The holiday season is upon us! The best time of year even during a pandemic.

Each of us have our own personal experience with this time of the year. Some love it more than others. For many it is bittersweet. And, then there is the holiday season during a pandemic. Getting around during the hustle and bustle of the holidays has always been stressful. Now, we are faced with experiencing holiday shopping AND social distancing. As we close out 2020, adjusting to virtual everything has become the norm.  However, traditional retail shopping still involves traveling to the mall and dealing with distracted drivers. Drivers who are multi-tasking during an extremely high traffic season are dealing with the added stressors of being safe.

As much as I love this time of the year, I have never liked the malls during anytime of the year.  So, I am experiencing this pandemic shopping the same way I have always.  I keep it simple and avoid the crowds as much as possible.  Amazon has been my saving grace!

There is a reason behind this message…. Be mindful of others and follow the golden rule – Treat others as you would like to be treated.

Sometimes, we get caught up in ourselves and moving through our day, that we do not consider other people. I grew up in the metropolitan area and I would have to say, I was a pretty aggressive driver. I would blow my horn as soon as the light changed, became impatient with slow drivers and even shouted unkind words until one day my Mom said “Be patient you don’t know what someone else is going through.”  The simplest message changed my outlook and lowered my blood pressure.

Living our day to day life during this pandemic has been uber stressful. The thing we tend to neglect is we are all stressed as customers and employees. As an employee you must be more empathetic and patient during the holiday shopping experience because customers are adjusting to an abnormally new way of life. From high rates of unemployment to working from home to homeschooling.  360 degrees of stress.

Business owners need to implement strategies to subside stressful peak seasons for their employees. They need to become proactive for the long-term because the forecast of this pandemic is unpredictable.

So, here is the million-dollar question, how can businesses successfully and diplomatically cater to customers and their employees during busy and stressful times?

Here are four ways that companies and individuals can manage the busiest and most stressful times.

1. Hire with a Purpose: As an employer you should know your company culture inside and out. Hiring the right people into positions is of the utmost importance for the success of your business.  During the interview phase, ask questions to determine whether the potential new hire will be successful at providing the results your business needs to flourish.  To find out whether they are a good candidate for a stressful environment, ask situational questions.  Find out directly how they would handle stressful situations.  You need to hire someone who does not fold under pressure.
2. Orientation/Training is a Must: Many companies hire and have the new person shadow another employee. This approach is managements lazy way of onboarding new hires. A company should have a structured HR training that allows for Q&A. HR should cover company policies, benefits and important contact people.  However, the most important training is job specific. Management must communicate expectations thoroughly and provide a handbook with the SOPs.  An employee with unclear expectations is a set-up for failure during stressful times.
3. Exceptional Toolkit: Employees need the right tools and systems in place to be productive and effective to achieve an exceptional customer experience. Systems must communicate with one another and they must be seamless to the customer. Being able to get customers in and out quickly during busy times, especially during a pandemic is of the utmost importance. Also, providing employees with the tools that position them to become experts in their field reduces customer stress. Answers and solutions become non-confrontational when dealing with irate customers if you have a concise toolkit for your employees. Allow employees enough rope to resolve issues without escalating it to a manager/supervisor.
4. Set the Tone/Remain Focused: The basic skills needed in customer service is clear communication, patience, being personable, empathetic, apologetic and attentive. There are other skills however if you do not have the basics than you will highly not be successful during busy, stressful times. You must become skilled at listening and repeating back what you heard for clarification. Take the opportunity to turn a stressful moment into a positive memorable experience.  Remember: Each encounter with a customer is typically the first. Don’t take it personal because nothing in business (and life) is new. You have experiences that repeat with different people, just remember what you did the last time and improve upon it.

The impression you make during intensely stressful times can determine your longevity as a business owner.  When you alleviate customer stress, especially during the holidays and during a pandemic, you tend to increase your retention rate. Customers want convenience, acknowledge this fact and use it to your advantage to gain customer loyalty and advocates. If you can provide a seamless shopping experience, more than likely a customer will return to your business, refer other customers to you and report their experience to their social network.