As a support team member, you send/reply to a lot of emails every day. It is common that some emails miss the mark. Perhaps you sent the wrong link to your customers or address your customers by the wrong name. You can easily avoid these issues if you have a simple check-list with you.
So here you go, a simple yet effective check-list before you send out your support emails.
1. Address your customers by their name
Adopt the practice of calling your customers by their name when you write a support email to them. This is very important to show that you care. If you don’t know their name, a friendly “ Hi there” will do. Start your reply with a semi-formal greeting, no matter how burning the issues is. Your tone tells how calm you are in handling the issues and this can greatly affect how your customers feel.
2. Always say “Thank You” to your customers
Your customers are using your products/services and they write to you because they care enough. No matter what the email is about (complaints or how-to questions), it shows that your customers are still interested in your company and that should be met with gratitude.
- You could thank them for using your products
- You should thank them for bringing the issues to your notice
- You can thank them for giving you a great idea and feedback
I believe that a simple thank you will make your customers feel appreciated and let them know that their thoughts are welcome.
3. Address the underlying emotion of the email
Obviously, there are different types of customers. Some customers are calm; they tell you the issues they face calmly when they write to you. However, there are also customers who are frustrated and angry, and they might not hold back in the words they use. This is rather common because what seems like a simple issue to you can be something that actively prevents them from getting what they want.
Go ahead and address it in your support email when the customer sounds anxious/sad/angry/frustrated. You just need to reassure them that you will do everything you can to help them solve the issues they face.
If there is nothing you can do to help them, tell them patiently and politely, and inform them that you are sorry for the inconvenience caused. Ask them if there is anything else you can help them with. A simple acknowledgment will show them how much you care.
4. Answer all the questions the customer asked
No matter how well your email is written, the primary goal is to solve your customer enquiries or frustration. They need an answer or solution to move on. When it comes to writing/replying to your support emails, the most practical customer service skill is to always value your customers’ time and provide them with a clear answer to their questions. For sure, certain questions/enquiries need more time to solve. Just go ahead and inform them about this. Don’t let your customers feel like you are not reading their email.
5. Try out the solution FIRST before suggesting it to the customer
This should be the main concern for those who handle tech enquiries. Before asking them to refresh the screen or try again with their browser, make sure you have run testing a few times with the solution suggested from your end. For example, when a solution is provided by your senior, check on it and make sure it’s workable before sending it to your customers.
6. Check your grammar, broken links, correct code and attachment
It is a very important step before you send out the email. Make sure you have checked all the spelling errors. You can use tools like Grammarly, Ginger, etc. to check your grammar and spelling errors. If you are not confident with grammar, show it to your colleagues and let them proofread your email. The same goes to sending a link or a code, make sure they are working. Always check the attachment you have promised to send them.
Here is an example on the 6 simple things you should check in your support email before sending it.
Scenario 1: A customer is asking for a new feature that can be built.
Scenario 2: A customer is asking for a feature that is not on your roadmap.
Scenario 3: A customer is asking for a feature that is not on your roadmap.
Takeaways
How you write a support email is extremely important. Remember you’re communicating with your customers using words only (customers can’t see your facial expression). You can download the Free Email Templates here to assist you in writing to your customers. If you are thinking of changing the support system you’re using now to a more effective one, find out more details on Exabytes Helpdesk Software.
Source:
Prashanthini Mande, 6 Simple Tips to Write a Good Support Email (with email templates)
