{"id":76761,"date":"2020-07-23T11:04:30","date_gmt":"2020-07-23T11:04:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/intelligentbee.com\/blog\/?p=76761"},"modified":"2025-08-22T09:50:44","modified_gmt":"2025-08-22T09:50:44","slug":"10-customer-service-email-tips-for-better-faster-support","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/intelligentbee.com\/blog\/10-customer-service-email-tips-for-better-faster-support\/","title":{"rendered":"10 Customer Service Email Tips for Better, Faster Support"},"content":{"rendered":"

Customer service email is a fine balance between quality and quantity. You want to get through as many tickets as possible on any given day, but without losing sight of why each message is important.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

On the receiving end of every email is a customer. Their experience will determine what they say when they talk about your brand and whether they ever make another purchase. That\u2019s why email is central to more than just your customer service department – it influences the success of your business as a whole.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

To help you write better emails without building up a backlog, here are 10 tips for better, faster support.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Make it Personal<\/b><\/h2>\n

Email is inherently an impersonal medium, but that\u2019s not to say you can\u2019t make it feel more like a conversation between two humans – and you certainly should. Customers don\u2019t want to feel like they\u2019re talking to a business.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

At the very least, they should be addressed by their name, perhaps with a friendly greeting. This sets the tone for the rest of the email. A simple \u201cHi there\u201d will suffice when you don\u2019t know their name, as long as you\u2019re not calling them \u201ccustomer\u201d or using their case number. Attaching a name and face to your service reps is also a good idea.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Automate With Canned Replies<\/b><\/h3>\n

In a world of instant gratification, response times are a make-or-break factor. Email interactions are often repetitive, so it makes sense to implement a faster way to respond to common issues.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

When done right, canned replies can serve as a powerful way to save time without losing the personal touch that every message needs. It shouldn\u2019t be evident to the recipient that the response is automated, so be sure to put some thought into the wording of the messages.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Show Gratitude<\/b><\/h3>\n

Every email a customer sends, be it constructive criticism or a load of complaints, is providing your business with some kind of value. Remember that unhappy customers are far more likely to leave without saying a word than to voice their dissatisfaction. So, whatever the feedback, be sure to slip in a \u201cthank you\u201d at the end of your emails.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Answer What is Asked<\/b><\/h3>\n

There\u2019s nothing more frustrating than asking customer service the same question and getting no answer. This is counterproductive, as the primary goal is to end the conversation as soon as possible, which requires solving all of the customer\u2019s problems.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Value their time as well as your own by ensuring that clear answers are provided to all of their questions in one message. If more time is required, let them know what you\u2019ll have to get back to them.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Promise and Deliver<\/b><\/h3>\n

Similarly, no customer should have to follow up on their message. Consider implementing a system to ensure any emails that need more time are responded to when specified. Some service centers do this by tagging conversations, which makes them easy to find and reply to in bulk when they have an update on the issue.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Define Your Style<\/b><\/h3>\n

It\u2019s one thing being able to solve customer\u2019s problems, but can you do it in a consistent style? Poor writing, messy formatting, and a disconsonant tone stick out like a sore thumb and make messages appear unprofessional. Simply running your messages through Grammarly can make all the difference. Granted, your service reps shouldn\u2019t have to do that.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

It\u2019s a good idea to clearly define the following elements so that your service reps know how to format their emails:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    \n
  • Tone and voice<\/span><\/li>\n
  • Language and structure<\/span><\/li>\n
  • Personalization<\/span><\/li>\n
  • Visual content<\/span><\/li>\n
  • Workflow<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    Outlining specific rules and values will help to keep things consistent. Be sure to create a style guide as well.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    Delivery<\/b><\/h3>\n

    What do you want first: The good news or the bad news? For your customers, it depends. It\u2019s also important.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    Generally speaking, receiving the bad news first makes you feel better about what was told. However, receiving good news first increases your likelihood of acting on the information. So, think about the context. If you want to persuade the customer to take action, the bad news should come last.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    Keep it Simple<\/b><\/h3>\n

    Take a tip from Reddit\u2019s \u201cExplain Like I\u2019m Five\u201d subreddit, which is dedicated to explaining topics in a manner simple enough for a five-year-old to understand. You\u2019re not doing that in your emails to insult customers, but to improve clarity and perhaps even empathy – both are paramount to good customer service.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    Insert Links<\/b><\/h3>\n

    Customers don\u2019t like scrolling through lengthy emails. Remember, you want to improve customer loyalty, and part of that involves reducing the amount of effort it takes for them to interact with you. Anything tedious or annoying should be cut out of the picture.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    This is where a knowledge base comes in handy, as it can save your customers the hassle of scrolling through endless emails while also saving your service reps a great deal of time. A good rule to follow here is to link to any instructions that contain more than one image or three steps.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    Balance Your Tone<\/b><\/h3>\n

    Should your emails be formal or casual? That\u2019s not always easy to determine. In one survey of over 2,000 online shoppers, it was found that <\/span>65% of them prefer a more casual tone<\/span>. But there\u2019s more to it.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    When they can\u2019t receive the help they\u2019re requesting, 78% of respondents said that a casual tone negatively impacted the experience. In other words, when the service rep says \u201cno\u201d while using slang or emojis, it makes things worse. So, a casual tone is generally the way to go, but it\u2019s important to proceed with caution when the word \u201cno\u201d is mentioned.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    Email is far removed from the personal nature of face-to-face interactions, but it can still be a very personal experience. This is especially true if you go the extra mile to ensure that the customer ends the conversation with a smile on their face and an interest in doing business with you again. The above tips will certainly help you make that happen.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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