10 tips to write a good support email

In the age of GPTs, customer support emails may seem simple enough. However, they might lack the personal touch. Besides, there’s a chance that you included the wrong link or addressed someone by the wrong name. Tiny errors like this could lead to a poor customer experience.

However, you can fix these issues with a simple support email checklist. After all, writing a good email depends a lot on following email etiquette. And writing good emails will eventually help you boost customer service metrics.

If you’re wondering how to write customer service emails better, here are ten tips to follow before you hit ‘send.’

1. Get the subject line right

Ensure the subject line accurately reflects the content of the email. Avoid misleading or overly general subjects that could cause confusion or lead to the email being overlooked.

If responding to a customer's email, include a reference to their original inquiry or case number in the subject line for easy identification and tracking. Maintain a professional tone in the subject line, avoiding overly casual language or exclamation points.

2. Address the customer by their name

It’s a good practice to first say hello and address a customer by their name. Including the customer’s name brings in a basic level of personalization, telling the customer that this isn’t just another AI-generated response. Start your reply with a semi-formal greeting, no matter how urgent the issue is. It sets the tone that you are calm enough to handle the issue no matter how the customer is feeling.

3. Thank the customer

If you get an email with bad customer feedback, remember this. The customer uses your product/service and cares enough to write to your customer support team and not just put it up on social media. So, whether it’s a customer complaint or a how-to question, they have taken an interest in your company, which should be met with gratitude.

• You can thank them for bringing the issue to your notice.

• You could thank them for using your product and being your customer.

• You can thank them for giving you an idea for improvement.

A thank you will make them understand that their thoughts are welcome and keep a customer relationship alive.

4. Answer all the questions the customer asked

No matter how great your email is, the customer's primary goal is to get a quick solution to their issue and move on. So, the primary customer service skill is to empathize with your customers, value their time, and give them clear answers to all their questions in one go.

If you need more time to answer some of their questions, then go ahead and say it. Don’t make the customer feel you did not read their full email. While replying, also ask if they have any further questions you can help with.

5. Address the underlying emotion of the email

Some customers are calm and composed when they write to you. But some are frustrated and angry customers. It’s natural because what might seem like a simple problem to you is actively preventing them from getting what they want.

So, if they sound anxious, sad, angry, or frustrated, go ahead and address it and reassure them that you are doing everything you can to prevent them from feeling that way.

If your customer service team cannot help, you can still address the issue and tell them that you are sorry they feel that way. Ask them if there is anything else you can do to help. A simple acknowledgment will show them that you care. It’s a chance to turn it into a positive experience.

6. Stick to a consistent tone of voice and style of writing

No matter which support agent your customers engage with, you want customer satisfaction and a positive customer experience that reflects your brand—no exceptions. Having a consistent tone and style of writing support emails across your team helps give this seamless experience. 

Is there a standard way you want to address your customers? What does a standard email response look like? How casual or semi-formal do you want the language to be? Are there any formatting rules to be followed while presenting the solution? As a customer service team, you can decide to arrive at these basic rules and put together a support email style guide.

Pro tip: To ensure that all support agents follow these style guidelines, you can use simple automation like predefined reply templates such as ‘canned responses’, which can be added with a single click. 

MISA, a US online fashion retailer, gave faster support and achieved a 50% support ticket deflection rate using Freshdesk’s canned responses feature without compromising personalization.  

7. Test out the solution before suggesting it to customers

This check applies to technical support emails. Try it on your side before troubleshooting a customer’s issue and telling them to clear their cache or try from a different browser. If it does, you can confidently provide the customer with step-by-step instructions on how to clear their cache. When testing solutions, take into account the customer's specific environment, software versions, and any other relevant details.

If the tech support solution involves steps the customer needs to take, provide clear and concise instructions, including any relevant screenshots or links to helpful resources.

8. Check for grammar, broken links, correct code, and attachments

Looking like an expert problem solver is hard when you overlook the little things. Proofread your email carefully to eliminate any grammatical errors or typos in you customer support email. These can undermine your professionalism and credibility.

If you include any links in your email, double-check that they are working correctly and lead to the intended destination. Broken links can frustrate customers and hinder their ability to access important information.

If your email involves providing code snippets or technical instructions, ensure the code is accurate and free of errors. If possible, test it yourself to confirm it functions as intended.

If you include attachments, make sure they are relevant to the customer's inquiry and properly labeled. Double-check that you've attached the correct files and that they are in a format the customer can easily open.

9. Keep the email clear and simple

When drafting email communications to your customers, ensure you convey only the essential details in plain and direct language. Even complex information can be broken down into digestible chunks.

Use bullet points and numbered lists to organize information and make it easier to scan and understand. Bold or italicize important information to draw the customer's attention to key details or action items.

Industry terms and jargon may be obvious to you but not to your customers. Add relevant images, screenshots, knowledge base articles, FAQ links, or even video tutorials to clarify your point.

10. Master the art of the follow-up email

Customers appreciate it when you check in on them after you send them an email. When following up, ensure your subject line includes keywords like "Follow-up," "Checking in," or "Re:" to provide context and indicate it's not a new inquiry. Follow up within a reasonable timeframe, typically within 1-2 business days, to show responsiveness and keep the customer engaged.

Deliver exceptional email support faster

There you go. These ten customer service email tips will ensure that your support emails to customers are empathetic, quickly created, and reflect your company in the highest light, eventually leading to customer retention, more referrals, and an influx of new customers.

Are there any checks we have missed out on? Let us know in the comment section.

Pro-tip: If you’re looking to switch from shared inboxes to a simple, free ticketing system, sign up for Freshdesk.