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The support you offer your customers — before and after they buy and use your products or services — helps them have an easy and enjoyable experience with you. Even in the age of technology, the human touch in helping customers is crucial. Customer service is meeting the needs and desires of any customer.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics projected customer service representative job growth at 5% between 2016 and 2026. That's close to the average for all occupations.
Why is customer service important?
According to a study carried out by Hubspot on the state of customer service, a few realizations were made, and these are:
Customer demand has increased. The level of service that might have been acceptable to a customer ten years ago could now result in complaints. Customers are demanding answers in minutes, not days. They expect automated and self-service options but want service staff to help with complex issues. And they want every interaction they have with a business – marketing, sales, or support – to be personalized.
The customer service teams serve more value to the company. Customer service has always been demanding; nowadays, it’s more challenging than ever. Customer service professionals are beginning to see themselves as the guardians of the customer experience. And, at a time when the customer experience is the key to growth, it becomes a differentiating value for many companies.
Some companies mistake customer service for a cost center. What is more worrying is the growing number of companies that view customer service as a cost center. This goes against what consumers expect, as most prioritize an excellent customer service experience, which will make them stay with the company longer or recommend it. In the long run, it does not mean higher costs but more benefits.
Customer Service Through Email Marketing
An incredible email marketing copy feeds the business with the profits it needs. But, thinking about your email marketing copy, does it give you the gains you need? How do you get to your clients?
Do you have a massive email contact list? Clients' email contact lists can be generated through social media contests, online coupons or compelling land pages. Your business might have a big following, but how you take your leads through the sales process until they decide to make purchases matters a lot.
Much as it’s good to have a considerable following, it also feels incredible to have some part of the next convert. However, converting leads isn’t a brag. It doesn’t require you to work so hard but rather to work smart. Writing emails that convert requires knowing what you want, what you must do, and how to do it.
How do you write customer service emails?
Before responding to customers, make sure you’ve:
Understood what they were saying. Hold off on replying until you’ve carefully read what the customer wrote. Do they have an issue or a question? Are they frustrated or concerned? Be sure to understand what they’re saying and where they’re coming from. Sometimes this might mean reading between the lines and intuiting problems not explicitly documented.
Empathized with their situation. This can often be hard when reading aggressive (or passive-aggressive) messages. But offering excellent service means stepping back and putting yourself in your customer’s shoes. They may not always be correct, but this approach will help you address customers genuinely — and they’ll remember that.
Gathered all the information you need. Make sure you fully understand the situation before hitting “send.” For example, if a customer has a problem with a new feature you haven’t learned yet, consult a product expert on your team to get the rundown.
If you can't understand or need more info, ask. You don't always have to answer; you can also reply with a question. If you don't fully understand what the customer is asking or if you need their information to check the issue, tell them – it's better than guessing and getting it wrong.
Tips on how to create compelling customer service responses using email
1. Customize your emails
Giving an email a personalized connection shows the recipient that you took time and thought about them. This makes the reader gain some glimmer of interest.
Including the recipient in the email improves the reader's trust and motivates them to act, making nurturing easy.
Take-home tips for personalizing emails to recipients;
Add your first name
Send messages as an individual and not a company
Put up email-gated landing pages to collect customer names and data
Customize your automated triggered emails.
Interacting and exchanging with a customer is an opportunity to showcase your product and speak to a potential buyer. In addition, adding your name to the email message gains the trust and confidence of a client. This could help you elongate your conversation with a client and convince them to make a sale.
2. Be relevant in your email messages
Generic marketing is not directed to anyone, so it might not get you conversions. There are so many things to focus on when writing to your customers. However, you must pick those most relevant to your products or services. The email message must also be relevant to the customer's needs.
The more relevant the message is to the customer's needs, the more the reader's attention is drawn closer, and they are likely to keep your emails open consistently. This encourages a higher conversion rate. Sending relevant emails improves open and clickthrough rates.
3. Align your email copy and the subject line
Ensure your subject line and body text are consistent, and avoid unnecessary email content. Aligning your subject line and body text by ensuring consistency earns your customers' trust. Remember to keep your business reputation by writing what your business can offer. Trustworthy messaging and emailing drives traffic into your sales funnel.
Take home critical points on how to align your email copy and the subject line;
Do a writing draft of your subject line after completing content
Keep consistent in your messaging and trust your sales funnel
Don't create an overwhelming compelling subject line
4. Be personal in your email messages
Most recipients hate being spoken to in a mass. Being personal in your email messages gives the message a tone of friendliness. Consider using words like you, us or me to make your message appear unique. That kind of tone makes the message appear like it's coming from an individual and targeting the receiver.
Email messages that appear personal seem to invite customers to take action. This makes them think you are interested in their likes and preferences, making them feel special. Don't make your email messages look corporate, write your messages like you are talking to your customers in person. This will become easy for you to connect with them.
Tips to help you write and ensure personal email messages for your customers;
Use plain language while talking to leads.
Use words that make the text appear personal, like me, you or us.
Make a personal connection with masses of email contacts.
Samples of customer service email templates
1. The Customer Had a Bad Experience in the Store
Many things could have gone wrong while the customer was at the store - an unhelpful associate, merchandise in complete disarray, endless checkout lines. If a customer emails a complaint, the response should include specific remedies, both at a high level and for the aggrieved customer.
Example
“Dear [First name], I’m sorry you had an unpleasant encounter with one of our associates earlier today. We try to make our customers’ shopping experience easy and enjoyable and hold our stores to a very high standard. In this case, we clearly fell short.
