Broad-based business writing training with a focus on customer support.

Customer Service Writing Course

Available for groups as a self-paced online course, instructor-led virtual or instructor-led onsite training, and for individuals as a self-paced online course.

Download the Outline

Learn exactly how we structure this course to help you or your team quickly become a better customer service writer in weeks.

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So much of customer service is written. Emails, support tickets, knowledge base articles, etc. It’s all in writing. Customer support writing requirements are unique because both clear information that resolves a problem and a caring tone are needed.

The ability to write support requisite documents well — and an understanding of how to craft any document — results in happy clientele who not only stick around but share their positive experience with others, bringing in new revenue.

This course teaches participants to write these requisite customer support documents more effectively and in less time. This means more satisfied, retained customers.

It also teaches the optimal process for writing any support document that conveys a clear message, using a competent and empathetic tone.

Participants receive detailed, individual written feedback on their actual writing.

INDIVIDUALS

$645

Online self-paced course available for individuals. Sign up today and start learning how to improve your overall customer service writing.

GROUPS

Online self-paced courses and instructor-led virtual and onsite training can all be customized to match your needs. Group discounts apply.

Participants in our Customer Service Writing Course will be able to:

  • Leave customers feeling good about the interaction while solving the problem.

  • Write customer service emails and documents that elicit the business response you seek.

  • Generate and organize ideas effectively, thus saving time and effort.

  • Understand appropriate language and content for audience needs.

  • Eliminate bloat.

  • Write clear, succinct customer support messages.

Customer Service Writing Certificate

Course Certificate

After completing the course, you will earn a personalized certificate. You can display your certificate in the certification section of your LinkedIn profile, download it to print, or mention it in your résumé.

Individual written feedback for every student

In this course, you will also get individual feedback from the instructor. To truly improve your customer service writing skills, you need both course instruction and feedback on your actual writing.

During the online self-paced course, you will apply what you are learning in a series of writing exercises. These tasks are designed to reinforce what you are learning in that section of the course. Additionally, after submitting these customer support writing exercises, you will receive detailed written feedback from your instructor.

Objective feedback:

  • Does the message have a clear purpose and objective?
  • Is the message based fully on the customer perspective?
  • Does the customer have all the content needed (and none that is not needed) to achieve the objective of the document?

Subjective feedback:

  • Is your tone too blunt or too timid?
  • Are your word choices clear and strong?
  • Can you cut any unnecessary words?
  • Is your writing polite and engaging?

Instructor-led group feedback

Onsite training, shown on the left, is highly interactive, with many individual, peer, and group activities where participants will receive feedback.

Groups work together to deconstruct documents, break down individual writing concerns, plan an upcoming document, and more.

After onsite training concludes, participants can submit a recent document to receive even more personalized feedback from their instructor.

Instructor-led virtual interaction

Virtual training also allows for highly engaging instruction, exercises, and discussion.

Learners complete activities in breakout rooms, break down documents individually, and are encouraged to participate in lively conversations and ask questions.

After virtual training concludes, participants can submit a recent document to receive even more individual feedback from their instructor on their actual writing.

Learn more about our instructor-led training.

Our clients' feedback

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This is I think the most helpful soft skills corporate training I've ever taken (and I've taken many). The combination of videos, material to read, and very importantly instructor-reviewed exercises is a powerful one. Also, it's rare for me to walk away from a soft skills training with such clear and helpful tools for after the training, so well done!

Vice President and Team Lead
Morgan Stanley
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My instructor was so helpful and her detailed comments about my writing exercises helped me see where my writing can have more impact.

Sales Representative
FedEx
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I manage 40 remote people, so nearly all communication occurs via email. Already, I’ve seen a big improvement in communication.

Manager
Aramark Corporation
customer service team writing at computers

In this comprehensive writing course you will learn:

  • Use the optimal process to write any customer support document well.
  • Write in clear, direct sentences without meaningless jargon or bloat.
  • Begin and end messages effectively.
  • Match appropriate information to customer needs.
  • Emote a professional, empathetic tone to defuse customers who are angry or frustrated.

What is included in this course?

This customer service writing course is split into several detailed sections.

Getting Started

An Introduction and Self-Assessment

This section outlines the necessary foundation for writing better customer support content and the process.

Share specific learning goals that you want to achieve by the end of the course. 

Lesson 1

6 Steps to Effective Customer Support Writing

Learn the optimal business writing process that enables to you write any customer-facing document with skill and efficiency. 

You will be able to create better structure while understanding the importance of reader focus, united purpose, and empathy.

Lesson 2

It’s Not “Ready, Fire, Aim”

Learn to break through blocks and write more efficiently.

Lesson 3

How to Deliver Bad News Effectively

This lesson exemplifies the application of the optimal 6-Step Process to a challenging internal email. We help you master the skills and strategies required to deliver bad news.

