12 Practical Customer Service Scripts to Ease Your Workflow

How many times have you asked yourself: “Gosh, can’t I just be Bruce Almighty and handle all customers’ requests faster, no fuss, no muss?” Been there, done that. 

Being snowed under with queries, one should either have an elephant memory or be 100% ready for any situation. In the best-case scenario, both options are good. Anyway, a customer service position may not mean being omnipotent, but you know what they say: there is always a way out. 

No, it takes no credit for making carbon-copy answers and calling it a day. What I am saying is that there are worthwhile customer service scripts you could benefit from. So, take your pen (or a laptop, for that matter) – we are about to cover the territory and even take a look at real-life templates.

What are customer service scripts?

Customer service scripts are pre-made scenarios or templates, if you will, you can fall back upon in your support or sales work routine and assist clients much quicker. 

Contrary to a popular belief, they can be used as live chat scripts, saved responses, or email patterns, and not only as call center templates. 

They can become lifesavers at times when you need to reply to a customer in a split second. However, mind your P’s and Q’s. There is a risk of sounding too robotic, showing a lack of empathy for a client, and experiencing a poor customer satisfaction level. 

With that in mind, we’ve generated here a bunch of likely scripts for customer service that happened at least once to you too. There isn’t much, but, hopefully, you will find a suitable option. By the way, we wanted you to get a real-life feeling, so there are even small dialogues between a customer and a service agent in a number of places. 

Prevalent customer service script examples you can’t skip out on

We wish we had this material back in our novice days! As HelpCrunch is no stranger to effective customer communication, we thought these customer service script templates may be an asset to you and your team. Each corresponds to a plausible situation a customer service agent might deal with in their routine.

1. Welcoming a customer

Do you think that greeting and onboarding a customer is no sweat? Think again. At the end of the day, you only get one chance to make the first impression (the second, too! – when a customer comes back). It’s in your best interest to use that chance to the hilt. Choose any of these options to dazzle a client from day one:

Answer #1: Hey there, [customer’s name]! Do you know what the day is today? The day we meet eventually! Thank you for stopping by 😉 What can I assist you with today? I am all ears!

***

Answer #2: Warm greetings [customer’s name]! You made a wise choice contacting our support. What can I help you with today? 😊

***

Answer #3: Welcome back [customer’s name]! How great you come back! Hope you’re doing well. Have you made up your mind concerning [the question a customer had before]? You know what to do 😉

2. You don’t know the answer

Yeah, talk about it. But don’t shoot yourself in the foot for not knowing the answer to a customer’s question. All in all, your task is to lend a helping hand, not to be a quasi superhero here.

Forget about the no-brainer “I don’t know”. We’ve come up with several synonym customer service script samples that could be of use. So, be sincere and say something like this instead:

Answer #1: Kudos to you for such a spot-on question! 🤗 Let me clarify [how this feature works/if we have this in our policy/whether we can provide you a refund] with the team. I’ll get back to you ASAP.

***

Answer #2: Fair enough! Not to give you the wrong idea about [the trial extension, etc.], I will find out that for you and come back with the answer 😌 

***

Answer #3: Oh, I was about to search for it too. So why don’t I look that up now? Be right back! 🤗

3. A customer faces payment issues

If there is a rating with issues customers usually have to deal with, this one will be at the top of my list. And trust me, where there are payment difficulties, customers can get really frustrated. This is when you need to be ahead of the game.  

Not to be clueless once this problem comes out, learn one of these hypothetical customer service scripts and use them to save your precious time:

Customer (C): What the hell? My card isn’t charged and I can’t get access to my account!  

Agent (A): Oh shoot! Give me a second to dive deeper into the issue…Yeah, see, according to your bank information, you have a limit for online payments on your card 😌 I recommend you clarify this with your bank and then try to pay again.

***

C: Do you know you charged me twice/thrice/four times/etc. this week?

A: Indeed, huge thanks you brought this to our attention! 🤗 There was a billing system malfunction two days ago, so it’s our bad. We have already filled in a refund form, so no worries… 

***

C: My PayPal [other payment service provider] wouldn’t process the payment. Can you do something about that? 

A: It drives me mad, but, unfortunately, I can’t get into your PayPal system. However, I know the way out. You should just contact their support and find out the details because the issue happened on their end. I’ll be here waiting for your reply 😌 

4. A certificate/promo code/gift card is broken

Are you familiar with this feeling: you’re applying a coupon on the website to enjoy your coveted discount…and it’s not working! Well, this is lame. 

Just put yourself in the shoes of your customer who might experience the same. Your actions? Keep calm and explain the situation as is. Besides, if you see that a promo code a user is trying to apply is invalid, don’t sugarcoat. So, follow my lead:

C: What a pickle, I can’t apply my promo code on your website. Please help me! 

A: This is [your name], your personal customer care manager. I am on it…Looks like your promo code is already expired 😕No worries! Here is a one-time code you can use and get an additional X%. Enjoy!

