These customer service email templates can help you provide a more consistent, helpful, and professional experience to your customers. Whether you’re responding to a first-time inquiry or dealing with an angry customer, having a template on hand can save you time and ensure that your communications are always on point.
The stopwatch starts as soon as the customer hits send. The first to reply wins. By setting up auto-replies in your help desk, you can make sure you always win.
These first response email templates can be set up to automatically send as soon as a customer emails you or signs up for your service.
Set up a general auto-reply to let your customers know you received their message and when to expect a response. Include links to your knowledge base or FAQs to help them find answers on their own if possible.
Hi [first_name],
Thanks for contacting [company_name]!
This automatic reply is just to let you know that we received your message and we’ll get back to you with a response as quickly as possible. During [business_hours] we do our best to reply as quickly as we can, usually within a couple of hours. Evenings and weekends may take us a little bit longer.
If you have a general question about using [specific_product], you’re welcome to browse our [knowledge_base_link] for walkthroughs of all of our features and answers to frequently asked questions.
If you have any additional information that you think will help us to assist you, please feel free to reply to this email.
We look forward to chatting soon!
Thanks, [agent_name]
After a customer signs up for a free trial, reach out with a simple email to let them know next steps.
Hello [first_name],
Your free trial awaits! You’ve got [X] free days to test out everything [company_name] has to offer.
Check out our [knowledge base] for any questions you may have. Here are a few tips to help you get started:
Let us know if you have any questions. Our team is happy to help get you up and running.
Cheers,
[agent_name]
Once a customer officially buys from you, a nice welcome email can make a huge difference for long-term retention.
Hello [first_name],
Welcome to [company_name]! We’re happy you’re here and excited to help you get the most out of our [product or service].
To get started, I typically recommended these three actions for new customers:
I’m happy to assist you with anything else you may need. Just reply to this email with any questions.
Cheers,
[agent_name]
I love putting a face to a name. Whether you introduce your Founder, an account manager, or a sales associate, sending a quick note from a real person helps humanize your brand.
Hello [first_name],
Sending you a warm welcome from the [company_name] family. I wanted to introduce myself and thank you for trusting us with your business.
[Insert your company’s mission]
We’re all excited to work with you. If you have any questions, just reply to this email and we’ll get back asap.
Sincerely,
[employee_name]
These templates will help you respond to a variety of customer requests. It’s important to have policies and procedures solidified by your entire organization before standardizing these types of templates.
Work with your leadership or production team to figure out the best action item for inquiries about refunds, exchanges, or discounts. Then, create responses that you can send to customers whenever they inquire.
No matter how great your product or service is, customer service will always get refund requests. Create a template response now to save your team a ton of time on these inquiries.
Hi [first_name],
Thanks for getting in touch. I’m so sorry to hear you’re dissatisfied with our [product or service]. I totally understand your decision, and apologize for any inconvenience we may have caused.
I issued a refund to you in the amount of [X]. You should see it appear on your statement within [X] business days. No further action is required on your end.
Let me know if there’s anything else I can help you with or if you change your mind 🙂
Take care,
[agent_name]
Depending on your business type, you may or may not offer discounted rates. For those looking to gently let customers know that they cannot discount rates, this template provides a nice firm reply that should inspire empathy in your customers:
Hi [first_name],
First of all, thank you so much for checking out [company_name]!
We are a small business and appreciate you checking in to see what options we have available. At this time, we do not offer any discounts.
We’ve worked really hard to build the best product possible. We believe that our [product or service] delivers so much value and you will feel that the investment pays itself off.
Thanks again and we wish you the very best.
Cheers,
[agent_name]
Customer feedback drives engagement and sales. You want to encourage it. When someone writes in with a new product or feature request, here’s a great way to let them know they’re heard:
Hi [first_name],
Thanks for writing in! We don’t offer this at the moment, but it is something we’re considering for the future. I just added you to the list for follow up, so as soon as we have news, we’ll be sure to reach out.
In the meantime, [offer a workaround or similar product].
Cheers,
[agent_name]
Don’t make a bad experience worse by slacking on communication. Cancellation confirmations provide closure for customers and leave a better impression of your company.
Hello [first_name],
Thank you for contacting us. Your Membership has been cancelled, with a final payment on [X].
If you’d prefer to reverse this cancellation, please reply within the next [X] days.
