December has a strange way of showing you what’s really going on inside your contact centre. As the volumes start to rise, and customer expectations jump, you’ll notice even the most chilled teams start to feel the pressure.  
 
Every little inefficiency will show up at a time when your agents are already feeling burnt out and looking forward to some much-needed time off.   

Spoiler alert incoming!  

Volume isn’t the real problem; it’s the myths, the assumptions that get carried through to the end of the year. They seem harmless on the surface, but when you dig a little deeper, you’ll find they are quietly working against you, making life harder for your customers and your already stretched thin agents.  

Right then, let’s unpack some of the biggest CX myths a lot of brands still fall for during the holiday period, and yes, even those that usually run a pretty tight ship.  

Myth 1: “Customers just want faster replies.” 

I know, you’re thinking, ‘well yeah, this is true’. Especially when December rolls round and queues grow faster than you can clear them, but the truth is more nuanced.  
 
Yes, customers do appreciate speed, but beyond that, what they really want is clarity. A proper, well thought out response that actually resolves their issue.  

When agents focus on speed over substance, customers get replies that come across as rushed, scripted or even worse, they miss the point entirely. And just like your agents, December customers are also feeling tired and under pressure. The last thing they need is the digital equivalent of someone not listening and talking over them.  
 
And yes, it might take a few minutes extra to respond, but customers appreciate clear, relevant and helpful replies. Not only do they land better, but they also reduce repeat queries, making them a win, win.  

Myth 2: “Automation will handle most of the chaos.” 

Again, you’re probably thinking, ‘this is also true’. Yet so many customers get wound up by it, because automation help, but only when it’s designed with intention.  

It’s not automation itself that customers don’t like, it’s bad automation. The kind that makes them go round in circles or answers a different question to what they asked because they didn’t phrase it in a certain way, then can’t pass them to a human agent – argh.  

Customers in December have a lower threshold for friction; they are busy, they are distracted, and as much as they want quick answers, they want to feel understood.  
 
Automation shouldn’t get in the way of this; it should support it. Many businesses try to automate every interaction, whereas the smart businesses know to automate the repetitive friction that slows teams down, while still giving customers an easy way to reach a human when they need one. 

Myth 3: “Bulk messages equal better engagement.” 

We get it, it feels like you’re thinking outside the box, sending everyone in your database one big message. On the outside, it looks productive, and it feels really efficient. But in most cases, the message isn’t relevant or helpful, so it ends up becoming more noise during a noisy season.  

It’s December, and you customer inboxes are already full of SPAM and noise, their attention spans are shorter, and their tolerance levels are on the floor. Delete, delete, delete!  

The brands that do well over the holiday period are the ones that plan to speak smarter rather than shout louder. Because targeted communication that feels personal and intentional is exactly what they respond to, and it shows in their December revenues.  

Myth 4: “Your team just needs to push harder.” 

And here we have the myth that causes the most long-term damage, because December isn’t a month for just pushing through. It’s the month where really supporting your team makes the difference. Do you want a team that copes well under pressure or where your people burn out and start looking for a new job come January?  
 
Even the strongest agents feel the pressure of December. It’s hard to ignore higher call volumes, fed-up customers with heightened emotions and fewer team members around to help out because they are on leave. Expecting them to just ‘crack on and handle it’ creates extra pressure, it creates tension, leads to more mistakes and inevitably lowers the morale of your team.  

With real-time coaching, whisper guidance and fast access to context through sentiment and conversational analysis, it’s an easy fix. That extra support for your team doesn’t slow them down, but it does stabilise them.  

Myth 5: “More channels = better customer experience.” 

This one’s a big one, you see it all the time, brands add in more channels because it looks and sounds impressive and honestly, in theory it does make more sense. Yet customers don’t care how many options you offer them, they care about the consistency of service across them.  
 
If they have to repeat themselves, get kicked out or have to start over with another agent, they’ll take that frustration out on your already stressed-out agents.  
 
Your channels need to talk to each other so your customer experience doesn’t become frustratingly fragmented; otherwise your customers will lose trust. That beautifully designed email flow means nothing if the agent they switch to on WhatsApp has no idea what they said only 5 minutes ago.  
 
The brands that do best in December aren’t the ones offering the most channels; they are the ones offering the most connected ones!  

So, what actually makes CX work in December? 

The good news is that it’s a lot more simple than people think.  

Customers remember how you made them feel, they don’t remember how quickly you replied or how many channels you let them contact you through.  

The holiday period will magnify and expectations, and so it’s often the small things that will make or break your customer experience.  

Your agents should feel supported  

Your automations should feel human 

Your channels should connect with each other  

Your communications should be intentional, clear and relevant  

And when you do this, December will no longer feel like your teams are in survival mode. Instead, it will feel proactive and like you’re in control of your customer experience.  
 
Most good brands fall for CX myths….  
But the great brands, they learn to let them go 😉 

Do you want December to feel less chaotic? And more like a well-run operation? 

If so, start by giving your team the tools and connections they need. QContact brings your channels, context, automations and people together so your customer experience works under pressure and not just on paper.   

If you’re ready to make CX feel easier (for everyone involved), we’re here.