*** 

C: I saw you guys have this festive discount. Here is my coupon from the previous year, and I want to use it now. 

A: Oops! It looks like your old promo code can not be applied this year, as it’s no longer active. Why don’t you take our valid coupon? 😌 This time, we have an even bigger offer…

5. A client deals with account problems

You are lucky if a client who faces account issues is good-natured. The rule of thumb is that when such a scenario breaks out, any customer is going through the roof, slowly but surely. A customer service script template wouldn’t hurt here. 

Yeah, the reasons for that are miscellaneous. But it’s possible to predict at least some of them. Without further ado, there are several options of how your answer could look like. We were trying to make them as realistic as possible. Take a good note!

C: I can’t log into my account. And this is not for the first time!

A: If I were you, I would be outraged, too! But luckily, we have an action plan for that 🤗 There is a list of instructions you can follow. In case any of them doesn’t work, just drop me a line. I’ll be here waiting!

*** 

C: My [order/real-time reports/etc.] doesn’t show in my account. Is it a problem on your end, or am I doing something wrong?     

A: Thank you for informing us about this issue! As a matter of fact, this looks like we have some mishaps. Let me get my team on it. As soon as I find the reason, I will come back to you 🤗 

6. Transferring a client 

Raise your hand (or show me the person) who enjoys hearing or reading these lines: “I can’t help you, so I am transferring you to another team. Please hold”. 

No, there is nothing wrong with transferring a customer to provide better assistance. The trick is in how you say it. Below, you will find three customer service scripts examples that show how to forward a client to the right colleague without sounding too robotic and vague: 

Answer #1: Thanks a lot for contacting us! 😌 I suppose the best way to resolve your issue would be to reach to my colleagues [points to the right department in the chat/provides phone and email].

*** 

Answer #2: I really want to be cognizant of your time. Do you mind if we take it to a phone call? I guess this will be much faster for that matter.

7. Dealing with an angry customer

Angry customers are a huge challenge for a customer support rep. Seriously, though, one should have the guts and proficiency to be able to stand up to such a clientele. 

Before we cut to the chase here, make sure you wrote these gold-worthy pro tips on how to handle these customers:

• Show sympathy, even if you think a customer doesn’t deserve that. Use some simple phrases such as “I understand your situation” or “We are totally doing our best to rectify a problem”. They can help a customer realize you’re on the same team. 
• Take responsibility for your client’s discontent and just tell them you’re going the extra mile. Being brave and signaling a client you are the person they can rely on can make half the battle.
• Get everyone and everything ready to fix the issue. Better yet, be proactive and anticipate possible failures a customer can face. 

Now, it’s time we talked real stuff. Comb through these theoretical customer service scripts and find your best response:

C: I am utterly pissed off by how your system is working! Do something about it ASAP!!

A: Hey there, thank you for informing me. Let’s discuss what has happened, and I am sure we will find the root cause faster together.

***

C: You are keeping me waiting, and I am sick and tired of it! Are you guys snails?!

A: Hello [customer’s name]! I see what you mean like a few others. But let me assure you that we are having our best specialists on this to deliver the solution to you quicker. While you’re waiting, please, take a look at [our active discounts/ loyalty program/etc.] 😌

***

C: How on Earth was I supposed to know you didn’t have that stated in your policy??! 

A: Hi [customer’s name]! I totally understand your frustration. Right now we are reorganizing our system and I will personally make sure all the information gets reviewed. Would you like to receive early access to our new features? You would be the first to test them! 😌 We value your opinion.  

8. Negative product/service review

Let’s face it: there is no ideal product/service. You can look for it, but I am more than sure you won’t find any (well, maybe in your boldest dreams). 

Yes, your “creation” may be picture-perfect for you, but it can’t be 100% perfect for your customers. That’s why you’re bound to read some not-so-happy reviews from time to time. And you gotta deal with it, willing or not.

Here, some support team training would do well. Iterate customer dialogues, analyze them with your stuff, or even consider special workshops. You and your squad have to be prepared and react to hard-hitting reviews online at a good hour.

I asked our HelpCrunch customer success team for advice, and they suggested these insightful customer service script examples (aka possible answers) you could leverage in your workflow down the road:

Answer #1: Hi [customer’s name]! Thank you a lot for your honest feedback. We are so deeply and genuinely sorry about such an experience you had with our company. 

We did experience some issues at the time. And even though we tried to fix them as soon as possible, your frustration was deserved and perfectly understandable. If there’s anything we can do for you, I’d be more than happy to work something out!

***

Answer #2: Hello [customer’s name]! We appreciate your unbiased feedback 🤗 We’re normally known for our exceptional attention to detail, and we regret that we missed the mark. If you feel like we could escalate this over phone or email, here is my contact information.

***

Answer #3: Hi [customer’s name]! There are no words to express we are deeply sorry for your recent experience 😢Our customers know that we are committed to excellent service and the greatest results. I would really appreciate it if you provide us with more detail, so we can investigate the situation and make it right. Please reach us at… 

9. A customer would like a refund (but you’d rather not provide that)

Picture this. A customer has noticed this critical bug and requires their money back. Well, this one needs a top performance. 

