How To Deal With Sudden Demand Increases

Delivery is an important consideration among customers selecting which online store they wish to purchase from. Customers factor in the time in which their item will be delivered as well as the quality of the item once it has been received. Owing to unexpected rises in demand, maintaining the same customer satisfaction can become difficult where you will need to take initiative on how to respond to the sudden influx. Here are tips on how you can effectively manage sudden increase in demand of your e-Commerce business.

1. Productive technology

Take advantage of the availability of technology to improve the efficiency of your delivery process. Invest in technology that will cut unnecessary travel time to the post office. Opt for independent postage services such as those offered by Pitney Bowes, that are specific to growing small online businesses. Not only will you be able to benefit from discounts of postage rates, but you will also be able to send your parcels directly from your front door. Technology has also served to increase productivity during peak times through franking machines and postage meters that allow you to weigh parcels yourself, as opposed to travelling to the post office. You can also print out postage labels and stamps that can be printed directly on envelopes or attached on your parcels.

2. Forecasting

An effective way of tackling the pressures of peak times is by forecasting in advance. Owing to the dynamically changing environment, it inevitable for various changes to your operations as well as customer preferences that can impact your ability for your product to sell. You will need to adapt and be flexible to the changes to determine the most appropriate course of action. However, you can make such changes less of a shock by being aware of the trends within your industry and the external business environment. Be constantly updated with new trends within the market where your product can receive potential free publicity, resulting in an increase in demand. If you have scheduled a promotional post that has gained a high level of traction, you should also prepare for increases in demand. It is also wise to look for patterns within monthly sales to estimate the future spikes in sales for the product. Ensure to develop a thoughtful analysis of your sales growth as well as taking into account the overall industry growth.

3. Prepare during non-peak periods

When sales are slow, and you are seeing low demand, this is the time for you to prepare. Keep a flexible budget and excess funding for sudden cost increases for inventory, materials or staff. You should also use non-peak periods as an opportunity to focus on customer satisfaction and build on customer relationships. Ensure that you are using this time wisely by learning and adopting new technologies and delivery management software to improve efficiencies and productivity.

4. Staffing

Ensure that you will be able to have enough labour to deal with the influx of demand. An effective way of combating high demand during known peak periods is to increase your staffing for the expected surge of production. You may need to initiate the staff application process several months before the peak season hits, so you will be able to hire staff on a causal basis or temporary part-time basis and when you require it. Ensure that your future staff are trained prior to the peak period so they will not be overwhelmed by the high demands and pressures and be less inclined to make mistakes. Simplify the processes by providing clear instructions both physically and verbally as well as providing mentors and supervisors that will allow a smooth process to avoid leaving the employees to deal with the pressure on their own.

5. Manage customer satisfaction

Although you have implemented all the considerations to maximise productivity to keep up with increasing demand, there can be situations where there are holes in the process and a customer can be confronted with a delivery issue. You must ensure to give the customer the most optimal experience and focus on serving their needs and dealing with their issue. Be personalised and emotional in your response to the customer enquiries to reduce their anguish over their issue. You can also use chat bots and technology to automate answers to simple and common questions that don’t require a specific personalised answer.

Increases in demand can be rather daunting and overwhelming, however by being well prepared in advance, you can effectively overcome the pressures and take your e-Commerce business to the next level. Which tips will you use to successfully deal with the next peak period?