Your confirmation code is: [X]
Sincerely,
[agent_name]
Responding to angry customers can either be a frustrating experience or a rewarding one. By using templates to deal with angry customers, we can use copy that’s been proven to work and help more customers faster.
Before assuming fault on either side, it’s important for every customer support team to make sure the customer tried all the usual troubleshooting tips.
Hi [first_name],
Thank you for alerting us to this issue!
You may have already tried these, but can you just confirm you’ve gone through the following troubleshooting steps:
If the problem persists, please send us the following:
Thank you!
[agent_name]
Note: This is a general template for web applications—you’ll need to edit it for mobile apps or other products.
Customer service team members read minds like none other, but even we get stumped sometimes. When you have no idea what the customer is asking, it’s okay to ask for clarification.
Hi [first_name],
Thanks for your note. I’m not sure I follow what you’re saying, any chance you could provide a little more detail? A screenshot would be super helpful as well.
I’ll do my best to help.
Thanks!
[agent_name]
The scariest thing about dealing with a problem with your product or service is not the amount of emails in the inbox. Rather, it’s the number of people who don’t say anything and just churn.
While I encourage you to use these email templates to reply to curious users, I also advocate for sending a mass email to all customers affected. It’ll pay dividends in customer loyalty.
I’ll break these templates down into two types:
Hi [first_name],
Sorry for the inconvenience. We encountered an issue earlier today that affected a portion of accounts — and unfortunately yours was one of those affected.
We have rectified the underlying problem and you should be up and running again now. No data was lost during this time, but please refresh the app to make sure everything is working properly.
We understand how critical our service is to you, and will be implementing a host of solutions to ensure that a situation like this does not occur again.
If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to give us a shout.
Thanks,
[agent_name]
Hi [first_name],
Thanks for reaching out. I’m so sorry, I definitely understand your concern and I’m escalating your issue so that someone can take a closer look at what’s going on right away.
Please standby and one of my teammates will get back to you with more details ASAP.
Best,
[agent_name]
We hope to never get complaints about customer service. In my experience though, even when you’re providing excellent customer service, someone will ask to speak with a manager or condemn your reply if they’re just in a bad mood.
Hi [first_name],
You’re completely right. It is unacceptable for [reiterate problem]. You depend on us to [goal of your product] and we hindered more than helped here.
I want to apologize for the [problem] and, more importantly, I must apologize for the failure in communication.
One of our company’s values is [core value or company mission] and we glaringly missed the mark. We are taking this incident very seriously and are making plans to ensure that it will never happen again.
To thank you for your patience, we will be giving [discount, coupon code, free item, etc. and time frame to use it]. And [something you’ve already done to make up for the problem: reimbursement, refund, etc].
If there is anything else our team can do to improve your experience, please don’t hesitate to reply to this email and ask!
Sincerely,
[Your first name]
[Your title]
This next set of email templates will help you retain users. Keep open lines of communications and proactively reach out to customers to increase customer retention.
If you offer a subscription service, send a quick note to let customers know their renewal is coming up.
Hello [first_name],
I wanted to give you a quick heads up that your subscription with [our company] will renew on [date].
There’s no action required on your end. If you have any questions, just reply back to this email.
Sincerely,
[agent_name]
You definitely want to get ahead of any planned downtime or maintenance. Customers don’t like being caught off guard.
Hi [first_name],
We want to make you aware that on [date + time], there will be scheduled downtime for approximately [X] hour(s). We will be using this time to [briefly describe work].
During this time, [explain what they will/will not be able to do].
You can view real time status updates from our engineers here [link to status page].
Thank you!
[agent_name]
Keep note of who requested a certain feature or product within your inbox. Then, when you’ve released that item, follow up with each customer to let them know.
Hi [first_name],
Just circling back on your previous request about [X]. Our team has been hard at work to get this new feature/product ready for our customers and it’s now live!
Let me know if you’ve had a chance to check it out. Thanks for your feedback!
Best,
[agent_name]
Tip: Use software like Groove to tag and categorize feedback so you can easily find and follow up with customers down the line.
Creating a post-purchase email flow creates a holistic customer experience that feeds into itself. Stay in touch with customers and they’ll become repeat customers. Even better, they might recommend your business to more people.
Ask for a review and make it as easy as possible. Provide a link directly to the review site you most want them to use, like this:
Hi [first_name],
If you’ve been happy with your experience with us, would you have time to leave a review on [link to review site]?
