Customer service agents respond to a wide range of queries – but thankfully, most questions aren’t unheard of. Agents don’t need to reinvent the wheel for every question about pricing, software set up, troubleshooting, or any other common problem. Instead, they can use templates to cut response times and provide consistent service.

But, building a library of templates that is both effective and easily modifiable takes time in itself. That’s why we wrote these customer service email templates for you, based on 15 different scenarios, so you can choose and tailor them as needed.

First, here’s some advice on how to write customer service emails

Every great act of customer service has a few key things in common. Before responding to customers via any channel, make sure you’ve:

• Understood what they’re saying. Hold off on replying until you’ve carefully read what the customer wrote. Do they have an issue or a question? Are they frustrated or concerned? Be sure to understand what they’re saying and where they’re coming from. Sometimes this might mean reading between the lines and intuiting problems not specifically documented.

• Empathized with their situation. This can often be hard to do when reading aggressive (or passive-aggressive) messages. But offering excellent service means taking a step back and putting yourself in your customer’s shoes. They may not always be right, but this approach will help you address customers genuinely — and they’ll remember that.

• Gathered all the information you need. Mark Twain once famously said, “'It ain't what you don't know that gets you into trouble. It's what you know for sure that just ain't so.” Make sure you fully understand the situation before hitting “send.” For example, if a customer is having a problem with a new feature you haven’t learned yet, consult a product expert on your team to get the rundown.

• If you can't understand or need more info, ask. You don't have to always reply with an answer, you can also reply with a question. If you don't fully understand what the customer is asking or if you need their information to check the issue, tell them – it's better than guessing and getting it wrong.

This advice will help you create effective responses. Some other tips:

• Address your customer by name
• Look up the customer’s role in their company, if needed, to respond with the right information
• Be friendly, but measured
• Include links and references (if appropriate)
• Follow up on your initial response

If these seem like a lot, don’t worry – that’s what templates are for. By customizing ready-made text, you can both achieve a personalized approach while reducing the burden of finding the right words from scratch. Here are our customer service email templates.

Want to know more about how to streamline your email communications with Acquire? Request a demo today.

15 samples of customer service email templates

The templates below contain guidelines on tone and structure appropriate for different scenarios. Any words included in brackets are placeholder text you can replace with what makes sense for your business (or remove altogether if it doesn’t apply to you). Whenever you see these symbols { } it means you should add a link over that text.

Also, we have included ideas for subject lines where appropriate. Keep in mind that writing subject lines that’ll make people click is a science that often requires some testing, but you can draw ideas from our examples below.

Jump to individual templates:

• Responding to a frustrated customer who churned
• Responding to a customer who churned on good terms
• Responding to a frustrated customer who’s asking for a resolution
• Responding to a customer complaint
• Providing the answer to a customer issue or query
• Following up with a customer email
• Onboarding email to new customers
• Informing a customer about a renewal opportunity
• Informing a customer about their contract having expired
• Checking in with a new customer
• Thanking a customer for positive feedback
• Asking for customer feedback on a purchase
• Requesting a customer fill out a CSAT
• Refusing a discount request
• Exploring the possibility of content collaboration

Responding to a frustrated customer who churned (apology)

These emails should show empathy and understanding while remaining respectful and honest.

Hi [Customer name],

Thanks for reaching out. Satisfying our customers is very important to us and I’m sorry we couldn't meet your requirements. I fully respect your decision and can only apologize for any problems your business experienced.

[I’ve arranged for a refund and asked our account management team to take care of any paperwork necessary.]

Should you change your mind, I’ll be here to help you any way I can.

Take care,

[Your name]

Responding to a customer who churned on good terms

If you’re parting on good terms, don’t burn any bridges – after all, customers may return down the line. Be friendly and take steps to keep in touch.

Hi [Customer name],

On behalf of my team, we’re all sad to see you go. We’re pleased to have collaborated with you all this time and hope our services were useful.

I hope we’ll stay in touch and get to work together again in the future. Please don’t hesitate to provide feedback and suggestions to help us improve, even from afar.

Best of luck!

[Your name]

Responding to a frustrated customer who’s asking for a resolution

These emails should reassure the customer and provide adequate help. Focus on getting the issue resolved.

Hi [Customer name],

I’m sorry for the trouble you’ve been having with [this-feature]. My team and I are doing everything we can to resolve this as fast as possible. [Include steps you are taking, if applicable.]

In order to support you through this, I need some information from you. Could you tell me [important information]?

Meanwhile, here are some actions you can take that may resolve the issue: [state actions like restart, resubmit, etc.]. If these don’t work, I’ll get back to you [within one business day] with an alternative solution.