You'll learn how to apply our process to any challenging customer service communication.

 
Lesson 4

Customer Service Email and Support Ticket Basics

Write messages that are easy to understand and act upon. Understand how to craft engaging openings and how to use closings effectively.

This lesson also addresses the challenge of managing a high volume of customer support emails/tickets. 

Lesson 5

Customer Service Writing Special Considerations

Learn the special characteristics of customer service writing, such as using reader-focused, empathetic, positive wording.

Knowledge base articles are also likely a key component of your role, whether you write them yourself or integrate them into your replies, and this lesson will explain how to do both.

Lesson 6

Examples by Industry

Customer service writing is always contextual, not formulaic. We outline industry-based examples to use as scaffolding to help you write stronger customer service emails and responses, not templates to copy and paste.

Lesson 7

Format for Easy Reading

In this lesson, we share the best techniques that allow a reader to scan your message, quickly absorbing the value of your information.

Additionally, learn how to present images and graphics appropriately.

Lesson 8

Clarity

Clear writing evokes trust and respect. Clear writing makes the complex easy to understand.

In this section, learn techniques to cut bloat and jargon so your writing is vibrant, direct, and engaging.

Lesson 9

Empathetic Tone

Sharpen your active voice, learn reader focus techniques, use kind and inclusive language, and project an empathic tone that assures your readers you care about them.

Present yourself as a knowledgeable and caring professional. And, write with a balanced, conversation tone that engenders trust with your reader. 

Lesson 10

Grammar and Tools

Identify your particular grammar and punctuation errors, and learn tactics to avoid these embarrassing mistakes.

We also provide recommended tools that will ensure your writing is correct and professional. 

View the Full Course Outline

Key skills you will learn in this course:

  • Ability to craft well-written documents even to the most upset audience.
  • Identify and correct your individual grammar errors.
  • Significantly reduce time spent writing.
  • Include well-organized, relevant content that is sequenced and formatted to help busy readers.
  • Organize and format text for easy reader scan and clarity.
  • Use clear, direct sentences with no meaningless jargon.
  • Project empathy and competence to your clientele.
  • Write to elicit the right action.
  • Use recommended tools to improve tone, grammar, and readability.
  • Understand appropriate language and content for audience needs.

Includes individual feedback on your writing

This course includes award-winning instructor coaching and feedback and ongoing support.

Customer Service Writing Training Instructors

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Elisabeth O'Quinn

Elisabeth has a unique combination of business and business writing acumen, with extensive background in writing, editing, and content marketing management.

She has supported a variety of businesses, writing blog articles, reports, presentations, and editing business documents. She has supported many of our clients with rave reviews of her writing feedback.

Elisabeth lives in Georgia with her cat and rescue pup. In addition to writing, she loves traveling with her twin sister, learning German, and creating watercolor prints. 
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Grace Cuddy

Grace supports Instructional Solutions' online courses and also works with individuals and groups from several multinational companies across Europe as a business writing coach.

She is bilingual in English and Spanish and has traveled extensively, providing a keen sensitivity to global writing. She has a strong background in corporate communication and management and successfully developed cross-functional writing and communication processes in a large corporate team. She is also a successful blogger and has received rave reviews from her writing critiques and coaching for our work with DuPont, Liberty Mutual, and many other groups. 

She is bilingual in English and Spanish. She enjoys yoga, travel, and dance. She splits her time between New York City and Madrid.

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Bailey Lang

Bailey is a professional writer, editor, and accountability coach with more than a decade of experience. 

She began her career in marketing communications for a global HR outsourcing company before taking a detour into academia. She earned her MA in rhetoric and writing at the University of Findlay and then completed her Ph.D. in rhetoric and writing studies at Bowling Green State University. Along the way, she wrote and published a book, numerous peer-reviewed journal articles, and more. 

When she’s not writing or editing, you'll find her reading, hiking, or knitting. 

Katie Almeida Spencer
Katie Almeida Spencer

Katie is very skilled at evaluating both the substance and language of business documents. Her writing critiques, instruction, and coaching have received stellar evaluations from our clients at Chartis Consulting, DuPont, Shell, Southern Middlesex Opportunity Council, and the World Wildlife Fund. She teaches Business and Academic Writing at the University of Massachusetts Boston.

She holds a B.A. in Journalism from the University of Rhode Island and an M.A. in Applied Linguistics from the University of Massachusetts. Her areas of expertise include business writing and technical report writing, as well as non-native writing and linguistics.

Katie lives in Rhode Island with her husband, toddler, and very old dog. When not teaching or creating courses, she can be found doing something (anything!) outside with her little family.

Become a better customer service writer.

Sign up today or schedule a discussion to become a stronger customer service writer.

INDIVIDUALS

$645

Sign up today and start learning how to become a better customer support writer.

GROUPS

We offer customized online, virtual, and onsite courses, workshops, and trainings that match your organization's needs.