Listen to the audio version. 👆
Have you ever gotten an email response from customer service, and you can tell it was a canned response?
It's like they didn’t even read the email. Or maybe it was a bot responding.
Either way, that feels like shit and that is not your vibe - you want better for your customers.
You can have the same time-saving power of canned responses while still making it feel good for customers to correspond with you by creating flexible templates.
WHY IT MATTERS:
Having flexible templates helps you work through your messages faster while keeping the human touch your customers deserve - even on days when you don’t feel like people-ing very much.
WHAT’S NEXT:
Flexible templates vs canned responses
Where you can use flexible templates
When you want to create flexible templates
Your flexible template checklist
Write your flexible templates
Using your flexible templates well
Flexible Templates vs Canned Responses
A canned response is a copy-and-paste job that lacks any personalization to the situation.
A flexible template is a foundation and guide customized to each customer and situation.
Flexible templated responses generally include a few things:
Key information so you don’t have to look it up every time.
Relevant links to avoid having to hunt them down every time.
Prompts for customization and to add pizzazz.
Attachments such as pricing information or service brochures
The overall purpose is to save you time, frustration and to help ensure every customer gets the same value from the correspondence.
This is especially helpful when you aren’t feeling your best and might be tempted to rush things. We all have bad days, but we want to create as much support for ourselves as possible so we don’t let those rough days affect customers.
Where you can use templates
Templates can be used for almost any communication channel. You can create them for email, social media, and even texts.
When to create flexible templates
There are a lot of situations where you might create a flexible template.
The general rule of thumb is that if customers frequently contact you about something, you should probably create a flexible template.
💡Possible Situations | 💡Possible Situations |
When customers ask for more information about specific services or products you offer.
For customers looking to book an appointment or reservation.
Inquiries about your business hours, location, and directions.
Responses to inquiries about current or upcoming promotions or discounts.
When customers ask about how to cancel a service or request a refund.
Customer questions about the availability of products or restocking dates.
Inquiries about special service requests. | When customers send feedback or lodge complaints.
When customers ask about your process.
Questions about loyalty or rewards programs.
Inquiries about safety measures, accessibility features, or accommodations.
When customers reach out asking for donations or sponsorships from your business.
You reaching out to customers for something, such as asking for help resolving a chargeback Help for things that aren’t necessarily your responsibility |
Of course, that doesn’t cover everything, but that gives you a solid idea of where to start.
I do want to dive deeper into the highlighted situation.
Customers often reach out for help with things that aren’t directly your responsibility. While you wouldn’t be wrong to tell them that isn’t your job, it’s a great opportunity to provide good customer service. Of course, there are exceptions to this, but for the most part, help if you can help.
Often, the help you provide that is outside of your responsibility is something you can template. Then, when that situation pops up again, you look like a wizard and have a very grateful customer.
An Example
Let’s say you design and install custom greenhouses for serious gardening hobbyists. You may ask clients to get approval from their HOA if they have one.
That client may reach out asking how to do that. Is that your job? Nope.
But having that information on hand to guide them helps make it easier for them and keeps your process moving faster.
It's one of those things that takes time to do initially, but is worth doing in the long run.
Your flexible template checklist
A well-crafted flexible template will save you a zillion years and make your customers feel respected and appreciated.
Let’s look at often-used key pieces in a flexible template to help make sure yours has everything it needs.
Not every flexible template will utilize everything in the checklist, but it’s a good reference to see if you may have gaps to fill as you create your own.
✅ Your Flexible Template Checklist |
A greeting and space for the customer’s name |
A line that shows appreciation for them reaching out |
A line for empathy/relationship building as needed |
Steps needed to do something (along with any visuals they may need) |
Direct links to relevant information |
Next steps they may need to take |
Heads up for things/situations/problems they may run into next |
When and how to expect a follow-up |
Supporting attachments/links |
Double-check to make sure you didn’t leave a prompt in the email. |
Write your flexible templates
It can feel overwhelming to create your flexible templates.
Here’s how I would suggest tackling it -
Create a doc for your flexible templates.
Make a checklist of flexible template topics on the first page.
You don’t have to think of everything now, just what comes to mind. You’ll continue to build your flexible templates over time as situations come up.
On the next page, add your first flexible template topic name.
Brain-dump the information you think of for that topic.
Then, you can start editing and formatting the email.
Review the flexible template checklist to make sure the template has everything it needs.
You’ll continue to update the templates as you use them and see what can be improved.
🌟 Pro Tip: If you struggle with formatting things to make it easy to navigate, write your draft and then throw it into ChatGPT with this prompt:
Take the email script below and make it easier to read while maintaining the voice and tone.
Then, paste your email after the prompt. You can choose to give additional instructions to ChatGPT, like asking to check for grammar or complex sentences.
Just be careful of letting ChatGPT take away your voice - you still want it to sound like you.
Example flexible template: Mobile Dog Groomer - Cancellation policy for someone who has booked
Hey, [Customer's Name]!
Thanks for reaching out and asking about my cancellation policy. I’m happy to share the details:
Notice Period: I ask that you let me know of any cancellations or rescheduling needs at least 48 hours in advance.
Cancellation Fee: Should a cancellation occur less than 48 hours before your appointment, a cancellation fee of 50% of the service will be applied.
Rescheduling Options: I totally get that unforeseen circumstances can happen. If you need to reschedule, please let me know as soon as possible, and I’ll do my best to accommodate you at the next available slot. You can rebook on this page (embed link)
No-Show Policy: In the event of a no-show without prior notification, I will charge the full service fee.
I noticed you have an appointment on [Date of Appointment]. If you are concerned that you may need to cancel or reschedule, please let me know as soon as possible if there are any changes you need to make. I’ll do my best to be flexible. 😊
If you have any further questions or need help with your appointment, you can respond to this email or feel free to contact me at [where to contact].
Otherwise, I’ll see you at your appointment on [Date].
[Your sign off]
Using Your Flexible Templates Well
As mentioned, templates are meant to be adjusted - not copied, pasted, and sent. Here’s how I would suggest using your flexible templates.
Read the original email and look for things like -
What’s the problem they’re trying to solve?
Is there an underlying problem if you read between the lines?
What’s the tone of the email?
Can you forecast what they may need next?
Pull up the relevant flexible template.
Fill in the relevant spaces such as dates, names, locations, etc
Look for opportunities to edit the template to match tone, remove information that isn’t needed, add empathy, add relevant examples, etc.
Ensure that it’s easy to read, such as appropriate use of line breaks, bolding important information, etc.
Review the full email response and then send it.
THE TAKEAWAY
A lot of customer conversations are on the same topics and situations. Having flexible templates that guide you ensures your customers are taken care of quickly without sacrificing that human connection. Plus, it saves you a lot of time and energy, too.