Black Friday 2024, scheduled for November 29th, is expected to see a 14% increase in order volume compared to 2023, according to a study released by the marketing platform Haus. This scenario requires retailers to plan their actions well in advance, seeking ways to prepare for increased demand and boost sales without sacrificing service quality.
Advance preparation needs to go beyond attractive promotions. In other words, it's important for companies to reassess and reinforce their teams, primarily by hiring temporary staff. The help of this personnel directly impacts the optimization of logistics, customer service, and support – which will also affect customer satisfaction and the possibility of repeat purchases. These are extremely essential elements for delighting and retaining customers during this period.
Fortunately, the market is gradually understanding that seeking temporary professionals is an advantageous solution, as it's a simple, low-cost action with high impact and return. Data from the Brazilian Association of Temporary Work (Asserttem) corroborates this scenario and reveals that in 2023, Black Friday generated more than 470,000 temporary jobs in Brazil. For 2024, the expectation is for an increase in the number.
The main opportunities this year are for strategic services such as shoppers – professionals responsible for picking and delivering products for e-commerce – as well as merchandisers and promoters, who organize shelves and product displays in stores.
However, Black Friday preparations shouldn't be limited to reinforcing teams. It's also crucial that retail companies have a deep understanding of their products and services to offer a differentiated experience. A Google survey reveals that 65% of Brazilian consumers consider Black Friday offers repetitive, indicating a need for improvements and innovations to stand out from the competition.
To optimize these aspects, mystery shopping is a valuable alternative for retailers who want to fully understand the customer experience when purchasing a product or service. It also helps identify areas for improvement and more effectively adjust business strategies. In this practice, a trained professional is assigned to simulate interest in making a purchase at the company, providing brands with this perspective as the professional goes through the entire customer journey as if they were a real consumer.
The truth is that every detail makes a difference for companies to have a successful Black Friday. Hiring temporary staff and using mystery shoppers are effective strategies to stand out from the competition and avoid being just another one among many offering promotions.
