Admin Buttons App can help store teams be more efficient and accurate during the Black Friday Cyber Monday (BFCM) rush by creating custom admin buttons to simplify store management tasks. 

Let's talk about how to make your Shopify admin work smarter, not harder.

Image - Preview of all buttons that can be created during BFCM

What's the biggest challenge for store teams during BFCM?

During BFCM, the sheer volume of orders can be overwhelming. Your team is likely dealing with:

1. A flood of customer inquiries

2. Numerous order modifications

3. Increased need for order tagging and categorization

4. More frequent inventory updates

5. Higher risk of errors due to the fast-paced environment

   
   

How can the Admin Buttons App help tackle these challenges?

The Admin Buttons App allows you to create custom buttons and forms directly within your Shopify admin pages. These buttons can trigger automated workflows, making repetitive tasks faster and less error-prone. Let's break down how this can help during BFCM:

Streamlined Order Processing

Question: How can we speed up order processing without sacrificing accuracy?

Answer: With Admin Buttons, you can create a custom button ("BFCM Quick Process") on your order pages to quickly apply common BFCM-specific tags or discounts. Here's how it might work:

1. Create a "BFCM Quick Process" button in the Admin Buttons app.

2. Set it up to trigger a series of actions when clicked.

   
   

Now, when an order comes in, your team member simply hits that button, and boom:

• The order is automatically tagged with "BFCM2024"

• A personalized "Thanks for your BFCM purchase!" note is added to the order

• The customer is segmented into a "BFCM Shoppers" list in your email marketing tool

• If it's a first-time customer, they're automatically enrolled in your welcome series

• Inventory levels are updated across all your sales channels

  
  

Image - App Screenshot of BFCM specific tags and discounts 

Let's say you have different processes for different types of BFCM orders. No problem. You could set up multiple buttons:

• "BFCM Standard Order"

• "BFCM VIP Order"

• "BFCM International Order"

Each button could trigger a different set of actions tailored to that order type.

By having this process automated and accessible with a single click, your team can process orders much faster and with fewer errors.

Quick Customer Service Actions

How can we empower our customer service team to handle inquiries more efficiently?

During BFCM, you might see an increase in certain types of customer requests. How can we empower your store team to handle these quickly and consistently? Let's see how Admin Buttons can help:

Imagine a set of buttons on your order page, each designed to handle a common BFCM scenario:

1. "Refund for Out-of-Stock": Clicks this button, and it automatically:

   
   

   • Processes a refund for the out-of-stock item

   • Sends an apology email with a special "We're sorry" discount code

   • Tags the customer for a follow-up campaign

     
     

2. "Upgrade Shipping": One click, and it:

   
   

   • Upgrades the shipping method

   • Adds a note to the order

   • Sends the customer a notification about the upgrade

     
     

3. "Apply BFCM Discount": Pressing this:

   
   

   • Applies a specific BFCM discount to the order

   • Updates the order total

   • Sends a confirmation email to the customer

     
     

Image - App Screenshot of option to send email, issue a refund, send discount due to pricing error, save records to google sheet

Each of these buttons could trigger a series of actions, saving your team valuable time and ensuring consistency in how these situations are handled.

Inventory Management

How can we keep our inventory accurate when sales are happening rapidly?

Inventory management is crucial during BFCM. You could create a button on product pages that allows your team to:

1. "Quick Restock": This button could:

   
   

• Update the inventory count across all your sales channels

• Automatically reactivate the product if it was out of stock

• Notify your marketing team to resume any paused ad campaigns for this product

  
  

2. "Mark as BFCM Special": One click could:

   
   

• Add a "BFCM Special" tag to the product

• Update the product description with BFCM-specific details

• Trigger an email to customers who've wishlisted this item

  
  

3. "Low Stock Alert": This button might:

   
   

• Tag the product as "Low Stock"

• Notify your purchasing team to reorder

• Update your homepage to show "Almost Gone!" for this product

  
  

Image - Preview Of BFCM Special tag solutions for inventory management

This ensures that your team can keep up with inventory changes in real-time, reducing the risk of overselling.

BFCM-Specific Tagging

How can we easily categorize and track BFCM orders for later analysis?

Create a button that applies a set of BFCM-specific tags to orders. This could include tags like:

• "BFCM2024"

• "EarlyBirdSpecial"

• "CyberMondayDeal"

• “VIPCustomer”

• “FirstTimeBFCMBuyer”

Image - Preview orders with all these tags and trigger button for tagging 

With a single click, these tags are applied to the order. But it doesn't stop there. This action could also:

• Add the same tags to the customer's profile

• Segment the customer in your email marketing tool based on these tags

• Trigger a specific post-purchase flow based on the tags applied

  
  

Why is this powerful? After BFCM, these tags become your roadmap for analysis and future marketing. You can easily pull reports on:

• Which deals performed best

• How many first-time buyers you acquired

• Which BFCM customers became repeat buyers

By consistently tagging orders, you'll be able to easily analyze your BFCM performance after the rush is over.