The odds are, a customer support agent would just agree with a client and give them a refund. But you should stand to your guns! 

No, I am not implying here on offering a freebie right off the bat. What I am saying is that you can make a smart move and try to turn the situation around. Check these customer service scripts to see what I am talking about:

C: I don’t want to use your service any further. Please give me a refund. 

A: Hello [customer’s name]! Huge thanks for using our product for this long 🤗 You can’t imagine how valuable this is to us. How about we put a freeze on your account, so you can get back to it any moment? You know, sometimes it’s better to step back for a while. 

***

C: I was waiting for this feature to be rolled out far too long. I need a refund.
A: Hi [customer’s name]! We are carried away by your endurance! 🤗The whole team was waiting for it as well and was burning the candle on both ends to deliver the feature. And the day has come! We are about to release it any day now, so if I were you, I would wait just a little longer (it’s worth it!) Now, you can fill out this form and tell us what functionality you want to see next!

10. A company’s system went down unexpectedly

Nobody is immune to an abrupt system malfunction. You should always keep your finger on the pulse. When something goes south, be able to explain and warn the customer in the most positive way possible.

By the way, this is exactly the scenario where you can say “sorry for the inconvenience” but without actually pronouncing these words (c’mon, enrich your repertoire!). 

To save you heaps of time, here are some purely theoretical customer service scripts you can use to fill your clients in on the company’s system outage. Change them by your preference, add personalization, or keep them as they are:

Answer #1: Hello [customer’s name]! Some of our clients are facing a problem right now. But not to worry! 🙂 We are aware of the issue and working on it urgently. [List of applicable workarounds]. We are really sorry to be holding you up! As soon as the issue is fixed, we will let you know the first thing. 

***

Answer #2: Hi [customer’s name]! Just wanted to give you a little notice that our system went down out of the blue (must be the weather). But there is no need to be in a stew. Our best guys are already on it. Once we get everything up and running, we will get back to you 💪

***

Answer #3: Hi [customer’s name]! I am writing to let you know that our system is facing a little turbulence right now 😢 Though, the “pilots” (aka engineer and operation teams) are going all out on fixing it ASAP. We are really sorry for the inconvenience.  

11. You’re way off the mark

Well, no matter how you want to be always right, there can be times when you should swallow your pride. 

Even saying these words – “I was wrong, sorry” – must be a challenge. So sticking your head in the sand is not an option. Just step up, explaining everything to your clients. Trust me, this way they will become even more loyal to you. 

This is when our sample customer service script enters the game. Again, there are two possible variations of your answers. Feel free to choose just one or mix them together – it’s up to you.

Answer #1: Hello [customer’s name]. This is [your name] from [company]. I am writing to apologize for [the system outage/my colleague’s behavior/wrong receipt/etc.] We are all humans, and, as you know, to err is human. We learned a lot from these challenges and already working on their future prevention 🥺 Thank you for being our loyal customer!

***

Answer #2: Hello [customer’s name]. This is [your name] with [company]. You must be surprised by receiving this letter from us, but we thought this must be the right thing to do. Concerning the past events [explain the issues] our entire team extends their sincerest apologies 😢 That wasn’t right. We are always striving for improvement, so be sure we have already walked away with our conclusion. In the meantime, we hope you have a wonderful day! 

 12. A customer asks to violate the company’s policy

Let’s be honest. Any time you tell a customer no to their requests to bend the company’s rules or policy, you feel not quite the thing, don’t you? In psychology, there is a condition called the inner ‘chimp’. In other words, it’s our limbic system that is the center of emotions.

When information reaches the brain, it gets to the chimp first. When you see something you want, yes comes first. Yes is louder. No is a distant second.

The Guardian

So, maybe it’s wiser to free that chimp and let it say no? Below, you will find effective customer service scripts you can use with a customer every time they want you to bend the company’s rules. There is only positive language and a thorough explanation of why you can’t do what they ask for.  

Answer #1: As much as we like fulfilling our clients’ requests, I am afraid our policy doesn’t allow for that 🥺 Perhaps, you wouldn’t mind me looking for an alternative for you? 

***

Answer #2: Don’t get me wrong, but the policy we have in place is too important as it directly depends on [our coworkers/our clients’ comfort/etc.]. But to make your experience with our brand more pleasing, I would like to offer you [say what you would like to provide] 💁‍♀️  

Wrap it up

Last but not least would be my sincere recommendation: do not sound too robotic and ‘script-like‘. Sure, I hope these customer service scripts will do the trick when you need them. Add a pinch of your creativity and personalization. But always rely on the context of the conversation. It is what counts more.

By the way, why don’t you put knowledge into practice right away? Create a free account with HelpCrunch to take your customer communication up a notch. Set up a few scripts and see how your customers react to them.