I’ve forwarded your complaint to the [location] store management team and our corporate customer experience team. We will do everything we can to ensure this doesn’t happen again.
We’d also like to make it up to you by offering a [#]% discount on your next purchase in-store or online. Here’s a link to the coupon code, which you can print for in-store use: [link]. Once again, [First name], I apologize for our failure to serve you well. Thanks so much for letting us know. Your feedback is valuable to us.
Sincerely, [Agent first name] [Email/direct phone]
2. The Customer Is Getting Conflicting Answers
It can happen that the website, store staff, and support reps aren’t on the same page, so the customer feels confused, frustrated—even misled. The customer service person's job is to provide concrete information and clear any misunderstandings the client may have.
Example: “Dear [First name], I’m so sorry for the confusion and frustration this has caused. As much as we rely on technology and training to provide customers with consistent, up-to-date information, we deeply regret when such breakdowns occur.
Here is our return policy section that addresses your original question about electronic product returns.
[Screen capture]
You can find our complete return policy here: [link]. Please reply to this email or call my direct line with any additional questions.
Also, I’ve made our corporate customer experience team aware of this issue so they can address any underlying problems and ensure our customers always have the correct information.
Once again, [First name], I apologize for our failure to serve you well. Thanks so much for letting us know. Your feedback is valuable to us.
Sincerely, [Agent first name] [Email/direct phone]
3. There Was No Response to the Customer’s Previous Email
There is always something new. New complaints and issues in addition to the backlog. Then the problem of who to deal with first arises. Empathy is so important here, as is a shared sense of urgency.
Example: “Dear [First name], I’m so sorry for the delay in getting back to you. I understand your frustration. Your email needed and deserved a timely response.
As you requested, I’ve updated your payment settings and alerted our website team to your problem with your account management page. Please contact me directly if you experience any further problems on the site.
For inconveniencing you not once but twice, we’d like to offer you a [#]% discount on your next purchase in-store or online. Here’s a link to the coupon code, which you can print for in-store use: [link].
Once again, [First name], I apologize for the inconvenience. We will continue to do everything we can to speed up and improve our customer service delivery.
Sincerely, [Agent first name] [Email/direct phone]
4. Technical support
While companies can offer technical support through their live chat features, using email can help you provide more details to help.
Example:
Hi Ms. [First name],
Thank you for contacting us. I'm happy to help find a resolution and offer support. Can you tell me when you started experiencing this issue? Are you receiving specific error messages?
The answers to these questions can help me find the best solution for you.
Sincerely,
[Agent first name]
[Email/direct phone]
5. Feedback from customer response
A customer may provide positive feedback about their experience with your service. When this happens, attempt to show your appreciation. Thank them for offering feedback and encourage them to share their opinions with others.
Example:
Dear Ms. [First name],
Thank you for the feedback. It made our team smile. We're so happy you have enjoyed our service and want to offer you a 25% discount on all our products.
If you have the time, can you share your thoughts about our service on social media and tag us?
Sincerely,
[Agent first name]
[Email/direct phone]
6. Welcome response
Welcome email responses are essential when you gain a new customer. Contacting new customers is a great way to build a relationship and ensure they have a good experience with the company.
Example:
Dear [First name],
Welcome to Romano Designs! Thank you for choosing our company. I hope you're enjoying your experience so far.
I want to invite you to our resources that may improve your experience and keep you informed. Find us on Instagram and Twitter @RomanoDesigns.
Thanks again for choosing Romano Designs for your editing needs.
Sincerely, [Agent first name] [Email/direct phone]
7. Customer questionnaire
Questionnaires are great opportunities to learn more about the customers. You may send out a questionnaire to receive feedback about a product or to collect opinions on a launch.
Example:
Dear [First name],
Thank you for purchasing our product. We hope you're enjoying it.
Please share your opinions on our electric toothbrush by completing this brief questionnaire.
Your feedback can help us provide the best service and design products with our customers in mind.
Thank you for your time and attention.
Sincerely,
[Agent first name]
[Email/direct phone]
8. Customer referral response
After having positive communication with a customer, you can ask that they refer the company's service to a friend. Often, companies reward referrals with a discount, which you may mention in your referral request.
Example:
Hi Mr. [First name],
I'm pleased to hear you're enjoying Romano Designs. Helping customers create custom designs is our goal.
It's been a pleasure to work with you, and I wonder if you can make a referral to a friend who could also benefit from our service. We can offer a free print of your next design if they let us know you referred them.
Thank you for your loyalty.
Sincerely, [Agent first name] [Email/direct phone]
9. Request denied response
If you cannot meet a customer's request, you may need to send them a follow-up email to explain the situation. It's important to acknowledge their request and thank them for the suggestion in your response.
Example:
Dear [First name],
Thank you for sharing your opinion on adding more extensive print options to our designs. Unfortunately, that isn't possible as of this moment, but we're considering offering more variety in the future.
We appreciate your thoughts and have added you to a list, so you will receive a notification as soon as we can expand the size of prints we offer.
Sincerely,
[Agent first name] [Email/direct phone]
10. Question response
When a customer sends a question, it's best to answer it as quickly as possible by offering support.
Example:
Dear Mr. [First name],
Thank you for your question. To save your custom designs on our website, create an account, and stay signed in while designing. If you're signed into your account, there's an option to save your work at the bottom of the design window.
I hope this helps. Please get in touch with me with further questions, and good luck with your designs.
Sincerely, [Agent first name] [Email/direct phone]