Mondays are an unpopular day for many people. The weekend is over, the working week begins and the alarm clock rings far too early. However, Mondays can become a challenge not only for employees, but also for companies – especially in customer service.
Because on Mondays there is often a so-called “Monday peak” in customer service. This means that on Mondays there are significantly more calls, e-mails or chat requests from customers compared to other days of the week. The reasons for this are manifold. On the one hand, it may be due to the fact that no or only reduced customer service is offered at the weekend. Customers who had a problem over the weekend or wanted to ask a question end up calling on Monday. On the other hand, it may also be due to the fact that Mondays are often the day when customers deal with their everyday problems and questions again and therefore contact customer service more often.
For companies, the Monday peak can be a challenge. Especially when the number of enquiries rises sharply, it can become difficult to serve all customers quickly and satisfactorily. There may be longer waiting times, customers may be frustrated and there is a risk that they will turn away from the company.
Three strategies for managing high service volumes
If companies apply the following three strategies, they can better manage the Monday peak in customer service. It is important to handle customer enquiries quickly and effectively to ensure a high level of customer satisfaction and to retain customers.
- Setting priorities: A data-driven analysis of customer enquiries helps to decide which enquiries should be dealt with first. This allows staff to make the best use of their time and resources.
- AutomationRoutine tasks can be made easier through automation. More and more companies are offering their customers the possibility to resolve their concerns independently without having to contact customer support. This can be realised, for example, through an extensive knowledge database or FAQ section on the website or, the best option, automated customer service via a self-service app. By integrating self-service options, customer enquiries can be reduced, which in turn means that fewer staff are needed and the Monday peak can be cushioned.
- Guidance for the employees: It is important to train staff and provide them with the necessary tools and information to respond quickly and effectively to customer enquiries. Guidance can also help support staff to be better prepared for unexpected requests.
