadly, it's a bit more complicated than that.
In the rush to secure sales, it's clear that some brands just aren't prepared. They focus on discounts and forget all about customer experience. Can you really afford to let one day ruin your reputation?
We’ve broken down the biggest customer experience faux pas... and how you can overcome them.
Queuing - Nobody likes to be left waiting around
The British might be renowned for queuing – but that doesn’t mean people like it! 60% of customers will leave a shop empty handed if they’re faced with a long queue [Source Zapp.com].
Think online gets away with it? Think again. Website queues last year were a major source of frustration for customers, with many complaining that they had to wait before they could even get on some retailer’s websites.
No matter how good a bargain, if the experience isn’t easy, your customers will leave their shopping trolleys behind and go elsewhere. Whether it’s in-store or online, queues are a nightmare for retailers and customers alike.
The Solution:
If you predict large crowds, get the staff (and security) you need to keep customers safe and happy. Plus, with 27% of consumers abandoning online purchases due to slow websites [source: Information Age], check you have the capacity to meet demand.
Give customers the option to share their thoughts and feelings with you in the moment. Use Listening Posts to capture their feedback, whenever they want to share it. Then respond to customer feedback in real-time, so you can show your customers you’re really listening.
The Power of Mobile – Help Customers Shop Whenever They Want
Customers want to be able to buy on mobile - sales via mobile devices rose by 29.31% in 2014. But the path to purchase doesn’t always run smooth. Triple check your website is ready for mobile. Last Black Friday, 40% of consumers complained about the difficulty of buying on mobile [Source: Information Age], with many abandoning their carts because it was too frustrating.
The Solution:
Having a site optimised for mobile is a must. Otherwise, customers will turn to a competitor who offers a better experience. After all, your competitors are only a few clicks away.
Prioritise simplicity over fancy features that can cause sites to become slow and difficult to use. Remember, SMS remains the single most powerful real-time engagement channel [Source: Gartner] – an ideal option to check-in with your customers and find out how they feel.
Be Proactive - Set Realistic Expectations For Delivery
You can’t deny it; Amazon has set the bar high for online delivery.
And, with so many retailers now offering next day delivery, it’s easy to feel the pressure to keep up. But, for customers, a major frustration from Black Friday 2014 was slow and failed deliveries. As well, if you run out of stock and can’t deliver in time, let customers know ASAP.
Using proactive comms, DPD use text messages to keep their 200,000 daily customers up to date about their deliveries.
So what can you do to meet customer expectations and get parcels delivered on time?
The Solution:
Be proactive with customers and communicate with them when their order is due. If there are going to be delays, take steps to let customers know before they have to call in. Not only will this provide them with a better experience, it will also mean you can free up agents in your contact centre.
In fact, 76% of customers are happy to wait longer, so long as they’re kept informed [Source: The Drum]. As well, 44% of customers are happy to pay more to ensure next-day delivery for orders placed on Black Friday [Source: The Drum].
Social Media Isn’t The Only Place to Gather Feedback
Last Black Friday saw a raft of people taking to social media to vent about their experiences – never ideal, especially when it’s in full public view.
Part of the problem is that customers don’t know where else to turn. They’re not going to wait for your survey to arrive in their inbox a week later. They want to share their feelings right now.
Papa Johns invites customers to share their thoughts on their pizza when it’s delivered via text message. Customers can score their overall experience and share (in their own words) what they think and feel about the experience.
The Solution:
Give your customers options, so they can share their feedback with you straightaway. Plus, use Listening Posts, so customers can tell you what they think, whenever they want.
Offering customers the chance to talk to you in their own words and responding to them in real-time, means you can solve their problem before they feel the need to go online to share their frustrations. The chance of someone repurchasing with you after a negative experience increases from 32% to 89% if that experience is acknowledged and resolved.
Get Your Team On-Board Through Employee Engagement
Agents, Team Members, Staff or Colleagues - your employees are the heart of your business and the voice of your brand. Things will get crazy on Black Friday, as shoppers rush to get the best deal. So you need the right people for the job to support you.
What can you do to support them?
The Solution:
Before Black Friday even starts, communicate the plan for the day with everyone, so they know what to expect. Empower your employees and motivate them to provide a great customer service, whether it’s in-store or in your contact centre.
Ovo Energy presents customer feedback to employees in real-time, so they know exactly what they’re doing well and how they need to improve. This helps to engage employees and encourage them to go the extra mile for customers.
With UK consumers spending 21% more on Black Friday 2014 compared to the previous year and only 17% of people in the UK DON”T know about Black Friday, it’s clearly a trend that’s here to stay. But, in all the excitement of bargains and flash discounts, let’s not forget the fundamental importance of customer experience.
Take a look at our new infographic which outlines each of these key points:
