Easy-to-use help desk scripts for growing businesses

What are help desk scripts?

If you've recently implemented a customer service team or system or are seeking improvement in an existing system, consider implementing help desk scripts. 

But what are they? What do they contribute to? How can they help? What should it include?

We can quickly answer each of those questions and more.

First, what are help desk scripts? Simply put, they are singular or sets of responses or instructions created before an interaction to guide customer support staff as they address popular or joint issues and requests. Help desk scripts are an excellent option for several reasons, including streamlining support processes, enhancing efficiencies, and maintaining standards in customer interactions.

While the scripts are often built around a structure, their use can vary in style, tone, and execution. A script can be implemented for everything from basic problem-solving to addressing more complex issues, offering consistency and confidence to support staff. Scripts can be as broad or as brief as needed and often include detailed instructions on troubleshooting, explanations of common issues, and responses to frequently asked questions. Through these efforts, a company or brand can ensure that their staff delivers reliable customer experiences, even as the volume fluctuates.

Why are help desk scripts necessary?

As discussed above, help desk scripts are often created to offer consistency and accuracy throughout the entire Customer Support/Help Desk process. Both are major factors in brand loyalty, customer retention, public approval, and overall profit growth, so any step toward maintaining them is a move in the right direction. Scripts remove unwanted variables from customer interactions, such as bias, opinion-based statements, and lack of knowledge.

Customers develop a sense of trust with support staff, knowing that if they have an issue/request/complaint and follow the necessary steps, they can expect a response in a timely fashion. They may also grow to expect a specific format, voice, or tone from each response they interact with.

Along these same lines, customers always look for and appreciate accuracy. You can quickly and easily eliminate 99% of the risk of errors and miscommunications through scripts. With a pre-written, pre-vetted, pre-approved script, a review process helps ensure messaging is on-point, informative, engaging, and, above all, accurate time after time. Once again, effective and reliable communications are key to gaining, maintaining, and increasing customer satisfaction.

Help desk scripts carry a significant amount of importance internally as well. When properly integrated into a customer support system or routine, they elevate efficiency and become a valuable tool for time management. Scripts keep support staff members on task, avoiding long, unnecessary customer interactions, lags, or task reassignments. With a help desk script, a call or email may come in, it is quickly segmented based on the issue, and then a relevant response (tested and approved as effective) is automatically given or sent.

Operationally, a customer query response system built around proven help scripts can also drastically positively change timelines. For starters, when it comes to training staff, rather than needing to create a broad team of experts or subject matter silos, you simply need to train employees on how to use the scripts — whether that means reading, deploying, or managing responses. With faster and less onboarding required, a staff can be quickly built, trained, and implemented.

So, now we've covered not only what help desk scripts are and why they are important, — but we can move on to how those scripts are created, what they consist of, and other FAQs.

The keys to crafting effective help desk scripts

The contents of a help desk script are highly subjective, based on your industry, customer support setup, and the needs/requests of customers. Your business may not use direct phone line support and rely only on a web portal; other times, customers may only contact support staff through text or social media. This also extends to the channels through which responses may be delivered, including text, direct message, email, phone call, and more.

Regardless of the form that a help desk script takes or the channel that it employs, there are key elements that every script should have. These characteristics ensure the effectiveness and potential success of each customer interaction. A help desk script should always.

Make the customer feel heard: A customer's request can span almost anything relating to your product, service, or business model, but they all share one universal trait — the sender wants to be acknowledged by the recipient. While resolving an issue may seem trivial, cumbersome, or time-consuming, it is important to remember that each filed request was made by someone who has taken the time and spent their money to invest in a company or brand on some level. From buying a product to subscribing to a service, they expect that what they are engaged with will work or function properly, and when it doesn’t, they expect to be given some attention to resolve the issue. Every communication that goes out to the public should have a tone that makes a person feel that their request has been heard or will be heard. This can be achieved through a welcoming voice and tone, by providing optics into timelines and processes, or through follow-ups and check-ins.

Address concerns: At the core of any customer support interaction is a request or complaint, and so, at the center of every help desk script should be a direct address of the concerns communicated. Unlike other scripts, the goal of a help desk script is not a lead, a sale, or a push — it is a resolution. When a ticket is submitted, a response needs to contain

A direct resolution providing either steps that need to be taken by a customer on their end or an explanation of the steps taken/having taken by employees throughout the company to resolve the issue.

A direct response explaining the need to escalate the issue. Suppose the contacted party cannot resolve a problem and employs a script response. In that case, it needs to include the reason for the escalation, the new responsible party's information, and any relevant contact information, tracking, or insights you can provide.

Regardless of which category a script falls into, it must acknowledge and, to the best of its abilities, resolve any of the originally communicated concerns.

Make the customer feel heard

A customer's request can span almost anything relating to your product, service, or business model, but they all share one universal trait — the sender wants to be acknowledged by the recipient. While resolving an issue may seem trivial, cumbersome, or time-consuming, it is important to remember that each filed request was made by someone who has taken the time and spent their money to invest in a company or brand on some level. From buying a product to subscribing to a service, they expect that what they engaged with will work or function properly, and when it doesn’t, they expect to be given some attention to resolve the issue.

