When emailing with customers, the dynamic becomes very different than other types of situations where you email with friends and family, or even colleagues. Delivery great customer service through email can be extremely tricky because the tone or point of the email can be so easily misinterpreted. This blog post will cover 10 email customer service tips and show you how to ensure that your customer service comes through and customers won’t misunderstand your meaning.

Email Etiquette

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  • Answer quickly. Customers that send an email expect a quick answer. A 24 hour turnaround time is probably the maximum amount of time it should take you to respond to an email inquiry. If you can reply quicker, that is ideal. If you cannot reply right away, it is a good idea to have an auto-response set up letting your customer know you received their email and outline when they can expect to hear back from a real, live person. An automated response should still link to answers to frequently asked questions, and direct them to popular link destinations that might help them find the information they are looking for.
  • Customer service emails must be grammatically correct. It is important to take the time to proof read your email, as you would any other important correspondence. Re-read your email out loud to ensure that it reads the way you intended.
  • Your emails should be written in a formal, but friendly tone. Of course, this can depend on your company rules and atmosphere, but being too rigid can often sound cold. Friendly and warm emails will get you much further than cold and matter of fact ones. However, remember this is not chat. Do not take short cuts or use internet abbreviations for words. If you are too friendly and informal, it can be offensive to some customers.
  • Ensuring your tone and meaning are interpreted correctly. This is not an easy task because you have no control over how the person reading your email interprets it. Their mood and other circumstances surround their previous interaction with your company might have already skewed their view or impression. Therefore it is important, especially when dealing with a customer who might possibly be upset already, that you are specific with your meaning. Be formal but friendly. Don’t be afraid to take a few extra minutes to explain a policy, or what happened. If you are dealing with an upset customer or a problem, be sure to read the email allowed to a supervisor or co-worker to craft the proper, well thought out response.
  • Adding a few extra key sentences can help show your sincerity. Always start out with a greeting and thank them for their email. Repeat their question or concern just as you would over the phone. Explain your answer. Close by thanking them again and then add something like, “I hope this helped answer your question.”
  • Include a call to action. Email customer service is likely about selling your products or services. If your customer is asking about a product or service they are interested in buying, be clear with your call to action such as “Buy that product here, with a direct link”. A call to action might be something else in email though; it can be giving them links and directing them to where they can find more information. When you close the email with an example like #5 above, “I hope this helped answer your question.” Also add calls to action for what they can do if you did not answer their question. Another example of a call to action could be asking them to leave a review for your service, the purchase they made, or sign up for your newsletter and social media channels.
  • Add links and be thorough. Since email most likely will not illicit an immediate response, try to be as thorough as possible with the information you give. List all of the information you have about what they are asking for. Include links, pricing, details, and your contact information so that they can call if they don’t want to continue emailing. Always include links to frequently asked questions, return or exchange policies, size charts, payment information, etc.
  • Interpret the next question. Try to answer what their next question(s) might be. This will prevent a lot of back and forth emails between you and the customer. If you can answer a question about size, for example, also include information on the colour, price, and a link to the item. On the same token, if you need to ask them for information, ask them for all the information you will need from them, not just the first question you need answered.
  • Don’t be afraid to call. If email with a particular customer is going back and forth with email exchanges, then it might be best just to pick up the phone and ring them. A quick phone call can often solve a problem that emailing might further complicate.
  • Follow up. Keep your emails organised and follow up with customers who asked questions or had a problem. This is one of the best ways to deliver excellent customer service: let them know you did not forget about them.

If you require further information or have any specific questions, don’t hesitate to give a member of the GoPromotional team a call on 0800 0148 970 or simply email us today.