For instance, you might discover that "EarlyBirdSpecial" customers tend to make repeat purchases, prompting you to expand this promotion in the future.

Cross-Platform Actions

How can we keep all our systems in sync during the BFCM rush?

Many stores use additional platforms alongside Shopify. Admin Buttons can help bridge these gaps. Imagine a "BFCM Command Center" button on your Shopify admin dashboard that:

• Updates inventory in your warehouse management system

• Adds high-value customers to a special list in your CRM

• Notifies your social media team about trending products

This keeps all your systems in sync without requiring your team to switch between multiple tabs or applications.

Customized Order Fulfillment

How can we ensure each BFCM order is handled correctly based on its unique characteristics?

The Admin Buttons app can be a game-changer for managing complex fulfillment needs during the BFCM rush. Here's how:

Create a custom button on your order pages that opens a form with options for different fulfillment scenarios. This form could include:

• Dropdown menu for selecting shipping providers based on destination

• Checkbox for special packaging requirements

• Field for adding handling instructions

Image - Preview the fulfillment solution by Admin Buttons 

When an order comes in, your fulfillment team can quickly click the button, select the appropriate options, and submit the form. This action could then:

• Update the order's tags and notes with the selected fulfillment details

• Send specific instructions to your warehouse management system

• Create a custom packing slip with special instructions

• Notify the customer of any specific handling their order will receive

  
  

Setting Up Your BFCM Admin Shortcuts

Now that we've covered some use cases, let's talk about how to set these up:

• Install the Admin Shortcuts App from the Shopify App Store.

• Decide which actions would be most helpful for your BFCM operations.

• Create buttons for these actions, defining the form fields and data you need to pass.

• Set up corresponding workflows in Shopify Flow or your preferred automation tool (like Zapier).

• Test your buttons thoroughly before BFCM to ensure they're working correctly.

Remember, you can customize these buttons to fit your specific needs. The goal is to make your team's job easier during the BFCM rush.

Real Life BFCM Example 

For example, let's say you have a large BFCM order going to a remote location. Your fulfillment team member sees this large order come in and clicks your custom "Process Large BFCM Order" button. A form pops up, allowing them to quickly:

1. Select "Premium Remote Shipping" from a dropdown menu. This automatically assigns the order to your specialized shipping partner who handles remote deliveries.

   
   

2. Check a box for "Special Packaging Required". This triggers a note to your packing team to use extra protective materials for this high-value order.

   
   

3. In the "Additional Handling Instructions" field, they type: "Include BFCM VIP gift basket". This is a special promotion you're running for your highest-value BFCM orders.

   
   

4. They click "Process Order", and here's where the magic happens:

   • The order is automatically tagged with "BFCM2024", "RemoteDelivery", and "VIPOrder".

   • A notification is sent to your warehouse management system with the special packaging and gift basket instructions.

   • An email is automatically sent to the customer, thanking them for their large order and informing them about the premium shipping and extra care their package will receive.

   • The order is flagged in your system for a follow-up customer satisfaction check once it's delivered.

Image - App Preview for any of the above steps 

This example demonstrates how Admin Buttons can transform a potentially complex, multi-step process into a streamlined operation.

This level of customization ensures that each order is handled appropriately, reducing errors and improving customer satisfaction, even during the hectic BFCM period.

What about after BFCM?

The beauty of Admin Buttons is that they're flexible. After BFCM, you can easily modify or deactivate your BFCM-specific buttons. You will find uses for custom admin buttons year-round after testing it on BFCM!

Can small stores benefit from Admin Buttons during BFCM too?

Absolutely! Even if you're not dealing with thousands of orders, Admin Buttons can still save you valuable time. For small stores, with smaller workforce, every minute counts during BFCM. Having shortcuts for common actions can help you provide better customer service and keep your store running smoothly, even with a limited team.

What's the bottom line?

By using Admin Shortcuts for these processes, you're creating a standardized system that any team member can use, ensuring consistency in how orders are processed regardless of who's handling them. With automating repetitive tasks and bringing important actions right into your admin pages, you can process orders faster, reduce errors, provide better customer service, maintain consistency across your operations. 

Start thinking about your processes now, identify areas where Admin Buttons could help, and get your custom buttons set up well before the holiday rush.