Every communication that goes out to the public should have a tone that makes a person feel that their request has been heard or will be heard. This can be achieved through a welcoming voice and tone, by providing insights into timelines and processes, or through follow-ups and check-ins.

Address concerns

At the core of any customer support interaction is a request or complaint, and so, at the center of every help desk script should be a direct address of the concerns communicated. Unlike other scripts, the goal of a help desk script is not a lead, a sale, or a push — it is a resolution.

When a ticket is submitted, a response needs to contain:

• A direct resolution provides either steps that need to be taken by a customer on their end or an explanation of the steps taking place/having taken place by employees throughout the company to resolve the issue.

• A direct response explaining the need to escalate the issue. Suppose the contacted party cannot resolve a problem and employs a script response. In that case, it needs to include the reason for the escalation, the new responsible party's information, and any relevant contact information, tracking, or insight you can provide.

Regardless of which category a script falls into, it must acknowledge and resolve any of the originally communicated concerns to the best of its abilities.

Supply effective communication

Both of the above cannot occur unless scripts are well-written. Wordy, confusing, or long-winded scripts deter the customer, increase the risk of resolution failure, and do more harm than good.

In simple terms, Help desk scripts must be well-written.

However, they are being digested and engaged with by the client, the instructions for the next steps should be clear, the language should be approachable, and the content should be reviewed for grammatical and spelling errors. There’s no room for confusion when it comes to help desk scripts.

Ensure follow-up assistance as needed

The job of the help desk script isn’t over once an issue has been resolved. There is still one more step that should consistently be implemented whenever possible. That is the follow-up with additional contact or assistance details. Providing this information sets customers up for success, allowing them to reach back out through a direct channel if the same or similar issue arises again, rather than having to start the entire system repeatedly to refile or re-submit a question, comment, or concern.

If a help desk script can ensure that it offers each of the following key principles, it has a greater chance of achieving a high success rate or customer rating. 

Help desk script examples:

Below, we've compiled a quick set of examples you might encounter or consider when it comes to help desk scripts.

Greet the customer

Each script should begin with a greeting to offer a warmer, more human touch to the process. While your system may not be built around AI and rely on real CS Staff, interactions must mimic real conversational patterns when possible.

Here’s an example:

“Hello, thank you for contacting [company]. What can I help you with today?”

[Freshworks note: An illustrated image might be useful here to describe the script and the scenario]

Troubleshooting

If a customer is experiencing an issue rather than simply voicing a complaint, troubleshooting may be necessary. In these instances, you’ll want to alert the customer that this is taking place and that you will need them to communicate, in some way, the steps they took prior to the issue occurring.

For example, you might say:

”I understand you are having an issue — could you please walk me through the steps leading up to it so we can begin to troubleshoot?”

[Freshworks note: An illustrated image might be helpful here to describe the script and the scenario]

Requesting information

An initial request may lack sufficient details for it to be resolved immediately or for it to be passed along to the correct party. In those instances, more information must be gathered from the customer/requestor.

Here’s an example of such a prompt:

“To ensure your issue is resolved correctly and to the fullest extent, we will need more information. Would you be able to confirm the following email address is the primary account for this application: [EMAIL ADDRESS]”

[Freshworks note: An illustrated image might be useful here to describe the script and the scenario]

Dealing with upset customers

Customer support can, at times, be stressful for both the representative responsible for resolution as well as the customer who may be overwhelmed, confused, or agitated. When this occurs, a script that presents an understanding, calm, reassuring tone with approachable language is necessary.

Here’s an example:

‘I understand this can be a difficult situation to navigate, but please know I am here to help and am committed to helping you find a resolution.”

Transferring customers

When an issue is outside the abilities or scope of a staff member, it may be necessary to pass along or escalate the request. This can be frustrating for many customers if not handled correctly, so choosing a well-worded script can help avoid that.

Here’s an example of what one could say:

“I appreciate your patience today. At this time I think the best step forward would be to have our Technical Support Experts come offer insights on how best to resolve this issue. I am forwarding your original request and our entire conversation to them now so they can pick up right where we left off. They will continue to assist you, and you can reference this ticket as needed, I will be sure to follow up as well.

[Freshworks note: An illustrated image might be useful here to describe the script and the scenario]

Gathering feedback

In order to adjust and refine the customer support system or process, it is essential to gather feedback regarding customer interactions, responses, and satisfaction. You may only need to request a quick survey; other times, you may need to transfer a customer to another line or channel, or you may simply request feedback by way of reply.

Here’s an example of how a script may request feedback:

“I am glad I could assist you in resolving your issue today, if you have a moment I would appreciate it if you could fill out the survey below — your feedback helps us ensure we are doing our best to help customers.”

Concluding the call

Just as important as the initial greeting, a proper close to a help desk script can ensure your final impression is a good one. It can be as short or as long as you feel is needed to convey sincerity; it may also be branded or business-focused if that better aligns with your support goals.

Here’s an example of a positive closing:

“Once again, thank you for choosing [COMPANY], if you have any further issues please do not hesitate to reach out.

