Optimizing activity peaks management in retail: the role of self-care

During sales periods, the volume of calls and inquiries on digital channels increases significantly. By implementing self-care solutions, companies can offer customers the ability to resolve certain common issues themselves, such as order tracking or product information search. This reduces the workload on contact centers and allows advisors to focus on more complex inquiries.

Additionally, by digitizing incoming calls with visual IVR, call spikes can be effectively managed by diverting them to digital platforms, enabling self-care responses.

• Read more about: How RATP handles incoming contacts during strikes

Furthermore, on the advisor side, the workload can also be significantly reduced by using generative AI to assist advisors and spontaneously suggest expected responses. This innovative technology can also be used upstream to conversations to directly respond to emails and thus avoid long queues.

Facing the variations of prices, customers may be tempted to contact customer service continuously but might be discouraged by long phone queues, thus suggesting they check the neighboring website to see if the wait is shorter.

Self-care enhances the customer experience by offering quick and efficient solutions through dynamic FAQs or, even better, specialized chatbots. Customers can then receive answers to their questions without waiting on hold or for a representative's response. An intelligent AI generative chatbot, like DialOnce's, will also be able to finely qualify the customer's contact intention and, if necessary, redirect them to a human resolution. This ensures a positive customer experience and, for the contact center, ensures a controlled contact journey.

• Learn more about: How Fnac-Darty digitalized its omnichannel customer relationship.

Customers appreciate companies that offer practical and efficient solutions. By providing self-care tools, retail companies demonstrate their concern for their customers' experience. This can strengthen loyalty and encourage customers to come back, even after the end of sales.

Here are 5 common customer service requests during sales that can be handled by generative AI chatbots:

Order management and modifications

Customers seek flexibility in managing their orders. Inquiries about purchases, modifications, or cancellations are common. A chatbot can automate these processes, providing instant responses and simplifying order adjustments.

Product information

Customers want to know more about available products, features, and reviews. A well-configured chatbot can provide this information in real-time, enhancing customer engagement and helping them to make informed decisions without the need for a human advisor.

Payment issues

Financial transactions can sometimes generate problems. Queries about payments, refunds, and invoices are frequent. A bot can automate transaction management, providing quick and transparent assistance. Such a request can even be analyzed by the bot as a priority, deserving intervention from an advisor.

Real-time assistance

Customers demand immediate assistance, whether for online technical issues or urgent requests. Bots can offer 24/7 availability, ensuring constant support even outside office hours.

Order tracking

Concerns about order tracking and delivery delays are major concerns. A chatbot can provide automated updates, thereby alleviating customer concerns and offering them better transparency regarding their order.

Self-care is a winning strategy for the retail sector, especially during sales periods. By offering self-care solutions powered by generative AI, companies can reduce the workload of contact centers, enhance the customer experience, shorten issue resolution, strengthen loyalty, and prepare advisors for peak periods. Embracing a proactive approach to self-care can help retail companies turn activity spikes into growth and loyalty opportunities.