Don't Stress Over Customer Success Over The Busy Holiday Season

Customer success is hugely important at any time of the year but it is vital to succeeding during the holiday season. I feel like an expert after the issues and problems I’ve had over the past couple of months, especially during the big sale days such as Cyber Monday and Black Friday. I frequent most of the same shops online and offline and I am always in the market for new businesses. If something new catches my eye (or my kid’s eyes) or I see a brand who brings something new to the table. (Typically on social media.) I love to seek out new, unique brands and products and depending on their “attitude”. I may or may not make a purchase and I may or may not come back year after year, month after month. If I fall completely in love with the brand or whatever it is they’re selling, I’m probably going to tell everyone I know about them whether online or offline. Being a business owner myself, I try to reverse the roles and fix what I need on the business end.


Attracting customers is essential if you want to stay in business! This is where your marketing comes into play.  A social media presence is a must these days and if you throw in a customer service team or a customer service representative to operate online, you’re golden!

There are so many companies out there with active social media accounts and then there are some who are nowhere to be found. Personally, I prefer a company that is active online, available to help with questions and maybe even troubleshoot any technical issues. A little sense of humor or your brand’s own personality also wouldn’t hurt! I’m sure you’ve seen Tweets from some of the extra hilarious brands. (Mainly Wendys) While there are a few others out there who emulate the Wendys Twitter account, some failing, some holding their own, there are others who are doing their own thing and doing quite well. Of course, this isn’t necessary to survive but, it does get people talking and sharing online… 

Wendy’s isn’t just a funny account. They are there every single day, replying, advertising, tackling customer complaints, and fixing any problems that may pop up. If you ever read their Tweets and replies, including those to customer complaints, you’ll find that they take a very friendly approach and this satisfies the customer, more often than not. It seems they’re sometimes, “too cool” for many to really want to flip out or argue. The customer just wants the situation resolved so they can get back to eating their fries and reading and Retweeting their Tweets. There are a lot of brands out there to take lessons from and they all share the same thing in common. They are often there, never too busy to respond to a customer and they resolve the problem swiftly and with grace. Thes interactions aren’t just being noticed by that one customer but by many others who are aware of the type of personality your brand has. New customers are interested in knowing how hard it will be to get in contact with you and how simple resolutions will be. 

Of course, not everyone is on Twitter or Facebook. You’ll still need a team to respond to emails, calls, even letters. The most important thing is to stay on top of your customers and make yourself as available as possible so that they and others can see how much you actually care. Make your customer service availability public information. One of the most annoying tasks for a busy customer, especially during the holiday season, is having to chase after a brand just to ask a question. If you don’t already have an email newsletter or a blog, now is a great time to start one! You can make these things easy to find directly on your website and at the bottom of every email. 

Unless you are a brand who makes the only one of it’s kind with absolutely nothing to compare it to and positively nothing at all in this galaxy comes anywhere close to whatever that thing is, you’re going to need to retain your customers. In other words, keep them. Win them over and make sure they won’t ever be tempted to leave. No, there is no need to hand out millions of dollars in free products to keep them. This is also where special sales or discounts come in but, for the most part, selling a quality product, standing out from the rest, listening to concerns, complaints, resolving issues, letting your customer know you’re grateful. Customer success plays a vital role in any business. No matter how big or small.

Is Business Data Necessary?

These days, everything seems to be about data. From social media to advertisements to small businesses, we are actually all a part of the data that is being collected and analyzed. While this may freak some of us out, (especially when there are breaches!) this is how businesses, no matter the size, determine the best products and services to sell us and the best ways to target those products or services to a specific group or groups of people. 

I’m sure you may have noticed Facebook ads that seem to pop up immediately after discussing say, being hungry for pizza or needing to buy body wash or diapers. Maybe you were searching online for a certain product and Google decided that they can show you numerous ads for those products for the next couple of days. It’s obvious that data is being collected every minute of every day. 

If you own a business, you’re most likely collecting data of some kind so you can decide the best ways to move forward. There are so many programs available online for us to keep track of data. These programs are also great for marketers, non-profits,  webmasters, and bloggers too! There are plenty of options out there depending on how big or how small or how much data you need to keep track of to succeed. If you have other employees or partners who also need to keep track of data, it may be in your best interest to find a program or service that will help you better share this information across your network. 

What is data governance? One of the best definitions you’ll find out there is this: Data governance is a set of principles and practices that ensure high quality through the complete lifecycle of your data. It is imperative that the people who need to can have access to the data they need to have access to without fear of being locked out. Essentially, how you govern your data will determine whether you succeed or not. What is business data?

Everything, literally everything, that has anything to do with your business is business data. For instance, my husband and I own a small trucking company. It still amazes me at the amount of time we spend on compiling data for so many different aspects of the business. From events to new laws for each state to fuel purchased for each truck, where it was purchased, how much the fuel costs, how many miles were driven in each state on which day, and much, much more. It is a very tedious process but without this data, we could have a nightmare on our hands whether it comes to state audits or our taxes. We each keep track of certain things and on different computers. A couple of our employees work from their homes as well so it is crucial that we are all on the same page and able to access each other’s data at any time. 

People, places, things. Rules, contracts, laws. What is important to you and your business. Data is the core of your business or organization. Banks and investors and anyone who has any interest in your business or organization will sometimes require this. Collecting business data is expected anymore so rather than pulling an all-nighter (and hoping you can find a few others to do the same.) to gather this information for an audit or even a bank if applying for a line of credit. Trust me, I’ve learned the hard way over the years and now I am very meticulous and sometimes maybe even overbearing at times when asking my husband where or when data for a different department will be entered. Being prepared and always being on top of everything will be extremely beneficial for your business! Not only does it help with your stress levels but it shows potential clients, investors, customers, that you are on top of your game. Beyond that, having your business data governed and functioning properly across all levels and departments could help you with any potential legal issues and will always make you look more professional.