Gratitude statements help you show customers that you appreciate them – that their support and feedback is valued by the business.
But they only work if they sound sincere. Simply tacking a perfunctory “thanks” onto the end of an email or a chat message doesn’t convey any kind of real appreciation.
And on the other end of the spectrum, sending overlong gratitude statements packed with flowery sentiments can sound put-on.
The key, then, is in simple, clear, “thank you” messages that are personalised to the customer and the context of the interaction.
To help, here are 10 different templates for gratitude statements that you can personalise to your customer service interactions.
1. "Thank you for [blank]”
We’ll start with the simplest and most obvious way to thank a customer. Simply express your thanks, then move on to specify what it is you’re thankful for.
For example:
✔️ Thank you for your patience in waiting for a fix here, Sam.
✓ Thank you for supporting our small business, Alex.
✔️ Thank you for taking the time to report an issue, Ben.
This approach is straightforward and candid, while going further than a cursory “Thanks.”
2. “I appreciate your [blank]”
Sometimes, gratitude statements need to move beyond a standard thank you message and explicitly convey appreciation for something a customer has said or done.
For example:
✔️ I appreciate your loyalty to Company X over the past two years.
✓ I appreciate your kind words about our service.
✔️ I appreciate your detailed response to the survey.
Again, keep it short and simple, but make sure it’s personalised.
3. “I value the [blank]”
Other gratitude statements seek to express that the customer – and what they’ve said or done – is valued. You put weight behind their custom.
For example:
✔️ I value the honesty in the concerns you’ve raised about our interface.
✓ I value the perception demonstrated in your website feedback.
✔️ I value the insights you’ve brought to the table here regarding customer painpoints.
It’s gratifying for the customer to feel that you’re actively listening, and that you hold their contribution in high regard.
4. “I am grateful for your [blank]”
This is a variation that you might wish to use if you’ve already exhausted the simple “thanks” option, or prefer to take it slightly further.
For example:
✔️ I am grateful for your time on the telephone today.
✓ I am grateful for your understanding around the downtime problem.
✔️ I am grateful for your forbearance as we’ve worked through the issue.
Be careful to avoid showering the customer with compliments in these kinds of gratitude statements – particularly if they follow a complaint or a support ticket. Expressing your gratitude is great. But appearing to seek favour through flattery isn’t.
5. “Your input has been [blank]”
This is a great template to use if you want to thank the customer for a more detailed interaction they’ve had with your brand.
For example:
✔️ Your input has been instrumental to our product roadmap.
✓ Your input has been really useful in optimising the onboarding process.
✔️ Your input has been a great help to us in understanding how users interact with the product.
Here, you need to be as specific as possible. Saying something generic like “Your input has been useful” has little sincerity without further elaboration.
6. “Kudos to you for [blank]”
This is an informal alternative to more traditional gratitude statements, and is well-suited for positive interactions with familiar customers.
For example:
✔️ Kudos to you for bringing that typo to our attention.
✓ Kudos to you for finding that bug!
✔️ Kudos to you for your great co-operation on the testimonial.
With this option, only use if it matches the tone of the customer. A highly irritated customer is unlikely to respond well to “Kudos!”. A happy, engaged customer will be much more inclined to appreciate the friendly approach.
7. “That was very [blank] of you”
These kinds of gratitude statements allow you to compliment the customer. (Without, that is, appearing to fawn over them.)
For example:
✔️That was very observant of you to spot the glitch.
✓ That was very kind of you to help with our research.
✔️ That was very diligent of you to report back.
It’s important with this one to keep your compliments brief and professional. The customer can easily construe your message as feigned (or even creepy) if you use overly exaggerated language.
8. “I am much obliged for your [blank]”
This is a great “thank you” variation to apply in formal or serious situations. Older customers may also appreciate this more traditional approach to conveying thanks.
For example:
✔️ I am much obliged for your participation in our trial.
✓ I am much obliged for your considered thoughts submitted via the web form.
✔️ I am much obliged for your support in shopping with us.
In general, you’ll only want to use these gratitude statements when dealing with enterprise customers or those who’ve used similar language when contacting you. Otherwise, you risk sounding a little stuffy with your thanks.
“9. Your [blank] means a lot”
You might want to express a deeper gratitude, and let your customers know that their patronage is truly meaningful to you as a company.
For example:
✔️ Your continued custom over the years means a lot to Company X.
✓ Your responsiveness means a lot to our marketing team.
✔️ Your in-depth product knowledge means a lot to us technicians.
This is a slightly more sentimental option, so use it sparingly. Overuse of these gratitude statements soon starts sounding phoney.
10. “You rock!”
Finally, you can express thanks with a quick, cheerful appraisal of the customer and how helpful they’ve proved.
For example:
✔️ You’re a star!
✓ You’re an absolute gem.
✔️ You’ve been great.
You’re best off using these gratitude statements for informal interactions with customers that you’re on great terms with. (Not for whacking at the end of every single ticket, chat, or email.)
Putting gratitude statements into practice
An essential part of customer retention is making those customers feel valued. And while saying “thanks” is simple good manners, it’s not enough by itself to demonstrate a true appreciation.
So, start using more considered gratitude statements that are clear, customised, and rooted in context. Choose the statement(s) that:
a) Best fit the reason you’re thanking the customer
b) Best fit the tone and situational circumstances underpinning the interaction
N.B: If you’ve found this article useful, a great way to express your appreciation would be to share it with others. 😉