Have a good day.”

[Freshworks note: An illustrated image might be useful here to describe the script and the scenario]

What if you don't know how to help?

If your customer support system is built around and driven by real, boots-on-the-ground support staff, you may have to develop a script for when a stalemate or dead-end occurs in the support process. At this time, you would want to let the customer know you’ve reached the end of your knowledge base and will be escalating, flagging, or pushing their issue along to a party you feel may offer a resolution—or a better step toward finding a resolution.

For example:

‘Thank you for your patience, unfortunately, at this time having run the tests at my disposal I am unable to resolve this issue on my own. However, I can forward your ticket to our Advanced Troubleshooting Group and flag it as a priority. They will reach out soon and hopefully be able to find a solution for you.

I apologize for that inconvenience, and I am sending the ticket along now.

In the meantime I am happy to help with any other issues you may be experiencing.”

A script for angry customers

Having support agents dealing with angry customers can be a really challenging task. While your support team can use templates, it’s one of the most challenging situations for support agents.

Note: Script templates for any type of “angry customer” scenario should be heavily customized by your team. Utilizing your agent’s name, personalization, and acknowledging the situation.

Here’s an example of an angry customer script:

“I apologize that you’re experiencing difficulty with [THE SITUATION]. My name is [AGENT NAME] and I’m here to provide further assistance to get this resolved. I may need to ask for your phone number or other account information to pull up information for you. Is that okay? Let me look into what’s going on here and if I need to, would it be okay if I get in touch with other customer service agents and put you on a brief hold?"

Enhancing support scripts for team members

If you’re thinking about what other things can get included in your scripts for team members, consider some of the following:

• Basic but personalized information like your company name and your agents' name.

• A note about whether new customers are calling or existing customers and utilizing certain scripts for each.

• A reference or email to certain self-help support articles or other troubleshooting steps that can be immediately included in emails sent by support agents.

• Internal knowledge base articles that can get sent after the call is complete.

• Upselling opportunities in the event that happy callers are calling into the service desk.

Take a quick look at the help desk features

Maximize agents’ performance with effective scripts

Here are some benefits of incorporating help desk scripts for support agents:

• Consistency: The ability for your team to follow scripts makes sure that all of your help desk agents are saying the right things at the right time.

• Accuracy: Being able to know when and how to respond to certain events and situations can help your agents drive success.

• Improving your overall delivery: Having a script to follow can ensure that whenever solutions get resolved using particular scripts, they can get used again. Creating a positive feedback loop for your agents.

• Giving your team empowerment: Making sure that you know when and how to answer certain questions can empower your teams to do the best possible work (you’re giving them your full support through scripts you know work).

Can help desk scripts be automated for specific scenarios?

Yes, automation is a popular option not only for the creation of help desk scripts but also for their implementation, especially in identifying specific scenarios. Whether through an automated response system or a series of chatbots, technology can handle routine and repetitive tasks, as well as mine for answers to more complex issues that apply to your customers' unique needs. 

This allows staff to focus on issues requiring human-to-human nuance, complexities, or multi-member solutions.

Here's how a business might implement an automated system to handle specific scenarios:

Identify:

• Compile a database of your unique customers’ most common scenarios, inquiries, and requests. From this, develop scripted responses that clearly, directly, and accurately address these specific needs.

Integrate:

• Put the scripts you've created into action by employing a chatbot plug-in or automated intelligence software to provide a predetermined response to the specific scenario.

Engage:

• You may also use AI to generate custom help desk scripts for your business to handle the specific requests you segmented earlier. Through analytics and collected data, these can be continuously refined to achieve the highest levels of customer satisfaction and approval.

Using automation to create, perfect, and implement help desk scripts not only ensures efficiency through timely responses and follow-ups, but also guarantees that no matter how unique your customer base may be, an accurate, consistent response will be given to their specific question/issue.

What are some things to avoid when developing a help desk script for your business?

We’ve covered the do’s when it comes to help desk scripts  — how best to build, refine, and optimize them, but there are also many traits and elements to avoid. Below are five important items to consider, and avoid, whenever creating help desk scripts for your support staff.

1. Complex Language:

Overly technical or complex language can deter or discourage customers. They may feel confused, talked down to, or unheard — which leads to frustration and poor satisfaction rates.

2. Lack of Personalization:

Generic scripts don’t carry nearly as much customer appeal as those that have been built to include personalization when possible. Customers may be quick to dismiss an interaction that feels cold or impersonal.

3. Lack of Feedback Implementation:

The end goal of collecting feedback is its implementation, and when companies fail to incorporate it, they turn a blind eye to the needs, wants, and preferences of the customer.

4. Stale Content:

Businesses, products, and services change — and when they do, the content they provide to customers should as well. This includes support resources, which, if seen as stagnant or old by customers, may not be trusted, consulted, or actively engaged with.

5. No Flexibility:

Overly rigid scripts can often cause issues when it comes to addressing customer concerns. The goal of a script is certainly to provide guidance, support, and insight, but they should have elements designed to be adjusted or to adapt for unique contexts.