Write, Chat, and Tweet for Success:

A Special Guide for Customer Service Representatives

As a customer service representative, you’re on the front lines of your company’s efforts to make a good impression on customers and prospective customers. More and more, your job may include not just phone contact, but also written communication such as e-mails, live chat sessions, instant messaging, and social networking tools such as Facebook and Twitter.

This section is dedicated to helping you succeed in your role as a customer service writer.

Take a few minutes to read through it now. Then, stop back often to refresh your skills and catch up on the latest tools and tips.

Three Steps To Stronger “Live Chat” Skills

When engaging in a live chat session, the key is to write well – while still writing quickly.

Here are three steps that can help you chat like a pro:

1. Brush up on your spelling: If your live chat program flags spelling errors as you type, you can avoid many of the most common spelling errors. But your program won’t catch the most common word “mix-ups” – including “its” vs. “it’s” and “there” vs. “their.” To learn more about these, visit the “GoodWrite’s Grammar” page.

2. “Smile” through your writing: Since you can’t be seen or heard by the customer, you need to convey a pleasant mood through your writing. Use phrases such as, “I’ll be happy to help you,” “Yes, I understand that you’re upset; let me try to solve your problem,” and “I will need a moment to look up that information, but I’ll be right back.” And always, always mind your manners, saying “please” and “thank you” at every opportunity.

3. Use proper sentences: Very often, your customers will write to you in casual “texting” style language. Do not imitate their poor habits. Instead, always construct your sentences properly, with appropriate capitalization, punctuation, and grammar.

Proceed to "Anatomy of a Successful Chat"