Customer service script templates for phone and chat

Customer service script templates for phone and chat in one flow: open, verify, understand, solve or route, confirm, close. Eight core scripts with triage fields and what never to promise, plus ten ready-to-copy scripts for the hard moments: an angry customer, saying no, a billing error, a late order, a chat that goes quiet, a voicemail and the follow-up. A filled example, Word and an Excel contact log with a QA scorecard.

1. Opening and greeting: the first lines on phone and chat

Every customer service script template on this page follows the same six steps, on the phone and in chat. Each tab lists its triage fields: severity, impact, channel, owner, first response and escalation. Log them for every contact (tab 8).

The flow in every script

  1. OpenYour name, the company, an offer to help.
  2. VerifyTwo facts before any account detail. Tab 2.
  3. UnderstandAsk, then recap in one sentence. Tab 3.
  4. Solve or routeFix it, or pass it on with a summary. Tabs 4 to 7.
  5. ConfirmThe next step, who and when, and a yes. Tab 8.
  6. CloseThank them, end, log. Tab 8.

Phone: answer the callThank you for calling company, this is your name. How can I help you today?

Phone: before you verifyThank you, first name. I can help with that. First I need to check two details.

Chat: first replyHi first name, your name here from company. Thanks for your message about topic. I am looking at it now.

Chat: taken over from the AI agentHi first name, your name here from the company team. I have read your chat with our assistant, so you do not need to repeat anything.

Phone: you call the customerHi first name, this is your name from company, calling about your chat or call on day. Is now a good time?

Never promiseA wait time or a fix before you know the issue. Promise only what you will do next.

For small sales and support teams

Take chats from the AI agent and keep every callback promise.

The AI agent answers on your website 24/7 and hands chats to your team in Live Support. Saved replies hold your script lines; each promised callback becomes a task with an Assignee and a Deadline.

  • Human handover in Live Support: Claim, Resolve
  • Saved replies with a slash shortcut on Growth
  • Launch, $19 a month billed yearly for 8 users

Free plan: 3 users, AI chat and basic tasks, no credit card.

Filled example

Filled example: an evening chat, a morning callback, one log row

A customer service script example from start to finish: a chat that ends with a promised callback, the phone call that keeps the promise, and the log row. Alderbank Fiber is a fictional small internet provider.

Alderbank FiberFictional company and customer
CustomerHi, my internet keeps dropping in the evenings, 5 or 6 times a night since Saturday. I have a client video call on Thursday at 9.
AI agentI am sorry, that is stressful before a call. What does the router light do when it drops, and is it all devices?
CustomerIt goes red for about a minute, then green. All devices.
AI agentThank you. I am passing this chat to our team with your messages, so you will not need to repeat anything.
Claimed by Nina in Live Support, Tuesday 6 October, 21:06
Nina (support)Hi Maya, Nina here from Alderbank Fiber. Before I open your account, please confirm your account number and the email on the account.
CustomerAB-20417, and the email is maya.c@example.com.
Nina (support)Thank you, that matches. So: since Saturday it drops 5 or 6 times each evening, the light turns red, on all devices, and you need it stable by Thursday at 9:00. Is that right?
CustomerYes, exactly.
Nina (support)A red light points to the line. Our network desk tests lines from 8:00: Tom will call you tomorrow between 9:00 and 10:00, on the number ending 4471. Does that work?
CustomerYes. Can he fix it before Thursday?
Nina (support)I cannot promise a fix before the test, but Tom will tell you what he finds and what comes next. So: Tom calls tomorrow, 9:00 to 10:00. Anything else?
CustomerNo, thanks.

The callback by phone, Wednesday 7 October, 09:32

Open'Hi Maya, this is Tom from Alderbank Fiber, calling about your chat with Nina last night. Is now a good time?'
VerifyAccount number and email confirmed. 'To check it is us, call the number on our website.'
UnderstandRecap read from the notes. Two more drops last night, at 20:15 and 21:40.
Hold'May I put you on hold for about 2 minutes while I test the line?' Back after 90 seconds.
SolveSignal loss on the port in the street cabinet. Line moved to a new port; test clean.
Confirm'I re-test at 21:00 tonight and email you by 21:30. You also get a $10 credit for the four evenings.' Maya: yes.
Close'Anything else before your call on Thursday?' No. Call ended at 09:44.

