Black Friday, Cyber Monday, Christmas: the busiest period of the retail year presents both challenges and opportunities for many companies. But making the most of these opportunities requires more than discounts and a short-term increase in staffing. Timing is also crucial when preparing for peak season. Only when logistics, sales and forecasting work in sync can operational peaks be managed and customer expectations met, without unnecessary pressure, errors or additional costs.
Why Good Preparation Is Essential
When order volumes surge around Black Friday or during the run-up to Christmas, the strategic approach should already be firmly in place. Tight delivery time slots, concentrated delivery days, limited resources and high customer expectations all come together. Companies that do not start preparing by September at the latest risk overloaded systems, missed delivery commitments and dissatisfied end customers. Particularly in 2-man handling, where on-time delivery and complex services such as assembly or old appliance removal are involved, processes need to be carefully planned well in advance of the peak season.
However, a realistic capacity framework can only be defined when sales, logistics and customer service align their planning. Sales campaigns should therefore not be planned in isolation, but closely coordinated with dispatch and route planning. If promotional campaigns generate peaks in order volumes, logistics capacities must be able to handle the additional demand.
Peak Season Planning Requires Data, Experience and Clear Communication
A robust forecast for peak season preparation does not happen by itself. It is the result of data analysis, experience and clear communication. The following questions are particularly important for advance planning:
- What are we selling, when are we selling it, and in what volumes?
- How many deliveries require installation and assembly services?
- Which regions are potential hotspots requiring additional effort, for example city-centre locations, older buildings or assembly services?
The answers to these questions should not only be discussed internally. In particular, open communication with external logistics partners helps ensure that capacities can be coordinated in good time and service levels maintained. This enables those responsible throughout the logistics chain to adjust workforce planning and define realistic time slots. Additional services such as installation, assembly or disposal of packaging materials can also be coordinated reliably and effectively.
Peak season preparation is therefore primarily a coordination project based on three pillars:
1. Forecast with a Reality Check
Historical data is important, but it is not sufficient on its own. Retailers should also take new product launches and promotional campaigns into account, as well as potential catch-up effects or market changes, such as changes in purchasing power or inflationary trends.
It is also advisable to consider flexible scenarios based on best-case and worst-case assumptions in order to prepare capacities for different levels of demand.
2. Plan Sales Activities in Coordination with Logistics
A common scenario is that the sales team plans special promotions without taking delivery capacities into account. As a result, promises are made that cannot always be fulfilled on the last mile. Instead, it is advisable to coordinate planned sales campaigns with delivery teams, warehouse capacities and available resources at an early stage. Product ranges requiring a high level of service, for example installation or assembly, should be highlighted and considered separately in route and workforce planning.
3. Make Decisions Together with Logistics Partners
Logistics providers such as HES can only operate efficiently if they are involved in peak season preparation at an early stage. Close coordination of specific requirements, reliable schedules and planned shipping volumes enables workforce and technical resources to be allocated effectively. Early bookings not only secure availability, but also improve operational quality during the busiest periods of peak season.
Professional Preparation and Seamless Execution of 2-Man Handling
Particularly for products that exceed standard parcel dimensions, such as TVs or fitness equipment, delivery logistics are especially demanding. With 2-man handling, it is essential that all processes work seamlessly together and that delivery teams are optimally prepared. Any disruption can have a direct impact on the customer journey, ideally still resulting in a positive outcome, but at worst leading to frustration or additional enquiries.
A key success factor is workforce planning. This involves both sufficient capacity and the right qualifications. Services such as professional assembly, connecting appliances or providing brief instructions on how to use them require experience and technical expertise. The right equipment is equally important: lifting equipment, robust packaging materials and load securing systems must be ready for use to ensure that delicate goods reach their destination safely.
The earlier retailers, brands and logistics providers jointly define their processes for the peak season strategy, the better prepared 2-man handling teams will be to perform effectively on site, even when operating at maximum capacity.
Set Up Communication Flows Before the Peak, Not During It
In addition to physical preparation, customer communication is a critical factor during peak season. Misunderstandings, unclear time slots or missing information are among the main causes of frustration, even though they can often be easily avoided. Best practices for peak-season communication include:
- In advance: Order confirmations should provide clear information about the selected delivery option, the scheduled delivery time slot and any additional services already booked. Customers can also be informed of potential delays during peak season.
- The day before delivery: End customers receive a reminder by email or SMS confirming the scheduled delivery time slot. This helps ensure that the delivery can take place as planned.
- On the day of delivery If delays occur or are expected, the 2-man team proactively informs the end customer, ensuring transparency and avoiding unnecessary waiting times.
- After delivery: The delivery is confirmed digitally, optionally including a link for ratings or service feedback. This makes service quality measurable and helps identify opportunities for improvement.
These communication steps can be prepared and automated in advance, particularly when combined with tracking tools and real-time data. This makes service delivery more predictable and customer communication more reliable. At the same time, it reduces the workload for the support team, another benefit of careful peak season preparation.
Strategically Managing Returns and Returned Goods
What is often overlooked during preparation is that the returns season is also part of peak season. After a purchase, products may be returned or exchanged for a different model. Warehousing and logistics operations in particular come under increased pressure when returned goods arrive unexpectedly and coordinated processes are not in place. This can quickly lead to storage capacity constraints and noticeably higher costs. If return flows are considered from the outset, sufficient capacity can be planned and processes can remain stable.
A well-planned returns management process should therefore be an integral part of peak-season preparation. This includes proactively organising returns as part of the delivery process, for example through old appliance removal or on-site exchanges. How returned goods can be reused or remarketed should also be determined at an early stage. 2-man handling specialists such as HES provide support by collecting old appliances directly from end customers and returning them through centralised processes. This eliminates the need for separate collection trips and enables returned goods to be managed more efficiently.
Conclusion: The Best Peak Season Starts Long Before the First Sale
Those who view the peak season as an exceptional logistics challenge risk being overwhelmed by it. Those who treat it as a recurring planning task with clearly defined timelines, however, are better positioned for success. Thorough peak season preparation means:
- Forecasts with a Reality Check
- Coordinated Communication Between Sales and Logistics
- Early Involvement of 2-Man Handling Partners
- Clear Service Strategies and Returns Processes
HES supports retailers, brands and shippers in not only managing peak season, but actively shaping it with experienced teams and digital tools. The clear goal is to meet customer expectations when it matters most and benefit from increased demand.
