8 Tips for Writing Customer Service Emails that Feel Personal

This is a guest post Grace Carter, a writer at Academized and Assignment Writing Service, where she works with a support team on improving writing skills.

Anyone who has worked in customer service knows that there can be a high volume of emails going back and forth. When you’re writing that many emails, sometimes you lose sight of the fact that there is another person on the other end of each one. Writing customer service emails that feel personal is an important part of the job. Here are eight tips for writing customer service emails that feel personal.

Personalize

Personalize your interactions with the customer; you can start by addressing them by their name. Never use weird titles like "valued customer" or address them by their case number. These sorts of interactions will give the customer the impression they are dealing with an automated system, which is the opposite of what you want. You can use their first name, or address them as Mr./Ms. surname, if you are working in a very formal industry. Close out the email by signing off with your own name, rather than “support team," or some variation.

How do you deliver news?

Does it matter if you deliver the bad news or the good news first? According to some interesting recent research, it actually does. People who received the bad news first were more likely to feel positively about the interaction, while people who got the bad news last were more likely to act based on that bad news. So when you have bad news to deliver, get it out of the way so you can end on a positive note.

Keep your language simple

You are used to the complex and technical concepts your product uses because they are part of your job, but your customer is not. Talking to a customer is not the same as talking to a coworker. Remember to use simple language the customer will understand when you give them instructions or explanations.

Canned replies can still feel personal

In customer service, you’ll find yourself getting the same questions over and over again. In these scenarios, a canned, automated response is the most efficient option; and you can still make it feel personal. As long as some effort is made into making these canned replies feel personal, there is no reason the customer need feel they are dealing with an automated response.

Summarize things for them

It’s a good idea to summarize the situation for the customer. By doing this you can make sure you and the customer understand each other and are on the same page; if you’re unsure if you understand the customer’s issue, ask for confirmation. “Sometimes when dealing with an ongoing or difficult problem, it’s necessary to touch base with the customer, especially if you haven’t communicated in a while. One great trick is to rephrase things back to the customer to make sure you are understanding what they mean," advises Robert Stewart, customer service manager at EliteAssignmentHelp.

Responding to their query

Now you’re ready to get down to work and start solving the customer’s issue. You can use tools such as screenshots, step-by-step instructions, examples, and links to informative materials to help you. Above all, your goal is to conduct your assistance in a personable and easy to understand manner.

Use online tools to write the perfect customer service email

Writing doesn’t come naturally to everyone, so don’t hesitate to get some help from the experts. Here are some good resources to get you started:

#1. Via Writing & Studydemic - These are grammar resources you can use to make sure your email is grammatically correct. Don’t risk it, just get some help from the professionals.

#2. UKWritings & PaperFellows - These are editing tools, recommended by Revieweal, you can use to make sure there are no typos or mistakes in your email copy.

#3. State Of Writing & Writing Populist - Check out these writing guides for help and suggestions on how to improve your email. Even experienced writers can use a little extra guidance now and then.

#4. Boomessays & Essayroo - These are online proofreading tools, suggested in Essayroo review, you can use to ensure your email is polished and free of errors.

#5. My Writing Way & Lets Go and Learn - Check out these writing communities for ideas and advice on how to write better customer service emails. You will find people who have been in your position before.

Your tone

It can be tricky deciding what sort of tone to take. A formal tone is the safe bet, but your communication will often not feel personal. Using an informal tone can benefit your interaction, but you also risk angering certain clients. Think about your audience, and how they would like to be addressed. A good approach is to use the informal tone, but cautiously. If you find any indication the customer might appreciate the formal approach, go with that.

Conclusion

It’s easy to forget to add the personal touch when you’re writing such a large volume of emails. But writing customer service emails that feel personal is an important part of the job. Follow these eight tips for writing customer service emails that feel personal.

Author bio:

Grace Carter is a writer at Academized and Assignment Writing Service, where she works with a support team on improving writing skills. Also, Grace is a contributor at Big Assignments, academic educational service.