8 Customer Service Email Templates for Every Common Scenario

In a competitive business landscape, the one factor that can set your small business apart is your ability to provide great customer service. However, creating an internal customer support system that enhances customer relationships through consistent quality service is no easy task.

Whether you maintain a dedicated in-house customer service team or, like many business owners, turn to independent customer service representatives, you can make the process easier by developing templates that cover common scenarios. The benefits of using templates include:

• Saving time
• Ensuring a consistent or on-brand response to similar issues
• Helping with training
• Reducing risk if your customer service team is understaffed or you must field an influx of issues
  

Keep in mind that templates aren’t meant to be implemented without some thought. To make the customer feel appreciated, each email should be personalized with, at a minimum, the customer’s name and references to the details at issue.

Scenario 1: Replying to an angry customer

No matter how great your product or exemplary your service, clients and customers are going to experience anger and frustration from time to time. Addressing the issue with clarity and compassion—and without becoming frustrated yourself—can go a long way to salvage the situation.

For example, items may become damaged in shipment every so often. Your company might do a great job with packaging and shipping, but you have no control over how the carrier is going to treat the package after it leaves your facility. A customer who receives a damaged product might, understandably, become angry and—fairly or not—hold your company responsible.

The following email template can form the basis for your response to an angry customer:

Dear [Customer Name],

Thank you for contacting us. Customer satisfaction is very important here at [Company Name], and we appreciate you bringing [Situation] to our attention.

We deeply regret the inconvenience this situation has caused you. To provide a remedy, we have [Insert action to take with customer, like a discount, additional help or service, or bringing the matter to the attention of a supervisor/manager, etc.].

If there is anything else we can do to help, please feel free to reach out.

Best,

[Name, Customer Support Agent]

For the damaged-during-shipment scenario, acknowledge that the customer received a damaged product and make an offer to fix the problem—perhaps offer to overnight a replacement product immediately and/or offer a full refund.

Of course, how you choose to address the issue will depend on factors like the value/cost of the damaged item, whether you have replacements on hand, and whether you’re entitled to reimbursement from the carrier for the damage. However, the point is to acknowledge the customer’s problem, including the fact that it was not their fault, and communicate that you’ll work to make things right.

Best practices for replying to an angry customer

When trying to diffuse an angry customer scenario, try to be as open and sincere as you can. Some steps to consider:

• Provide your response to the customer complaint as quickly as you can.
• Acknowledge the problem from the customer’s perspective.
• Apologize for the inconvenience or distress the problem caused.
• Provide an explanation of what went wrong.
• Assure them this isn’t your company’s usual practice and that every step has been or will be taken to prevent future occurrences.
  

Do what you can to remedy the situation. You might include one or more of the following in your reply:

• Offer a refund.
• Offer to replace the item.
• Provide a discount or other incentive to encourage them to give your company another chance.

Scenario 2: Thanking a customer

Customer appreciation goes a long way in achieving loyal customers. When and how you express gratitude to your customers is something of an art; there could be several situations where a simple “thank you” note can go a long way. You might want to thank a customer for:

• Purchasing a specific item
• Referring other customers
• Their loyalty (repeat business) or on the anniversary of becoming a client or customer
• A kind mention on a social media page or other public forum
  

You don’t want the customer to feel like you are providing an impersonal (boilerplate) expression of gratitude, but you also don’t want to bog your customer service staff down with having to constantly recreate ways to express your company’s appreciation.

This is where a well-constructed email template—as long as it is personalized and addresses the “who, what, and why” of the thank you—can provide a lot of value. Throwing in a token of your appreciation, such as a two-for-one coupon, can be a nice touch. Here’s an example of an email to be signed by the owner of a small day spa business:

Hello [Customer],

Thank you so much for allowing us to serve your [Describe service or product benefits (e.g., skincare)] needs for [Insert length of time (e.g., X years)]. Clients like you are the cornerstone of our business, so the entire team at [Name of company] joins me in expressing our sincere appreciation.

Please accept the enclosed coupon for a free [Insert product or service (e.g. facial)]. We look forward to hearing from you to schedule your anniversary appointment.

Thanks again for being such a great client!

In appreciation,

[Owner’s name]‍

Best practices for thanking a customer

When expressing gratitude to a customer, be specific about what you appreciate and why. The more detail you can provide about the special occasion or action you want to reward, the more the client will be impressed with your thoughtfulness.

Avoid any direct selling tactics in your thank you note. The recipient may see through any veiled attempts to drum up business. The purpose of a thank you is to promote yourself (and your business) as a thoughtful, people-oriented enterprise. Any sales the note sparks will follow organically. No hardline tactics are required.

Scenario 3: Soliciting customer feedback

Customer feedback is invaluable in keeping your business on track. While gathering metrics and processing analytics are extremely useful in gauging how you’re doing on myriad fronts, nothing compares to one-on-one feedback in real time from an actual customer.

The best way to get this kind of up-close-and-personal customer feedback is to ask for it in an up-close way that encourages a reply. You can even include a link to a customer survey. If you really want to up your response quotient, offer a little something to your customers for their trouble.

