CallCare reveals why businesses need to invest in customer service ahead of Black Friday and Christmas

Black Friday 2021 is fast approaching, with it soon being that time again for bargain hunters to take advantage of thousands of brilliant money-saving deals. Since Black Friday was first brought to the UK back in 2010, the decade that followed has seen it grow into the biggest sales period of the year, with online spending growing by 51.56% since 2016. In fact, Black Friday has become so popular that it has even beat Boxing Day as the best time to grab a budget-friendly gift. 

This year, the Black Friday 2021 sales kick off on Friday 26th November. Not just limited to the day, as always, it’s likely that retailers will be preparing to reduce the prices of certain items, both in store and online, as early as the start of November to give customers a chance to grab a bargain early. Due to logistics concerns in the UK following last year’s longer than usual parcel delays, caused by the ongoing pandemic, it’s likely that many Brits will be looking to nab their Christmas gifts early and, as such, will be making the most of the upcoming Black Friday sale.

Interestingly, according to research by CallCare sourced from Finder, the number of people in the UK planning to take advantage of the Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales has dropped 6% from last year, according to Google search trends and survey data. In 2019, 42% of adults planned to take part in Black Friday, while in 2020, this figure dropped to 39%. In 2021, reportedly only 33% of adults are planning to spend money in the Black Friday sales. This downward trend can be attributed to the financial strains caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. 

The Salford-based customer service company also estimated that Brits taking part in the Black Friday sales will spend £275 on average this year. This is 7% (£20) less than last year’s figure, where shoppers budgeted £295 on average during the sales. This means that the total predicted sales of both Black Friday and Cyber Monday in the UK could decrease from its£6 billion last year to £4.8 billion in 2021. 

Generation Z is likely to be the largest demographic taking part in Black Friday and Cyber Monday, with 54% planning to spend over £10 to £275. Closely following, 48% of Millennials say they will shop for deals. Next are  Generation X (35%) and Baby Boomers (15%). And finally, the so-called Silent Generation at only 11% looking to secure Black Friday deals. 

Now, when it comes to shopping habits, the stats show that, interestingly, the Silent Generation and Baby Boomers take the lead at 67% and 66%, respectively, for most likely to solely shop online. Gen Z (40%) and Millennials (37%) are the least likely to solely shop online, with these generations choosing the “online and in-store” option. In terms of gender, there’s not too much distinction with 42% of women opting for a hybrid shopping method versus 44% of men ahead of this upcoming Black Friday sale.

With Black Friday and Cyber Monday being one of the busiest retail months of the year, CallCare have looked into the importance of customer service and are now sharing their findings which reveal how much Britons value good customer service. Last year, nearly half (47%) of Brits received poor customer service while the remainder (53%) of shoppers received an “okay” service. One of the causes of this could be the logistics issues that were so rife last year, which understandably left consumers unhappy with the service they received and the absence of certain goods on the shelves.  Other findings found that people who have purchased online have received excellent customer service. These findings show that 90% said they would return to that store if they were satisfied with the service they received.

Head of Commercial at CallCare, Gemma Harding also shares why businesses need to be aware of logistics issues ahead of the Black Friday sales and festive season:

“We are entering THE critical time of year for retailers and e-tailers. This year is unprecedented with well publicised issues surrounding supply chain problems and delays.  We always work in advance of peak period with our customers to understand what their plans are and how we can help anticipate potential service issues. 

What is absolutely clear is that businesses need to put customer service ‘front and centre’ in their plans – it must be  a fundamental part of their offer, not an afterthought.

We have put in place customer service plans that allow our eCommerce clients to prioritise customer service and to help their customers find solutions to help them with their purchases. We have  teams which are available 24/7 to help customers track their parcels and update them on stock availability as it’s important the customers have visibility of when their gifts are going to arrive at their doorstep.”