Our small business relies on reviews like yours to help reach new customers, so we appreciate any feedback you can share with others.
Thanks,
[agent_name]
A brief thank you email goes a long way in customer service.
Hi [first_name],
Thank you for becoming a customer of [your company]! We’re so excited to have you here.
Check out our [FAQ/Knowledge Base link] for common questions and answers. Or simply reply to this email to get immediate help from us.
Thank you for supporting our business!
[agent_name]
You never know until you ask. There’s no harm in asking current customers to recommend your product to their peers. Just use a cordial template, like the one below, to make sure it doesn’t sound too pushy.
Hi [first_name],
We’re so happy to have you as a customer. I hope you’re continuing to enjoy [our product or service].
If you have a minute, we’d be grateful for your help in spreading the word about our business! Simply use your [referral link] for a [discount/perk].
Thank you!
[agent_name]
Send an NPS survey to your customers at least every quarter. This gauges customer satisfaction and predicts growth. Because it’s a data-based benchmark, you’ll want to stick to the same questions each time for fair comparison.
Here are the usual NPS survey questions:
And here’s an example email of an NPS survey:
As a bonus for e-commerce companies, we’ve included a few templates that deal specifically with online stores. These focus on shipping management and stock inquiries that are often out of customer service’s hands. And yet, these inquiries require a smart and thoughtful reply to keep customers happy.
Mix-ups happen. The key to resolving the problem is to act quickly. Create a template for out-of-stock orders to immediately send out as soon as you know there’s a discrepancy.
Hello [first_name],
Unfortunately, I just received word from our supplier that the item you ordered is no longer available:
[Product details]
We should have more inventory on [date]. Let me know if you’d like me to hold your order and reprocess it at that time. If not, I can issue you a refund now.
To make it up to you, I’m happy to offer a [X] credit to your account. No action required on your end, it’s already loaded to your account.
If you have any questions, just reply to this email.
Sincerely,
[agent_name]
Collaboration opportunities abound in e-commerce. Keep a close eye on your customer base, especially in your early stages. One instagram influencer or blogger who likes your product could be the key to exponential growth.
Have a template on hand so you can reach out right away to inquire about content collaboration with an influencer.
Hi [first_name],
I’m [your name], [title] at [company name]. I’m a huge fan of your work on [platform or short description]. Would you be open to a collaboration?
I’m thinking we could do [brief explanation of proposal]. [Explain benefits for them]
Let me know if you’re interested and we can discuss further. Hope to hear from you soon!
Thanks,
[your_name]
Product shipping notifications offer pure joy to customers. Put together an email template to help you quickly reach out with the exciting news:
Hi [first_name],
Your order is on its way!
It will arrive in [X-X] business days. Track your order here [link to package tracking].
Please note, [include any special instructions or shipping oddities (i.e. if packages may arrive separately or need refrigeration)].
Let us know when you get your order by sharing it on social media [link to your handles]!
Thanks again for your purchase!
[agent_name]
Shipping delays are a bummer, but they’re an inevitable part of e-commerce business. Be prepared with a high quality email template to keep customers informed:
Hi [first_name],
We’re sorry your order is delayed. Our small team is dealing with a high volume of orders right now and working hard to process and ship your order as soon as possible.
You will be provided with a tracking number via email once we have it.
We appreciate your patience. Please let us know if you have any questions.
[agent_name]
An open line of communication regarding refund status can make all the difference between a customer returning one day versus never coming back. Use this email template to give them all the details they need to feel secure about their refund request.
Hi [first_name],
Your refund will be issued to your account in [X] days/hours. You should see [the amount] credited to [your original payment source] within [time period].
I’m sorry that [our product or service] didn’t meet your expectations. If we can help in any way in the future, please don’t hesitate to reach out.
Sincerely,
[agent_name]
You’ll want to quickly jump on any exchange requests. Make sure your customers know that quality is your top priority and you won’t settle for a less than perfect product.
Try this template to respond immediately to any exchange requests:
Hi [first_name],
Thanks for alerting us to this issue. We’re happy to exchange [your product] and I will make sure this doesn’t happen again.
I’ve already requested this new item be shipped to you immediately. You can find tracking information for your replacement item here [link to tracking site].
I’m sorry for any inconvenience this may have caused. Please let me know if you have any further questions.
Thanks,
[agent_name]
Ask anything...