Insights
How Do You Plan Support Staffing After the Holidays?
Support staffing does not end when the holiday rush does. At AWAZ 247, we see January bring a different kind of demand, and teams that cut coverage too fast feel it in long hold times and missed callbacks. A steady plan keeps customers served while costs come back to normal.
Which call types rise after the holidays?
The first weeks of January are rarely quiet. Customers are sorting out what they bought, what they were charged, and what did not work as expected.
- Returns and exchanges: questions about policies, timelines, and shipping labels.
- Billing questions: unfamiliar charges, subscription renewals, and refund status.
- Setup and technical help: new devices and accounts that need guidance.
- Order status follow-ups: late deliveries and missing items.
Review last year's contact reasons by week. That history is the best guide to January volume, and it shows which channels, such as inbound call answering or live chat support, deserve the most coverage.
How do you taper seasonal staff?
A gradual seasonal ramp-down protects service quality. Instead of releasing everyone on the same day, step coverage down in stages that follow actual demand.
Start with the agents handling the lowest-volume channels and shifts. Keep your strongest seasonal agents on the queues with the most return and billing traffic until wait times stabilize.
Good scheduling makes the taper smoother. Track daily contact counts, average wait time, and abandonment, then adjust the next week's schedule based on what the numbers show.
Keep your support staffing plan flexible
Build in a review point every few days during the first two weeks of January. If volume holds, extend the schedule. If it drops faster than expected, release hours without disrupting your core team.
How do you keep trained agents for next season?
Strong workforce planning treats seasonal agents as a bench, not a one-time hire. Agents who already know your products, policies, and tone are valuable when the next peak arrives.
- Offer your best performers priority for next season's schedule.
- Keep training notes and updated scripts on file, with script QA reviews to capture what worked.
- Stay in touch with a short check-in before ramp-up begins.
- Document common issues from this season so onboarding starts faster.
Cross-training also helps. An agent who can cover both phone and chat gives you flexibility without adding headcount.
Ready to build a post-holiday support staffing plan that holds up through January? Contact AWAZ 247 to set up a voice and support pod, and explore our after-hours support options for coverage when your team needs it most.
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