Writing Customer Service Emails

Want to write excellent customer service email? Learn the traits your emails must have, so that your written communications provide answers, build rapport, and prevent write-backs.

Introduction

• Customer service email is not dead

1. Answer the Customer's Question

• Read emails analytically
• Anticipate follow-up questions
• Answer all of the customer's questions
• Answer difficult questions confidently
• Challenge: Answer a difficult question
• Solution: Answer a difficult question

2. Show Customers You've Read Their Email

• Explain your process to the customer
• Paraphrase the customer's situation
• Acknowledge the customer's feelings
• Challenge: Demonstrate you've read the customer's email
• Solution: Demonstrate you've read the customer's email

3. Use an Engaging Tone with Customers

• Use personal pronouns
• Make your writing more like speaking

4. If You Must Apologize, Be Sincere

• When and how to apologize
• What to write after you apologize
• Avoid insincere wording
• When to empathize
• Challenge: Write an apology email
• Solution: Write an apology email

5. Customize Templates to Avoid Sounding Robotic

• Use the template as a starting point
• Make templates customizable
• Build rapport
• Challenge: Use a template to write a customized reply
• Solution: Use a template to write a customized reply

Conclusion

• Continue to sharpen customer service email skills