10 ways you can use AI to proactively manage customer service over peak
5 Nov 2025
6.5 min read
10 ways you can use AI to proactively manage customer service over peak
Notify customers about order delays
Missed Next-Day Delivery cut off
Share Order Information
Keep Customers Updated on Returns
Send Back-in-Stock Notifications
Notify Customers About Pre-Order Shipping Dates
Request Missing Customer Information
Update Customers on Loyalty Points
Follow Up on Customer Feedback
Address Major Incidents
When we speak with customer service leaders, a common theme comes up: many want to move from constantly reacting to issues toward being more proactive with their customers. The problem is time. Most teams are stretched thin managing a steady stream of inbound tickets, leaving little room to get ahead of potential problems.
Yet, being proactive pays off in several ways:
Fewer inbound queries: Customers get the answers they need before they even think to ask.
Better customer experience: Reaching out first shows you’re in control and genuinely looking after your customers
Greater efficiency: Collecting information in advance helps your team resolve tickets faster.
Improved incident management: Whether it’s a warehouse outage or a delivery delay, proactively keeping customers informed helps prevent frustration and builds trust - leading to improved customer retention.
The good news is that technology now makes this much easier. With AI-powered automation, you can trigger proactive messages to customers based on real-time events and data.
Here are ten ways DigitalGenius customers use Proactive AI to enhance the customer experience and lighten the load on their teams. With the busy season approaching, these small shifts can make a big difference.
Notify customers about order delays
For most e-commerce businesses, questions about order status are the main reason customers get in touch. Many of these messages can be avoided by identifying delays early and updating customers before they need to ask.
By scanning your order management system, AI can detect when an order is delayed and automatically send an update to the customer.
These notifications can be sent if an order hasn’t been dispatched on time or is held up in transit. When a delay passes a certain threshold, say five days, you could also offer a refund or replacement to maintain confidence and trust.
One brand using this approach has seen a noticeable drop in “Where Is My Order?” queries, giving their support team more time to focus on higher-value conversations.
Missed Next-Day Delivery cut off
If a customer orders something with Next Day delivery, but after the deadline to get it on the next day then they may not realise that it will actually arrive in two days time.
For example, if you set a cut-off time of 2pm, but the order comes in at 3pm then the customer will have to wait an extra day. What you can do in this case is trigger a message to anyone who chooses Next Day Delivery after 2pm to remind them.
The aim is to prevent customers who didn’t see the cut off time from reaching out annoyed and to keep them informed.
Share Order Information
Proactive communication can also help remind customers about key policies they may have missed during checkout.
For example, some retailers require that items collected in-store must also be returned in-store. It’s an easy detail to overlook, but sending a reminder shortly after purchase helps set the right expectations. This saves customers from following the wrong process and avoids unnecessary back-and-forth later.
Keep Customers Updated on Returns
One of the most frustrating moments for a customer is sending back a return and then waiting days without hearing anything about their refund.
With Proactive AI, brands can track the return package as it moves back to the warehouse and automatically update the customer when it arrives. Even a single message confirming receipt can go a long way in reducing “Where’s my refund?” queries and reassuring customers that their return is being processed.
The aim is to anticipate the questions customers are most likely to ask and answer them before they reach out. It’s a great technique to reduce contact to order ratio.
Send Back-in-Stock Notifications
If your brand often sells through limited drops or high-demand items, you probably face situations where some orders need to be cancelled due to a lack of stock.
When that happens, Proactive AI can automatically message those customers once the item becomes available again. This creates another opportunity for a sale and helps rebuild goodwill.
This approach isn’t limited to drops — it can apply to any out-of-stock situation. You can even give customers the choice to either cancel or keep their order open until the product is restocked. The AI agent can then record their choice and update the order automatically - no need for your agents to get involved.
Notify Customers About Pre-Order Shipping Dates
Customers who buy multiple items sometimes miss that one or more of them are on pre-order. This can lead to confusion when part of their order ships before the rest.
By scanning your order management system, AI can detect when a purchase includes a pre-order item and automatically send a message explaining that the product will ship separately on the expected release date. This helps set clear expectations and prevents unnecessary support tickets.
This can also be necessary when you have split shipments, which is a complicated use case that many AI Agents struggle with. You can read about how we handle it here.
Request Missing Customer Information
If you sell customised or made-to-measure products, getting complete and accurate details from customers is essential. Sometimes, that information isn’t provided at checkout, or it needs to be confirmed before production begins.
In this case, Proactive AI can send a message shortly after the order is placed, asking for any missing information or confirmation. Once the customer replies, the system updates the order automatically. This ensures accuracy, saves time, and helps prevent costly mistakes.
Update Customers on Loyalty Points
For brands with loyalty programs, customers often earn points through a mix of online and in-store purchases. Keeping them informed about their updated balance helps maintain engagement and trust.
AI can trigger a notification whenever loyalty points are added or adjusted, whether through a manual update or a system upload. Customers stay in the loop without needing to check or reach out to confirm.
Follow Up on Customer Feedback
When customers take the time to leave a comment in a CSAT or NPS survey, acknowledging it matters. Even a short, well-timed message can show that you value their feedback.
With Proactive AI, responses can be automatically triggered and written in a way that reflects the sentiment of the customer’s comment. This makes each interaction feel personal and thoughtful, without adding to your team’s workload.
Address Major Incidents
Peak seasons rarely pass without unexpected disruptions. Whether it’s a warehouse issue, a carrier delay, or a simple systems error, communicating early and clearly makes all the difference.
By sending proactive updates about the situation and its impact on delivery times or service levels, you can reduce the volume of incoming messages and keep customers informed. Most people understand that things happen — what matters is how you handle it. Showing that you are in control helps protect customer trust and satisfaction.
Take Control of Customer Service This Peak
During peak periods, service levels can easily slip, and teams often find themselves in survival mode. Yet these moments are also an opportunity to make a lasting impression.
Using AI to handle reactive queries is important, but using it proactively shows foresight and care. It tells customers you’re thinking ahead and managing their experience, not just responding to it, and can even prevent unnecessary contacts
Imagine being able to pre-empt customer contacts and proactively deal with them using AI? Sounds like a Christmas miracle!
Find out how DigitalGenius can help you move from reactive to proactive customer service. Get in touch with us today.
