The busiest time of the year for e-commerce and mail-order companies has arrived. Black Friday, Sinterklaas, Christmas, and New Year are just around the corner, which means plenty of packages are being ordered. It's peak busy season!

PostNL shares some great tips to ensure everything runs smoothly despite the rush, customers are served on time, and the workflow remains streamlined. We're delighted to share PostNL's tips with you, and we at ContactCare have also added a few of our own.

1. Invest in more capacity

During peak periods, you naturally want everything to run smoothly logistically, ensure all networks can handle the load, and customers' queries are promptly addressed. So, assess carefully what you might need during these busy times. Is it extra customer service staff, freelance IT professionals to keep services running, or more warehouse workers? Make sure the team is ready in the final weeks of the year to upscale capacity as needed.

2. Order in time

Many online shops promise next-day delivery if you order today! But will that hold during peak times? Probably not. So don't promise what you can't deliver and make sure customers place their orders on time, mentioning this on your website. For example, order your Sinterklaas gift by December 2nd to ensure timely delivery. Does your company ship via PostNL? That is also a requirement from them.

3. Extend the return period

At the end of the year, all mail-order companies are incredibly busy delivering all ordered packages as quickly as possible. It helps if, as an e-commerce business, you extend your return period at this time. This ensures that customers at least receive their orders on time and can return products in the new year if they are not satisfied.

4. Do it together!

It's busy for everyone during this time of year, so work together and support each other where possible by following these tips. Hopefully, everyone can enter the festive season “a little” more rested!