Customer Service Email: How to Write and Provide a Great Response

80% of consumers believe the customer service experience a company provides is as important as the products or services offered. As a result, composing an effective customer service email response is crucial for successful businesses.

Many companies offer the same services, but consistently positive customer service interactions can set one business apart from the others. Since customer service is how a company interacts with potential consumers, composing the perfect customer service email is an essential part of building lasting relationships.

Customer Service Emails: Crafting the Perfect Response 

Using an email management system to deliver timely, thoughtful responses is an essential business practice. If a customer has a good experience with the company, they are more likely to return. Positive customer service experiences can produce the following benefits: 

• Increase a customer base 
• Generate referrals 
• Boost team morale 
• Enforce company values
• Increase brand recognition 
• Streamline company processes 
• Offer a competitive advantage 

To craft positive responses and achieve the best results for your business, here are some customer-centric tips to keep in mind when emailing customers.

Practice Empathy 

Before addressing a customer service issue, it is important to identify the problem so that your response resonates with the customer. Why are they upset? What went wrong? Carefully review the email to understand their message–is it an issue, complaint, or a question? 

After identifying the problem, place yourself in their shoes. How would you feel in the same situation? Practicing empathy can lead to a more personalized and client-centric response. 

Tip: Draft your response as if you know the customer personally to communicate with empathy.

Example: 

Dear [customer name]

I apologize for the unpleasant experience you shared with our company. Customer satisfaction is very important to us. I will contact our logistics department immediately to resolve this issue. In the meantime, I hope you’ll accept my apology on the company’s behalf. 

Please let me know if you have additional questions or concerns.

Sincerely,

[name] 

[contact information]

Respond in a Timely Manner 

While responding to an email late is better than not responding at all, it’s important to prioritize the customer experience to ensure a returning sale. The average response time for a customer service request is around twelve hours, but many customers expect a response within one. 

Your customer support page should list your average response time. If your team is unable to address requests within this time frame, it is a good business practice to begin your email with an apology acknowledging the delayed response. 

Tip: A pre-emptive apology is best suited for responses that have not been addressed within 24 hours.

Example: 

Dear [customer name]

I apologize for the delayed response. We have received your request and are resolving this issue immediately. 

If you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to reach out to me at the number below. 

Sincerely, 

 [name] 

[contact information]

Provide a Clear Response 

Customers want immediate answers. When composing a response, first thank the customer for reaching out. Then, provide answers or solutions to their concerns in clear language, and invite them to reach out if additional assistance is required. 

In closing, make sure the email contains your individual contact information for any follow-up action items required after your stated deadline for resolution. 

The example is a response to a customer email inquiring about the status of their order after discovering that it was late.

Tip: Explain exactly how you will remedy the situation, and by when.

Example: 

Dear [customer name] 

Thank you for reaching out. Upon researching your order number, I was able to see that your order is running behind. I have since expedited the status of your order. You should receive your order within the next 24 hours. If you do not receive your order within that time frame, please contact me so we can resolve the issue immediately. 

For the inconvenience, we would like to offer you 15% off your next order. If you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to reach out.

Have a wonderful day! 

[name] 

[contact information]

Utilize Email Templates 

If you and your team send similar responses on a consistent basis, take advantage of email templates. Templates turn repetitive replies into formatted emails. When an email performs well with customers, it gives your team an opportunity to replicate that email and use it again. 

Using email templates can also streamline workflow. Instead of coming up with new responses each day, teams can select a template that perfectly addresses a customer’s needs. Email templates can support the following internal goals: 

• save valuable company time 
• improve email response rates 
• ensure brand consistency and tone 
• reduce employee stress 
• eliminate the potential for errors 
• improve the customer experience

Gmelius, a powerful collaboration and communication tool for Gmail, offers templates to streamline response times and improve customer service experiences. Teams can turn effective and repetitive replies into Gmail templates that can be personalized and shared with team members. 

Tip: Don’t reinvent the wheel.

Example: Select common email components to use in templates to make sure your contacts’ names are always spelled correctly. 

Personalize templates using variables to include recipients’ names or business names. The source code editor offers customizable HTML templates that allow you to implement any custom variables you need to produce personalized responses.

Find the Right Words to Guarantee Success 

It may be difficult to craft the perfect response for each customer. If you and your team are struggling to find the right words, consider creating responses together. Sharing input and feedback among team members helps address customer service emails more easily. 

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In recognizing the struggle of collaborative work for remote teams, Gmelius created shareable email drafts for Gmail. 

Sharing email drafts with team members helps expedite the revision process without having to resend different versions outside of your inbox. Gmelius also displays when an email draft is being edited in real-time to eliminate duplicate responses and confusion about who is composing what. 

The email draft will be visible to all team members invited to the shared inbox email address. 

If you are looking for assistance from a particular team member, simply ping them and the selected team member will receive an instant notification, both in Gmail and Slack.

Ensuring the perfect customer service response can enhance profit and build customer loyalty for your company. Using the right tools like Gmelius can help you get started. 

Creating the best customer service email is what ensures business success. If you are looking for an email template solution for your team, check out our features and integrations and learn how Gmelius is built to improve team communication and collaboration. Ready to get started? Sign up today!