The following email template, when populated with personal information, provides a useful starting point when developing the first phase of a solid customer feedback loop.

Dear [Customer name}:

We are constantly working to improve [Company] so customers like you have the best experience possible. As a long-time user of [Insert product], your feedback will go a long way in our efforts to offer the best customer experience possible.

Would you be willing to complete a short survey to help us out? As a thank you for your time, you will be automatically entered in a drawing for a [Insert prize]. In addition, you will receive a coupon for [Insert percentage amount] off your next purchase.

[Insert survey button]

Thank you in advance for your help! We really appreciate it!

[Name], Your [Company] customer service rep‍

Best practices for soliciting customer feedback

Getting responses to your email requests for feedback is always going to be an uphill battle. A good email template, of course, will help immensely, especially if you follow these best practices:

• Distinguish your feedback solicitation from a sales solicitation at the outset. Use a subject line that lets the recipient know you’re seeking feedback. Something like, “Will you help us improve? Get a free discount.”
• Make your greeting personal. Use the recipient’s first name and, if possible, start the email with an acknowledgment of a recent purchase they made to let them know the email is not spam.
• Explain why their feedback is needed. Share how you plan to leverage the results and how they, as customers, stand to benefit.
• Be clear that you only need a small amount of their time. Be explicit with this. If the survey is going to take three minutes, mention that.
• Offer them the opportunity to speak with a customer service rep. Be sure to make your team available if they have more feedback they would like to share.
• Offer a reward for participating. Be clear about what they have to do to earn the reward.
  

Scenario 4: Replying to customer feedback

Not all feedback you get is going to be solicited or favorable. No matter how you receive feedback and regardless of whether it is positive or negative, your customer deserves a sincere and personal response. Maintaining the proper tone and content, especially when managing a distributed customer service or technical support team, can be challenging.

You might try responding to positive customer feedback with something like this:

Dear [Customer name],

We so appreciate you taking the time to provide valuable feedback! We are constantly trying to improve our [Make reference to the reason for the feedback] and it is gratifying when our customers acknowledge our hard work.

If it’s not too much trouble, could you take a few minutes to share a review on [Provide link to site or portal for sharing reviews]? It would mean a lot to us.

Again, thank you for your kind words. You made our day!

With warm wishes,

[Name, Customer Care Specialist]

You should also respond to negative customer feedback, albeit in a less enthusiastic manner. Try using a tone like the one in this sample email response:

Dear [Customer name],

We appreciate your taking the time to provide feedback. While we are constantly trying to improve our [Make reference to the reason for the feedback], we recognize that we do not always fulfill customer expectations 100%.

Please know that we are working on this issue. If we can provide any further assistance or if you would like to follow up on this or any other matter, please feel free to contact our customer support team on our direct line: [Insert phone number].

Again, thank you for taking the time to provide feedback.

Best regards,

[Name, Customer Care Specialist]‍

Best practices for replying to customer feedback

It’s important to respond to all feedback, even when it’s negative. Any customer or client who takes the time to provide you with their thoughts and impressions deserves a direct response.

For positive reviews, make it easy for the customer to sing your praises in online reviews, so always provide links to your preferred social media and industry review pages. For negative reviews, you want to keep a negative impression from escalating into negative online reviews. Try to send your reply email within a reasonable time—ideally within a day or two of receiving the feedback—and make a point of acknowledging the customer’s point of view. If feasible, offer concrete steps on how you plan to fix any problems.

Scenario 5: A post-purchase or service follow-up

One of the most important emails you can send a customer is a follow-up after a purchase or service. You may have one or more reasons for sending a follow-up email:

• To thank your customer for their business
• To confirm the order and verify important information (e.g., shipping address, color/size selection, etc.)
• To set expectations regarding when they will receive the item
• To reaffirm any information your service team relayed
• To take advantage of an opportunity to upsell (e.g., tack on accessories to their purchase, set an appointment for their next service, etc.)
• Provide an incentive to promote your products/services to others
  

Here’s a template for a post-purchase follow-up that confirms an order, sets shipping and delivery expectations, and offers an upsell deal:

Dear [Customer]:

Thank you for purchasing the [Insert name of product] from our store. Your item will ship in the next [Insert time frame] to [Insert address]. Delivery is expected within [Insert number] days following shipment.

We appreciate your business and, to show our thanks, we would like to offer you the opportunity to purchase another [Insert name of item] at half price. Click here to claim this offer. If we hear from you by [Insert time and date of expected shipment], we can save you even more by consolidating your items into one shipment.

Thank you again for shopping with [Company].

[Name], Customer Service Specialist‍

Best practices for a follow-up email

Follow-up emails should be sent as close to the actual time of purchase as possible, whether it’s an order confirmation, upsell opportunity, general thank-you, or other product promotions. Regardless of the type of email, though, make sure each is personalized and conveys sincere appreciation for the customer’s patronage.