[Your name]

Responding to a customer complaint

This is often difficult to respond to without getting defensive – but you must resist! Be respectful and understanding and make sure to follow through with the complaint.

Hi [Customer name],

I’m very sorry you had this experience. It’s always important for us to [address a company value here, e.g. respond quickly to our customers.] [Address the heart of the complaint, e.g. “Having made you wait an hour on hold is unacceptable.”]

I’ve passed this on to my team – we’ll make sure we get better as we grow and learn. [We appreciate your time, and we’ve applied a $5 discount off your next purchase.] Thank you for your patience and let me know if I can help in any way.

I apologize again for any inconvenience.

[Your name]

Providing the answer to a customer issue/query

The tone of this email should be positive – you’re able to provide good news, after all. Make sure you clarify any details and ask the customer if they need anything more.

Hi [Customer name],

Thanks for reaching out! I have an answer to your question about [topic]. 

[Detail your answer, providing helpful insight into why an issue happened or background on company info].

If you have any more questions or come across any other issue, let me know, I’ll be happy to help.

Have a great day,

[Your name]

Following up with a customer email

It’s important to follow up whenever possible. You don’t need more than a couple of lines to show customers that you care about their experience with your product or service.

Hi [Customer name],

Hope you’re doing great. I wanted to check in with you regarding the issue you had the other day. Was it resolved? Do you need any additional help? I’d be happy to assist you in any case.

Have a great day,

[Your name]

Onboarding email to new customers

This email should be enthusiastic so as to set the tone of your collaboration with the customer. You’ll also want to reassure the customer that they’ve made the right choice and help them get up to speed quickly.

Here are some subject line ideas to draw from:

Example 1: Hi [Customer name]! Get started with [Your company]

Example 2: Welcome to [Your company/product/service], [Customer name]! See your first steps

Hi [Customer name], 

It’s great to have you here, thanks for choosing us! I’ll be your guide during this onboarding period. As we learn more about one another, my goal is to ensure you have a positive experience and get the most out of our [product/service].

I’ve attached a [slide deck, PDF, brochure, chart] mapping out the steps of your onboarding. As a first step, please {follow these instructions} to customize your account. Also, here are some resources you might find useful:

Product Webinar: We’re hosting a live webinar for our customers on [Date]. Our agenda will include a quick overview of useful features and a Q&A by our [VP of Customer Success]. Register {here}!

Resources: Visit our {Blog and Help Center} for detailed information, tutorials, and advice.

Don’t hesitate to reach out to me or my colleagues if you have any questions.

Cheers!

[Your name]

Informing a customer about a renewal opportunity

This email can be sent by an account manager or other employee responsible for renewals. It serves as a reminder but can also help the customer decide to renew if they’ve been on the fence. If there’s any way to create a sense of urgency, go for it.

Here are some subject line ideas to draw from:

Example 1: [Customer name], want to keep using [Your service]? 

Example 2: Your [contract/subscription] is expiring soon

Hi [Customer name],

We’d like to thank you for using our product for the past [year] and hope we’ve made a difference for you. We’ve been excited to help you hit your milestones in [boosting sales, creating greater efficiencies] on your team.

Your contract is expiring in [two weeks] and I wanted to check in with you about next steps. If you’re considering renewing or upgrading your contract with us, I’d be happy to walk you through the details. [If you renew before the end of this week, you can benefit from our one-time discount for existing customers].

Depending on your current needs, we can also schedule a short demo, so you can see the recent improvements we’ve made and how they can be useful to you.

Feel free to schedule a call with me by clicking on {this link} or replying to this email. Looking forward to hearing back from you.

Thanks,

[Your name]

Informing a customer about their contract having expired

This email should be mostly informative, but also make sure the customer knows they can renew their contract.

The subject line could be similar to the renewal opportunity template:

Example 1: [Customer name], want to renew [Your service]? 

Example 2: Your [contract/subscription] has expired, here’s what to do

Hi [Customer name],

Thank you for using our product for the past [year]. Your contract expired on [Date] and you no longer have access to your account.

If you’d like to renew or upgrade your contract, please let me know. We can complete the renewal process in [two business days], restore your access and get you up and running again.

Feel free to book a call with me by clicking on {this link}.

Thanks,

[Your name]

Checking in with a new customer

This email could be part of your account management efforts. Your goal will be to make sure the customer knows how to use the product, is aware of any improvements or new features, and feels that you’re there to answer any questions.

Here are some subject line ideas to draw from:

Example 1: [Customer name], how do you find [Your service] so far?

