Black Friday can be the ultimate stress test for any customer support team. It’s a high-stakes moment when preparation, speed, and communication are put to the test. Let’s look at how one of our customers HexClad, the cookware brand famous for its sizzling pans, faced the Black Friday frenzy head-on in 2023 with Hark. The results?
The takeaway here is simple: preparation is everything, and when done right, it can turn your Black Friday into a major win. Ready to make this your best Black Friday yet?
Here are 10 actionable tips to help your support team hit the ground running.
It’s no secret that a well-prepared team is the key to a successful Black Friday support experience. You can’t afford confusion when customers are asking about limited-time offers and stock availability, so ensure your agents are armed with detailed knowledge of all the deals. Here are a few ways we’ve seen work for our clients:
After all, nothing says "we’re ready for you" like an agent who can answer questions on the spot!
Sure, ticket prioritization and tagging might seem like Support 101, but the trick isn’t just to use them—it’s to fine-tune them ahead of time. Black Friday traffic isn’t like any regular day, so your workflows need to be a step ahead.
You must review and update your tagging taxonomy. Make sure it reflects the latest products, common issues, and seasonal promotions. You don’t want your team wasting time sifting through outdated or irrelevant tags when the clock is ticking.
Another important task is to set clear prioritization rules. Not all inquiries are created equal. A customer asking about a delayed order should be triaged differently than someone simply inquiring about a discount code. Use rules that push the most urgent tickets to the front of the line.
We always say this at Hark, let your data do the talking. By tapping into the data provided by Hark Insights, you can analyze customer conversations in real-time and turn them into actionable trends. Instead of guessing, you'll know exactly where to focus your support team’s attention.
Start by reviewing last year’s data to identify which products generated the most inquiries—whether it was a specific bestseller, a new release, or a heavily promoted item. Use this information to prepare your support resources and create a shared library of FAQs, troubleshooting guides, and product details for these high-demand products.
But also watch the real-time trends like a hawk! Hark’s real-time AI analysis keeps you on top of unexpected spikes. If you notice a surge in questions about “Product X,” Hark will alert you to investigate. This way, you can quickly address any common issues or confusing details and adapt on the fly.
Let’s be honest, we all want higher sales and happier shoppers. When done right, upselling and cross-selling can feel like a helpful suggestion rather than a pushy tactic. Here’s how to do it:
We feel that the Black Friday sale is one of the most sought-after ways to reach a new consumer base. This is a brilliant period of discoverability, and to engage first-time buyers. One of the best ways to earn their loyalty? A seamless returns and refund process that’s clear, efficient, and hassle-free. Make sure your return policies are easy to find. Don’t bury the fine print—spell it out in simple language on your website and in your Black Friday promotions. Customers appreciate knowing exactly what to expect.
You must equip your team with detailed answers and a step-by-step guide to the return-related process. If a customer feels reassured that returns won’t be a headache, they’re more likely to complete their purchase.
Chances are you’re not offering price matching or have a limited return window for Black Friday purchases, be upfront about it. Send an email reminder or include a pop-up on your site. Setting clear expectations now can prevent disappointment (and angry tickets) later.
By making it easy and transparent, you’re showing customers that you’ve got their back, even after the sale. And that’s the kind of experience that turns a one-time shopper into a returning customer.
We all know Black Friday is the busiest time of the year—and it’s crucial for business. But while we're focusing on hitting the perfect metrics and crafting the best customer experiences, we can’t forget about the people making it all happen: our agents.
We reached out to industry experts and curated a list of tips to take care of the mental health and wellbeing of CX agents during the biggest shopping event of the year. After all Happier agents result in a better experience for the customers. Plus, it helps prevent that dreaded year-end burnout. So, let’s make sure your team’s experience is as positive as your customers’
When Black Friday hits, your support team will be swamped with inquiries—some complex, but many of them simple, repetitive questions. While you may have automated the basic questions like “What’s the return policy?”, “Where’s my order?”, or “Is this item in stock?”
Hark can take your automation strategy to the next level. By providing multi-modal support, Hark can quickly gather context and resolve transactional inquiries, making the customer experience frictionless and freeing up your team to focus on more complex issues.
Black Friday and Cyber Monday are massive events, and customers aren’t just going to your website for help—they’re turning to social media to voice concerns, ask questions, or share excitement. To make sure you’re staying on top of everything, you need a dedicated social media monitoring and response team. Social media is where customers often go for fast answers, so being able to respond quickly and accurately can prevent frustration and even close sales directly on these platforms.
For simple queries (like product availability or promotions), have pre-written responses ready to go. For more complex concerns, make sure your social team can swiftly escalate the issue to customer support.
Don’t just wait for complaints to roll in. Keep an eye out for customers who are excited about their purchase and offer them support or suggestions for related products. It’s a great way to build goodwill and boost sales.
Before the sale begins, put in the groundwork to reduce pressure on your customer support team. Preemptive support content can answer customers’ most common questions before they even need to reach out. Two ways you can do this:
Providing customers with the answers they need upfront will reduce the number of support tickets.
It's clear that the less your customers need to contact support, the better—especially during the chaos of Black Friday. Self-service options give customers the freedom to resolve issues on their own, reducing strain on your team and improving the overall experience.
Ensure that your portal allows customers to handle basic actions themselves, like order modifications, tracking, and returns. The easier these processes are, the fewer calls and emails your team will have. This will significantly lighten your team’s load, allowing them to focus on more complex or personalized requests.
So get your team ready, stay agile, and make this Black Friday your most successful yet. And if you need a little extra help, schedule a demo with us today.
Discover how Hark can revolutionize your customer experience.