The holidays have started in full swing. Often this period can be an organizational challenge for a company - in a short time, the entire team is often waiting for a vacation.
Perhaps part of your team is already on vacation, or maybe they are about to go. Check how to communicate with the client during the holiday period and what you can do to prevent chaos in your team while ensuring the client is served professionally and on time.
The holiday period often means temporary staff shortages. Therefore, establish at the beginning what the priorities are for the next 2 months, and what can wait. Also, be cautious when introducing new solutions. It doesn't mean that during the holidays you can't test a new module of your CRM or attempt to create a guide or build a company knowledge base. However, treat this period as a test - activate the new module, work on it for a while, check its capabilities, prepare a plan to implement it in your service department, and only when the team is complete - present the new solution and ensure everyone understands the idea of its introduction and is familiar with its operation
Ensure that every week during the holidays you have a minimum staff for your department. Also, check if the people replacing absent employees know the scope of new duties, have access to all the data they need, and know how to use additional tools such as phone call handling applications, chat modules, etc.
Check if all important current client matters have been communicated. Use tasks, comments in emails, and client notes for this. In Sugester, in every thread, with every message, you can add an internal comment, where you describe how to complete the service of a given matter. This way, the person replacing can smoothly continue the service without having to ask the client what it's about. Additionally, in Sugester, leave a note with a description for the client - this way the rest of the team will know what the client is waiting for and what to do with their request
Set up mailbox forwarding. If someone other than usual is to handle the company mail, check in the settings of that mailbox if emails will be forwarded to that person. In Sugester, you just need to go to the settings of the given mailbox and change the assigned person. You can also forward all correspondence of a specific employee to the team during the holidays. Then emails will go to the general To be assigned folder
If you are a business owner and plan a longer absence during the holidays, activate the Email Assistant function in Sugester. This way, only the most important messages will reach your inbox, and the system will automatically forward the rest to your team. This ensures that all emails are handled on time and nothing lingers in your mailbox.
Set up an autoresponder for mailboxes. Use the automatic email response function to inform clients and other employees about your vacation. You don't have to limit yourself to a dry message “I am currently on vacation. I will respond to emails upon my return.” Give your clients and colleagues clear information on how long you will be away and who is covering for you. It could sound like this: “Hello. Unfortunately, I cannot respond to your email at the moment. From [date] to [date] I am on vacation. I will respond to messages after [date]. For urgent matters, you can contact [substitute's name, surname, and possibly phone number and email address].” Also, use the autoresponder to inform clients about extended waiting times for order fulfillment or issue resolution
Activate the Substitution/Vacation function in Sugester. Thanks to it, each of your employees can indicate exactly when they will be absent and who will cover for them. After activating this option, all users not only see that the employee is absent (graphic marking next to the name), but also all email correspondence and all cyclical tasks are automatically redirected to another employee or the entire team. All posts that appear in the inbox of the person going on vacation will be redirected to the backup person's mailbox, regardless of whether it is a new message or a continuation of a thread. This way, clients will be served on time and no correspondence will be lost. After the vacation period ends, the system will automatically restore the previous mailbox settings.
For cyclical tasks - such as conducting training or presentations for larger groups - it is worth using mass-mailing solutions. A newsletter with information about the holiday mode of operation - and a return, for example, in the fall - will give your clients a clear message that they too can take a vacation. During the holidays, you can experiment with mailing. It's a good period for more relaxed communication. The title “must-have of the summer season” always intrigues.
Changes should not be limited to email communication only. If you use the VOIP service, remember to properly forward phones and - if your company's working hours have changed during the summer - inform the client about it. A short message that the client hears before connecting with you will suffice. This way, you will avoid unpleasant surprises and dissatisfaction.
Don't forget to set a holiday message on the chat if you use it. Using the chat module in Sugester, you can change the message displayed in the window and the chat's operating hours at any time. Precise information will translate into faster and more efficient service.
If the holiday season is a busy period in your industry, and you use the VOIP function in your company, try the callback widget, to manage traffic and avoid missed calls. With the automatic callback function, you offer your clients additional contact options with your company at a convenient time for them. Adding the widget to the site, with the VOIP function active, does not require additional complicated configurations
Communication between the company and the client is increasingly happening on multiple platforms. If you use several customer service tools simultaneously - sending emails, chatting, talking on the phone, or handling form submissions - remember to inform your clients on each of these channels about the holiday work mode or changed office hours.
Proper communication, as enabled by a good CRM system, is the foundation of holiday communication not only in customer service and sales departments. Prepare your team for the holiday period so that nothing can surprise them, and your clients do not feel a change in service. Then you can enjoy your well-deserved vacation in peace.
The article has been updated. It was first published on 02.08.2018.