The log row

Date, channel, customer6 October 2026, 21:04, chat, Maya Collins
Reason, severityTechnical issue, High
ImpactDrops every evening; client call Thursday 9:00
Verified, first responseYes, 1 minute
First contact resolved, transferredNo, No
Callback promised by, done7 October 10:00, done 09:32
Next step, confirmedRe-test at 21:00, email by 21:30. Yes
Owner, statusTom Reyes, Closed

Completion check

ItemRecordedStatus
Next step confirmedChat 21:12 (callback), call 09:43 (re-test, credit)Done
Log row completeEvery field filled, Status ClosedDone
Callback taskAssignee Tom, Deadline 7 October 10:00, Mark done 09:44Done

Why it matters

Why customer service scripts need one fixed flow

Most lists of customer service phone script examples give single lines without an order. The order protects the customer: verify before you open the account, recap before you fix, confirm before you close.

Verification is the step where a script can do harm. The FTC's guide for business tells companies to train staff to be suspicious of unknown callers who claim to need account numbers, to double-check by contacting the company on a phone number they know is genuine, and to make clear that no one should be asking staff to reveal their passwords1. The PCI Security Standards Council says card verification codes may not be kept after a payment is authorized, even encrypted, and that a customer's permission does not change this2.

Support desks are a known target. A 2023 FBI and CISA advisory describes a criminal group that uses social engineering to get IT help desk staff to reset passwords and multi-factor tokens3. A caller who wants the email on an account changed is the same trick on a small scale.

6 steps

the same flow for every call and chat

0

full card numbers, security codes or passwords asked for

8 checks

on the QA scorecard: the 6 steps plus hold and the log

By industry

Adapt the scripts to your industry

The flow stays the same. What changes is what you verify, what you may promise and who owns the next step.

Clinic or dental practice

Verify with the full name and date of birth before you discuss anything. Clinical questions go to a clinician with a callback time. If a caller describes an emergency, tell them to call your local emergency number now.

Never promiseA diagnosis, a treatment cost, or what an insurer will pay.

Online shop

Verify with the order number and the email used at checkout. Ask for a photo when an item arrives damaged. Keep the tracking link and your return days in saved replies.

Never promiseA delivery date the carrier has not given.

B2B service

Verify that the caller is an authorized contact on the account, not only someone at the company. Ask how many users are affected. Contract, price and renewal questions go to the account owner.

Never promiseA feature, a date or a credit that is not in the contract.

Hotel, restaurant or venue

Verify with the booking reference and the surname, and put the date in the recap. Never take card details by chat or email; use the payment page of your booking system.

Never promiseA room or a late check-out not confirmed in the booking system.

Industry versions for dental practices, online shops and B2B services: see Related templates.

QA scorecard

Score a call or chat: the 8-check QA scorecard

Score a few contacts per person each week with the same 8 checks. A missed check points to the tab to practice.

CheckYes when
1. OpenName and company given, help offered; chat answered within 2 minutes
2. VerifyTwo facts checked before any account detail; no card number, code or password asked for
3. UnderstandA one-sentence recap, and the customer said yes
4. Solve or routeOne step at a time with the result checked, or routed to a named owner with a summary
5. Hold and transferAsked before the hold, back within 2 minutes, warm transfer with a summary
6. ConfirmNext step, who and when said back, and the customer agreed
7. CloseAsked if there is anything else; nothing promised outside the limits
8. LogLog row complete, and a task for every promised callback

Score = Yes / (Yes + No). Leave a check blank when it does not apply, such as no hold. For role play, one person plays Maya from the example, one runs the scripts, a third scores.

Excel log and QA

Customer service contact log and QA scorecard in Excel

Four sheets: Contact log with the filled example and 9 more sample rows, QA scorecard with 6 reviews, Summary, and Lists for channels, reasons and severities. Shaded columns fill in by themselves. Opens in Excel, LibreOffice and Google Sheets.

ColumnWhat it does
Date and time, channel, customer, reason, severity, impactChannel, reason and severity from lists; impact in one line.
Verified, resolved on first contact, transferredYes or No from a list.
First response (min)From the first ring or the handover to a person's first answer.
Callback promised by, callback doneThe promised time, and when the call happened.
Next step, confirmed with customer, ownerWhat happens next, the customer's yes, and who owns it.
Status AutoCallback overdue, Open (a field missing, no confirmed next step, or a callback due) or Closed.
QA scorecard: 8 checks and score AutoYes, No or blank per check; the score is Yes / (Yes + No).

The Summary sheet shows first-contact resolution, callbacks promised, done and overdue, the average QA score, the pass rate per check, and contacts by reason and channel. In the sample, 5 of 10 contacts were resolved on the first contact, 1 callback is overdue, 1 contact is open and the average QA score is 89%.

How to use

How to use these customer service script templates

  1. 1

    Fill the placeholders once

    Company, hours, phone, your limits (tab 5) and owners (tab 7).

  2. 2

    Practice in threes

    Role play the example: customer, agent, and a scorer with the 8 checks.

  3. 3

    Keep the order, use your words

    On the phone, never skip a step. In chat, paste the lines and fill the brackets.

