Summer tends to slow things down. Customers are on vacation, internal projects are paused, and your ticket volume likely dips. At first glance, it might feel like downtime. But really—it’s your golden opportunity.
Now’s the time to rethink workflows, clean up documentation, and prep your helpdesk for a stronger, more efficient second half of the year.
Here’s how you can turn the summer slowdown into a strategic support upgrade.
Why Summer Is the Best Time to Optimize Support
Let’s be honest: during busy periods, there’s no time to fine-tune your processes. The focus is on firefighting, reacting, and staying afloat. The “we’ll fix that later” list just keeps growing.
Summer changes that.
✔️ Inbox is calm
✔️ Pressure is lower
✔️ Time to breathe and reflect
Use this rare moment to:
Fix what’s been nagging you all year
Clean up messy processes
Build the kind of support setup you wish you had during peak times
1. Automate the Obvious
Photo by Brandon Hoogenboom on Unsplash
Automations aren’t a luxury. They’re the easiest way to save hours and reduce friction. And summer is the perfect time to set them up—or finally improve the ones you slapped together six months ago.
Ask yourself:
Are we manually assigning the same types of tickets again and again?
Are we still copy-pasting responses?
Could escalations be handled automatically?
In HelpSpace, you can build smart rules to:
Route tickets by tag or sender
Trigger replies to common questions
Prioritize VIPs
Nudge agents if a ticket hasn’t been touched in 24 hours
Benefit: Less busywork, faster response times, and fewer mistakes.
2. Upgrade Your Help Center
Let’s be real: outdated documents kill your self-service strategy. Your help center should reduce ticket volume—not frustrate users into contacting you anyway.
Summer is the ideal time to:
Review article performance
Update screenshots and step-by-steps
Fill in missing how-tos based on recent trends
Restructure categories if things have gotten bloated
Pro tip: Ask someone outside the team to read a few articles. Can they find answers without help? If not, your customers won’t either.
Benefit: Fewer tickets, better customer experience, and a more scalable support model.
3. Capture What’s in People’s Heads
Vacation season always reveals the same issue: knowledge gaps. Someone’s off, and suddenly no one knows how to handle that one special client or tricky process.
Use the downtime to document what your team knows but hasn’t written down yet:
Who owns what?
What edge cases need special handling?
What’s our go-to workaround for [insert recurring issue]?
Create a shared internal document to collect it all.
Benefit: easier onboarding, smoother vacation coverage, and fewer “just ask Lisa” moments.
4. Rethink and Stress-Test Your Processes
Photo by Florian Hahn on Unsplash
When you’re busy, you don’t question the process—you just survive it. But slow periods are perfect for asking: Is this the best way?
Run a mini audit:
What happens when someone gets sick?
Are handovers clear and consistent?
Do we have unnecessary steps slowing us down?
Try a ticket roleplay. Assign one person as the customer, one as the agent, and one as a backup—then run through an actual use case. You’ll uncover gaps fast.
Benefit: Fewer bottlenecks, smoother handoffs, and a support process you’re proud of.ngang bis Abschluss mit mehreren Rollen. Dabei zeigen sich oft Schwächen in der Abstimmung oder fehlende Regeln.
5. Level Up Your Autoresponder
An “I’m out of office” email doesn’t cut it anymore. Done right, your autoresponder can build trust—even when no one’s online.
Make sure it includes:
Realistic response times
A link to your Help Center
Clear info about coverage or contact options
Example:
“Thanks for reaching out! We’re running a lighter summer schedule but will get back to you within 24 hours. In the meantime, check out our Help Center—your answer might be waiting: help.yourcompany.com”
Benefit: Customers stay informed and confident—even when response times are a bit slower.
Final Thought: Use the Quiet to Build Momentum
Summer isn’t downtime—it’s prep time. If you invest now in smart automations, better documentation, and tighter processes, your team will be faster, calmer, and more efficient when things ramp up again.
Less stress. Happier customers. A stronger support system.
Cover Photo by Corey Agopian on Unsplash
