The art of simplicity: Helping your customers make quick decisions this Black Friday

Black Friday 2024 is a crucial moment for the retail sector. Online sales continue to grow each year, with last year seeing an 8% increase, resulting in a global turnover of $70.9. Notably, 43% of shoppers worldwide plan to shop exclusively online. Given this landscape, it’s vital for retailers not only to offer great discounts but to be where their consumers are and streamline the buying process to personal needs and behaviour. This is the only way to stand out to customers during peak times and convert visits into sales.

Deal strategies to capture attention on Black Friday

Your marketing department’s strategy in setting up offers is paramount in crafting the main appeal for consumers. However, with so many discounts available at once, buyers can easily feel overwhelmed. The key lies not only in providing substantial discounts but also in managing segmented and personalised marketing campaigns, ensuring they are well-presented and accessible.

How to help your customers make the most of Black Friday offers

1. Web optimisation and personalisation: Make sure your website can handle high traffic and make sure that offers are relevant and easy to find. A slow or difficult-to-navigate site may lead to abandoned carts. Implement a clear web design with highlighted categories and a “best deals selected for you” block based on personal needs to enable buyers to find what they want effortlessly.

2. Personalised discount codes: Providing exclusive discount codes for returning customers or newsletter subscribers is a great way to reward loyalty. These codes can be sent via email or SMS, creating a sense of exclusivity and value. You can also share codes based on previous purchase behaviour to offer the most relevant promotions.

   

3. Real-time alerts: Automate notifications to send emails, messages, and alerts the moment your deals go live. Customers receive real-time information, allowing them to seize promotions without missing out, improving customer experience and fostering urgency, which can increase conversions on Black Friday.

By simplifying access to your deals and streamlining the purchasing process, customers not only find the most attractive promotions but also enjoy a more personalised experience, significantly boosting loyalty and engagement with your brand, maximising results during this critical sales period.

Logistics optimisation for smooth, fast deliveries this Black Friday

Another major challenge is meeting expectations for fast delivery. Consumers now seek not just the best price but also quick deliveries and real-time order updates. Meeting these expectations is key to generating satisfaction and loyalty.

How to optimise logistics during sales peaks to enhance customer experience?

1. Real-time updates: Keep customers informed about their order status with automated notifications from processing to final delivery. Use their preferred channels like WhatsApp Business and SMS to send automatic order confirmations with clear details, estimated delivery dates, and tracking numbers.

2. Collaboration with logistic providers: If managing large order volumes, partner with external logistic providers to ensure timely deliveries. Establishing agreements in advance with shipping companies allows workload distribution and ensures smooth deliveries during Black Friday’s sales peak.

3. Streamlined reverse logistics: Managing returns is a critical and often challenging aspect post-purchase, especially during events like Black Friday. Offering a quick and simple return process is essential for customer satisfaction. Ensure clear, accessible communication on your site regarding return policies, including available return options, timelines, and steps to follow.

In addition to using automated notifications throughout the returns process, integrating a chatbot into your Customer Service system can accelerate returns management up to 75%*, according to current CM.com clients.

Integrating an GenAI chatbot into your Customer Service system can speed up return management by 75%. Bots enable customers to initiate returns directly from a chat window, guiding them step-by-step and automatically generating return labels or directions to the nearest collection point. Bots can also provide quick answers to FAQs regarding return status or policies, freeing the Customer Service team to focus on more complex cases.

24/7 customer support: How to respond quickly and keep your customers happy

During Black Friday, questions about payments, shipping, or returns increase significantly. Having 24/7 omni-channel support is crucial to prevent customers from abandoning their purchases due to lack of assistance. It's not just about being present across multiple channels, but also maintaining a seamless, consistent experience regardless of where or how the conversation starts.

The CM.com Engagement Platform allows you to centralise all interactions in one place. This platform streamlines the management of messages from multiple channels and ensures that customer service agents have access to the entire interaction history, enhancing efficiency and ensuring customers won’t have to repeat themselves, reducing frustration and improving brand perception.

Advantages of using an Engagement Platform for enhanced customer service during Black Friday

On high-demand days like Black Friday, providing efficient support is key to ensuring that every customer receives the proper attention. The Engagement Platform allows you to manage large volumes of interactions without sacrificing service quality, delivering a smooth and fast experience.

• Omni-channel support on your customers' preferred channels

Consumers often use multiple messaging channels to contact businesses. With the Engagement Platform, you can centralise all interactions in one place, offering omni-channel support through WhatsApp, RCS, Facebook Messenger, and more. This ensures you are present where customers need you.

• Reduced wait times

During high-volume inquiry periods, quick responses are essential. Automating conversations with AI chatbots can significantly reduce wait times by handling recurring queries, allowing agents to focus on more complex situations. This not only enhances operational efficiency but also creates a better customer experience.

• Seamless agent collaboration

During busy times, it’s important for agents to collaborate effortlessly. The Engagement Platform allows teams to work together without leaving the customer conversation, facilitating swift and coordinated query resolution.

• AI-powered internal team support

The AI assistant integrated into the platform helps agents be more efficient by suggesting responses, enhancing writing, and summarising conversations. This not only lightens the workload but also ensures interactions with customers are smoother and more accurate.

• Intelligent automation

Automation is a powerful tool to ease the pressure on support teams. AI-driven chatbots can handle frequent and routine queries, allowing you to optimise resources and ensure quick responses without compromising quality. With simple setup, these bots can draw information from your resources to provide precise and rapid answers.