  4. 4

    Log every contact

    One row per contact. A promised callback gets a task before the contact ends.

  5. 5

    Score 5 contacts a week

    Per person. Change the script where the same check keeps failing.

Set it up in CRMsoftware.pro

  1. Handed-over chats appear in Live Support as Awaiting agent. Click Claim, read the history, use the chat lines, and click Resolve after the completion check.
  2. On Growth: Settings > Saved Replies > New reply, with a Shortcut (for example /verify), Title, Reply body and Share with team. Type the shortcut in the chat reply box.
  3. Each promised callback: Tasks > New Task with Assignee, Deadline and Priority; turn on Status summary required on completion. Check Due today and Overdue each morning.
  4. Write the recap and next step in Notes on the contact. Add one tag per contact reason: Settings > Conversation Tags > New tag.
  5. My Bots > choose the bot > Behavior tab > Satisfaction Ratings: a star rating when a chat ends, shown in Analytics under Satisfaction.

CRMsoftware.pro has no call center phone system: no call queues, call transfers or call recording. Use your own phone and log the calls. Human handover: Launch, $19 a month billed yearly for 8 users. Saved replies: Growth, $49. Free: AI chat and basic tasks for 3 users.

Weekly review, 20 minutes

  • Callback overdue is zero, or each one has a new task.
  • Work first on the reason with the lowest first-contact resolution.
  • The most missed QA check becomes next week's practice.

US rules

US rules your customer service scripts should respect

A plain-language summary for teams serving US customers, checked on 6 November 2026. It is not legal advice: state law and your own policies also apply.

Calls, recordings and texts

  • Federal law allows recording a call when one party to it consents, but some states, such as California, require the consent of everyone on the call. Say at the start that the call is recorded.
  • Text follow-ups only to customers who agreed to texts. Marketing texts sent with automated systems need prior express written consent under the FCC's TCPA rules.
  • Since April 11, 2025, customers can revoke consent by any reasonable means, such as replying STOP, and you must honor it within 10 business days.
  • Never ask for a full card number, the security code or a password, by phone or in chat.

Refunds, delays and billing errors

  • There is no general federal right to return an online purchase, so your posted return policy decides. Quote it; do not improvise.
  • If an order cannot ship on time, the FTC Mail, Internet, or Telephone Order Merchandise Rule requires you to offer the choice to accept the delay or cancel for a prompt refund.
  • Customers can dispute a credit card billing error with their card issuer within 60 days of the statement (Fair Credit Billing Act), so fix a double charge in the same contact.
  • Write down every refund or credit you promise, with the amount and date, in the contact log.

Sources checked on 6 November 2026: 18 U.S.C. § 2511(2)(d); California Penal Code § 632; 47 CFR § 64.1200 and the FCC order on revoking consent; FTC, Business Guide to the Mail, Internet, or Telephone Order Merchandise Rule; Fair Credit Billing Act, 15 U.S.C. § 1666.

Do and don't

Customer service scripts: do's and don'ts

Do

  • Give your name and use the customer's name in the first line.
  • Recap the issue in one sentence before you fix anything.
  • Say what you can do right after what you cannot.
  • Give every promise a name, a channel and a time.
  • Rewrite the lines in your own words after a week of use.

Don't

  • "Calm down"
  • "That is our policy" with no reason
  • Silent holds and silent chats
  • Reading account details out loud
  • "Someone will get back to you"

10 more scripts

More customer service scripts for the hard moments

Copy, then replace the fields in brackets. Where phone and chat differ, both versions are given.

Angry customer: calm first, then act

Phone: I can hear how frustrating this is, [first name], and I want to fix it. Let me check I have it right: [recap in one sentence]. Here is what I am doing right now: [action].

Chat: I am sorry this has taken so long, [first name]. I have read the whole conversation, so you do not need to explain again. I am [action] now and will update you here by [time].

If the language turns abusive: I want to help you with this, and I can if we keep it respectful. If it continues, I will end the call and [manager name] will contact you by [time].

Apology when it was your mistake

You are right, we got this wrong: [what went wrong]. I am sorry. I have already [fix], and so it does not happen again, [change]. You will see [result] by [date].

Saying no, with what you can do

Phone: I cannot [request], because [reason in one sentence]. What I can do is [alternative 1] or [alternative 2]. Which works better for you?

Chat: I checked, and I cannot [request]: [reason in one sentence]. Two things I can do today: 1. [alternative 1] 2. [alternative 2]. Which would you like?

Customer threatens to cancel

I understand, and I would rather fix this than lose you. Can I take two minutes to look at what went wrong with [issue]? If you still want to cancel after that, I will do it now and confirm it by email.

Billing error or double charge

Phone: I can see two charges of [amount] on [date]. The second one is our error, and I have refunded it today, reference [refund reference]. Your bank usually shows it within [days] business days.

