3 tips for customer support replies with a human touch

One of the perks of writing for customer support is that inspiration is everywhere. We're all consumers, and at some point there's bound to be a reason to contact a company for help.

When my coffee machine broke, I emailed the manufacturer to find out if I could get a spare part, a repair or a replacement.

In this article, I'll analyse the response I got – and share my top 3 tips for adding a human touch to your customer service emails.

Why a human touch matters in customer service emails

We all like to feel a spark of connection with people we're dealing with. It makes us feel recognised and important.

But the style of this email made me feel insignificant and unwelcome. Which could so easily be changed by following these 3 tips:

1. Use words that come to you naturally.

2. Refer to details, be specific.

3. Allow yourself to be seen as the writer — don't stay anonymous.

The response: Why on Earth would I send my coffee machine to an athletic epilator centre*?

A few days later, the response popped up in my inbox:

Dear Ms Harnau,

Thank you for contacting [company].
Please send the unit to:

ATHLETIC EPILATOR CENTRE*
[…]

When sending the unit, please remember to:
1) Include a copy of your receipt in the package; please retain the original for your record. Should you not have a receipt as proof of purchase please advise the service agent to read the product batch code. This is a four-digit number located on the base of the machine which indicates the year and the week in which the product was manufactured.
2) Please enclose a brief cover letter which should state your name, your address, contact number and reference number (See Below) and a brief description of the fault.
3) Even though you have been provided with a freepost address, we do advise our customers to send the unit by recorded delivery so that it can be tracked (not compulsory).

I trust that the information provided will be of assistance.
Should you require any further information please contact our Customer Care Centre on 0844-123-4567 quoting customer reference number 012 34567890.

Kind regards,

[Company] Customer Care.
****************************************************************

Please do not remove the information below.
[Routing details]This message is routed to you base on these parameters:
[Form used] outbound
[Country RD] All
[Language] All
[Parameter 1] UNITED KINGDOM
[Parameter 2]
[Parameter 3]
[Parameter 4]

Now let's apply my top 3 tips to this email:

1. Use words that come to you naturally

Say them out loud. Do they feel right? Then they'll look right on your screen, too.

The example email is peppered with words that are unnecessarily elevated:

• 'To contact' — instead of call or email
• 'Previously' — instead of before
• 'Retain' — could be keep
• 'Advise' — why not recommend, or it's a good idea to…?
• 'Located' — which could easily be left off
• Indicates (shows), manufactured (made), you have been provided with (we've given you), assistance (help), require (need)

Words like 'compulsory' make sending an item in for repair sound like a chore. As if they did not even look at the coffee machine, should the 'cover letter' be found lacking.

2. Refer to the details, be specific

Let's have another look at this bit from the email:

Thank you for contacting [company].
As previously discussed, please send the unit to:
ATHLETIC EPILATOR CENTRE*

That snippet alone could sound so much more human and helpful if it referred to 2 details:

1. I emailed customer service – even just using the detail of how I got in touch gives me more of a sense that they care.
2. “the unit” – do they mean the broken coffee machine?

The list goes on. Who is “the service agent”? “Our customers” … that’s probably me? And “our Customer Care Centre”, is that the team I've been in touch with all along?

*Time to disclose that this is not the true addressee. But the original wording isn't far off!

3.Allow yourself to be seen as the writer — don't stay anonymous

• Put your name on it.
• Take ownership. Start sentences with I and We.
• Avoid the passive voice. (That's when you can add '…by zombies' after the verb and your sentence still makes sense. For example: "you have been provided with a freepost address by zombies" — yeah, that's the passive voice.)

OK, time to add all these ingredients to that email I was served.

How about this version:

Dear Ms Harnau,

Thank you for your email about your broken [Company] coffee machine.

Please send it to our quality team so they can check the fault and either repair or replace it.

To help them understand what may be wrong with your machine, please:

• Put a copy of your receipt in the package (keep the original for your records).
• Include a note with your name, address, phone number and reference number 012 34567890, as well as a short description of the fault. 
• If you no longer have your receipt, please let us know in your note.

You can use our Freepost address to make your return as hassle-free as possible. Just to be sure your package arrives safely, it's a good idea to use recorded delivery (at additional cost). This is only a recommendation — of course you are welcome to use our Freepost address.

Here is our address:

Coffee machine quality
ATHLETIC EPILATOR CENTRE
[…]

We'll do our best to make sure you'll soon have a working coffee machine to light up your mornings again.

If you have any questions, please call us on 0800 123 4567 quoting your reference number 012 34567890.

Kind regards,

Annabelle

[Company] Customer Care

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