Example 2: [Customer name], can we help you with anything?

Hi [Customer name],

Hope you’re well. I’m checking in to see if you have any questions or need any help with our product. We’ve added quite a few features lately and I know it might be difficult to keep track of all our releases. I’d be happy to show you the ropes and address any queries you may have.

As a reminder, here’s a {link} to our Knowledge Base where you can find more information about our product and company at any time.

Thanks,

[Your name]

Thanking a customer for positive feedback

If you have customers who go out of their way to tell you how satisfied they are, you should take notice. Respond to their positive feedback enthusiastically and encourage them to share their review with the outside world. If it’s your company’s policy, you can also give out a gift or discount.

Dear [Customer name],

Thank you so much for your feedback, you put a big smile on our faces! Our team is hard at work trying to continuously improve our [product/service] and it’s always rewarding to hear kind words. We love that you love us :)

I don’t mean to impose on you, but if you have some time, could you share your impressions on social media or write a review? We have a presence on {link to review sites} and we’d really appreciate it if you could support us there.

Thanks again 

[Your name]

Asking for customer feedback on a purchase

This is common in both B2B and ecommerce, as you want to make sure that your customer is satisfied with their purchase – and the experience as a whole. Be friendly and give customers a way to provide feedback.

Here are some subject line ideas to draw from:

Example 1: Regarding your recent [purchase/order]

Example 2: [Customer name], is your [purchase/order] to your liking?

Hi [Customer name],

Thank you for your purchase with us. Your order should have arrived by now and we hope everything went well. Feel free to inform us about any delays or problems you might have faced – we want to make sure you’ve had a good experience. [You can reply to this email or contact support@yourcompany.com.]

We have one small favor to ask: could you fill out {this survey} about your purchasing experience? Feedback makes us better and we welcome any concerns or suggestions. If you’re happy with our service, please tell us, too!

You can also share your opinion of us on {review site}.

Thanks for your time and have a great day,

[Your name]

Requesting a customer fill out a CSAT

This email is meant for return customers or customers who have long-term contracts or subscriptions. Your customer success team may have different ways of asking customers to fill out these surveys – sending an email is a good option for mass emails or for offering coupons or other gifts for every completed survey.

Here are some subject line ideas to draw from:

Example 1: [Customer name], do you have advice for us?

Example 2: A [5% discount] for your thoughts

Hi [Customer name],

Hope all is well! You’ve been using our [product/service] for the past [four months] and I’d like to ask if you could provide some feedback on your experience. Meeting our customers’ needs is a priority for us and we always strive to get better at it.

That’s why we’d appreciate it if you could fill out this {survey}. We realize this takes a little time, so we offer a [$10 Amazon coupon/5% discount for the rest of the year/etc.] to all our customers who complete it.

Let me know if you have any questions, I’d be happy to answer them.

Thanks for your time,

[Your name]

Refusing a discount request

This is a tough one. When customers ask for discounts, they have high hopes of getting them. Refusing may have an impact on customer satisfaction, so you need to deliver the news with tact and offer another option (approved by the appropriate person), if you can.

Hi [Customer name],

I’m getting back to you regarding the discount you mentioned in your last email. Unfortunately, we can’t give out a discount on your current plan, as it’s already our best value package.

[But, if you’d like to upgrade your plan to take advantage of more features and licences, we can give you a 15% discount until the end of the year].

Sorry I couldn’t be of more help. Let me know if there’s anything else I can assist you with.

Thanks,

[Your name]

Exploring the possibility of content collaboration

Case studies, interviews with customers, joint webinars or events are good ways to strengthen relationships with existing customers and attract new ones. The emails you’ll send may depend on your level of familiarity with this person. Let’s assume for this template that you’ve never spoken with this person before but you know the topic that they’re experts in.

Here are some subject line ideas to draw from:

Example 1: Question about your insights on [subject matter]

Example 2: Would you be interested in a [joint webinar/content collaboration]?

Hi [Customer name],

I’m [Your name] and I work as [Head of Content] in [your company]. I learned [from Account Manager/Customer success team/by studying your company story] that you have interesting insight on [topic]. I think this a fascinating issue that many people would enjoy reading about.

This gave me the idea of doing an [ebook] where we’ll talk about [topic] and provide advice for other companies. Our team could do the writing based on our research and your insights. This [ebook] would be promoted across both our networks.

What do you think? We can have a call sometime this week to discuss and bounce ideas off each other. 

Looking forward to collaborating with you.

Thanks,

[Your name]

We hope you find these 15 best customer service email templates useful.