Chat: Thanks for flagging this. The charge of [amount] on [date] was a duplicate and I have refunded it. The confirmation email is on its way to [email].

Late, missing or wrong order

I am sorry, [first name]: order [order number] [is late / shows delivered but did not arrive / arrived with the wrong item]. I have [opened a carrier claim / sent a replacement / refunded amount]. You will hear from me by [date] with the next step, whatever the carrier says.

Chat: the customer stops replying

After 2 minutes: Are you still there, [first name]? Take your time, I am keeping this chat open.

After 5 more minutes: I have not heard back, so I am closing this chat for now. Everything is saved: reply here any time with reference [reference] and we continue where we left off.

Voicemail when you call back

Hi [first name], this is [your name] from [company], returning your [chat or call] about [topic, no account details]. I will try again at [time], or call us on [phone number] and mention reference [reference]. Thank you.

Follow-up after the issue is solved

Email: Subject: Is [issue] still fixed? Hi [first name], [your name] here from [company]. On [date] we [fix]. Is everything still working? If anything has come back, reply to this email and it comes straight to me.

Text, only if they agreed to texts: [company]: is your [issue] still fixed? Reply YES, or tell us what is wrong. Reply STOP to opt out. Keep it within 160 GSM-7 characters with real values.

Outage or known issue

Thank you for telling us. We have a known problem with [service] since [time], and our team is working on it. The next update is at [time] on [status page or channel]. I have added you to the list, so you will also get it by [email or text].

FAQ

Questions about customer service scripts

What should a customer service script template include?

The six steps of every contact (open, verify, understand, solve or route, confirm, close) with lines for phone and chat. Add the triage fields (severity, impact, channel, owner, first response, escalation), what never to promise and what to log.

What are good customer service phone script examples?

Opening: 'Thank you for calling, this is Nina. How can I help?' Hold: 'May I put you on hold for about 2 minutes while I check?' Close: 'Let me confirm the next step, who does it and by when. Is that right?'

How is a customer service chat script different from a phone script?

The steps are the same. In chat, send one question per message, never go silent for more than 2 minutes, and paste lines from saved replies. On the phone, use your own words, ask before a hold and confirm the next step out loud.

How do you verify a customer's identity on the phone?

Ask for two facts you can check, such as the account number and the email on the account. Never ask for the full card number, the security code, a password or a one-time code. If the check fails, offer a callback on the number on the account.

How long should you keep a customer on hold?

There is no single standard, so set your own and say it. This template uses: ask first, come back within 2 minutes even with no news, and offer a callback after 5 minutes in total.

What are call center script examples for a transfer?

Brief the colleague first: who the customer is, verified or not, the issue in one line and what they tried. Then tell the customer who takes over and that they will not need to repeat anything. No answer within a minute: offer a callback.

How do you end a customer service call or chat?

Say the next step back with who and when, get a yes, ask if there is anything else, and log the contact. It is closed only when the next step was confirmed, the log row is complete and any promised callback has a task.

How do I adapt a customer service script to my industry?

Keep the six steps and change what you verify, what you may promise and who owns the next step. A clinic verifies with the date of birth and never diagnoses by phone; a shop uses the order number; a B2B service checks the caller is an authorized contact.

Can CRMsoftware.pro handle customer service phone calls?

Not as a call center: there are no call queues, call transfers or call recording. Use your own phone and turn each promised callback into a task. The AI agent hands chats to your team in Live Support from Launch, $19 a month billed yearly; AI chat and voice for your website are on every plan.

How do you handle an angry customer on the phone?

Let them finish, then say back what you heard in one sentence and what you are doing now. Do not argue about the facts or say "calm down". If the language turns abusive, say once that you want to help and will end the call if it continues, then hand it to a manager with a callback time.

What is a good script for saying no to a customer?

Say no in the first sentence, give one reason, then offer two things you can do: "I cannot refund this, because it is outside our 30-day policy. I can offer an exchange or a credit. Which works better?" The extra scripts below the tabs have a phone and a chat version.

Should I follow up after a customer service call?

Yes, when the fix needs time to prove itself or the customer was upset. Send one email a few days later asking whether the issue is still solved, from an address that reaches a person. Text only customers who agreed to texts, and include a way to opt out.

Can I record customer service calls?

In the US, federal law allows recording when one party consents, but some states, such as California, require everyone's consent, so tell callers at the start. In the EU, the GDPR requires you to tell callers why you record; in Germany, recording without consent is a criminal offence. The localized versions of this page explain the local rules.

Close every contact with a confirmed next step.

Start free with 3 users, AI chat and basic tasks. Launch, $19 a month billed yearly for 8 users, adds human handover. Growth, $49, adds saved replies.