Tips for reducing holiday shopping stress

For some, it’s a competition to see who can get the best deals and the best gifts. For others, Black Friday shopping is a nightmare chore.

The crowds, lines, traffic congestion and bad parking can add up to a lot of extra stress.

But there are ways to survive the holiday shopping season stress-free, say experts at C3/CustomerContactChannels, a global customer management company.

1. Do your homework and ask questions

Learn the store’s return and exchange policies before you buy something; know which coupons a store will accept and ask about promotional deals before you get to payment. Read product reviews to maximize the valuable time you have with a busy employee.

2. Be prepared

Lines may be a mile long, so be courteous to other shoppers. The cash register is not the place to realize you don’t have your wallet. If you’re buying over the phone, be prepared with the recipient’s shipping information and your payment details.

3. Communicate clearly

If you have a problem or complaint, get to the root of the situation immediately and state what went wrong without raising your voice. Tell a salesperson what you expect to be resolved and what you’d like them to do. Bring up your brand loyalty as appropriate, but don’t overstate your store experience.

4. Be solution oriented

Focus on what can be done to resolve a situation. If a product is out of stock, find out when the store will receive new inventory. Find productive solutions and recognize that the ideal resolution may not be possible in all cases. Customer service is a two-way street.

5. Take a deep breath

Take a moment to think clearly before you escalate a situation. Don’t use profanity at other shoppers or customer service agents. Be the type of person you would want your grandma to speak with — anger and frustration will get you nowhere.