Another good practice is to make sure you don’t send too many follow-up emails at once. This might confuse the customer. For example, send a confirmation email first and then send an email thanking the customer for their business.

Scenario 6: Technical support follow-up

Customers who seek technical support often do so while frustrated and unhappy. Even if your technical support team can solve the user’s problem, working through tech issues can leave a negative impression. Having your customer service team send a quick follow-up email can go a long way in shoring up or even rebuilding brand support.

An email along the lines of this template may be useful:

Hello [Name],

I understand you and [Name of tech support person] worked together on [Describe issue/problem] last [Day of week they spoke]. I’m just following up to make sure that you received all the help that you need and to see if I can be of further assistance.

Please do not hesitate to contact me at [Insert phone number] if there is anything we can do for you.

We appreciate you and your business.

[Name], [Company], Customer Support Representative‍

Best practices for a technical support follow-up email

Try to follow up on tech support sessions as soon as possible after the interaction. Personalize the email by including:

• The customer’s name in the salutation
• The name of the technical support rep who assisted the customer
• Details about the issue they worked on
• An offer for further support or assistance
• Instructions for how to reach out to customer service if further follow-up is needed

Scenario 7: New customer welcome

For service providers, online resource subscriptions, and any other kind of business where a successful customer experience relies on ongoing interaction, a new customer welcome email is a great way to start the interactive ball rolling. Here’s an example:

Hello [Customer],

On behalf of everyone at [Company], I want to welcome you to our online community!

To help you make the most of your experience with your new [Product or Membership], I want to share some resources to get you started. Please subscribe to our weekly blog [Insert link] and our monthly user’s newsletter so you can keep up with all of the latest news about [Product name].

You might also want to check out the FAQs page [Provide link] where you’ll find answers to most of your initial questions. Of course, if you can’t find what you need there, you’re always welcome to reach out to customer service [Provide link]. Either I or one of my colleagues will respond to you within 24 hours. If you need immediate assistance, you can call our customer hotline 24/7 [Insert number].

Please take a moment to check out our Facebook [Link], Instagram [Link], and Twitter [Link]. Follow our posts and add to the conversation!

We’re excited to have you here!

[Name], Customer Service Representative‍

Best practices for a new customer welcome email

Like most client and customer correspondence, timing is everything. A welcome email should go out as soon as the customer signs up for your product or service. Along with a personalized welcome, be sure to:

• Invite the customer to join your email list and/or subscribe to your blog.
• Direct them to your social media pages.
• Direct them to your FAQs and other public-facing knowledge base resources.
• Provide instructions for how to contact customer service should they need assistance.

Scenario 8: Initial reply to a client question

Client questions come in all types and levels of importance. Some questions will be easy to resolve through the help desk and others will take research and even escalation to different departments in your organization.

It’s always good to respond to a client’s question immediately to let them know you’ve received their correspondence and that someone in the company is actively working on a response. The only cost-effective way to do this is through automation.

A sample of an automatic response email to a client question is:

Hi [Customer first name],

This is an automatic reply to let you know that [Name of company] has received your message.

If you contacted us during regular business hours, you can expect a response within 24 hours. If your message arrived after hours or on the weekend, you will receive a response on the next business day.

If you haven’t had a chance to check our resources page [Link to knowledge base], you might want to take a moment to see if your question is answered there. You’ll find a FAQs page as well as useful tutorials and troubleshooting information.

Thank you for putting your trust in [Company name]. We’ll be in touch as soon as possible.

[Name], [Company], Customer Service Representative‍

Best practices for replying to a client question

Even though this is an automated response, you still want to let the client know that their question is important to you. You also want to encourage them to try to find a solution to their issue on their own, if possible. You may want to include the following information:

• Be upfront that your response is automated.
• Be clear about when they can expect a response.
• Direct them to your knowledge base and gently recommend that they review the information available.
• Assure them that your team will give them the help they need, including answering any additional questions they might have.

When you shouldn’t use a template

Email templates can be a great time-saving tool. As long as you are careful to personalize them when appropriate and use the correct template in the correct circumstance, email templates can help enhance customer service while streamlining processes. It’s important to recognize, however, that not every email correspondence lends itself to a template. For example:

• If a customer has made a serious accusation against you, your company, or a member of your staff, you should respond with a thoughtful, sincere, and personalized note. Depending on the nature of the accusation, you might not want to respond at all until you’ve run your options by legal counsel.
• In situations where you need to inform a customer of a serious mistake—such as a data breach that compromised their personal information—you’re better off reaching out in a more personal manner.
• In cases where you have to break bad, sad, or sensitive news—such as the closing of a branch or office—you owe it to each customer affected to draft a thoughtful personal note.
  

The bottom line is this: If an email template feels insufficient or insensitive, it probably is.

Write stronger customer service emails

Email templates don’t have to be impersonal, rote, or spam-like. On the contrary, email templates are especially useful if you, like many business owners, are managing a team of independent customer service representatives. Support email templates ensure consistency, allow your independent team members to show off their customer service skills, and increase overall productivity.