Misspellings and incorrect word usage are the most common errors in customer service e-mails. How is your spelling? Do you confuse common “sound-alike” “look- alike’ words, such as accept and except?
How do you score on spelling and word usage? Take this self-test and see if you passed/past. Circle 10 misspelled or incorrect words in this e-mail. Write the correct word or spelling on the blank space to the left of the message. Then check your answers below.
From Customer Service E-Mail Writing Skills Competency Exam, a companion to Clear, Correct, Concise E-Mail: A Writing Workbook for Customer Service Agents by Marilynne Rudick and Leslie O’Flahavan, E-WRITE
To: Millie Westerfield
From: Customer_Support@BankWeb.com
Subject: BankWeb System Maintenance
Dear BankWeb Customer,
In are continuing efforts two provide better service to our customers, we will be preforming system maintenance on the BankWeb site. The maintenance will begin on Saturday, September 14 at approximately 10 p.m. EST and is accepted to last eight hours. The system should be functioning buy 6 a.m. on Sunday, September 15. During this time period you may experience difficulties when makeing changes to your account or to any products and services you have purchased.
Don’t worry; you won’t loose any data during maintenance. If you experience any problems, please log out and try again later.
Please except our apologies for any inconvenience this may cause. If their are any questions, please send e-mail to Customer Support at Customer_Support@BankWeb.com
Thank you for your business. We are comitted to bringing you the best possible products and services to make your online business successful.
Regards,
Andrea Seale, Customer Support
ANSWERS to Mini-Quiz: Select the Correct Word and Spell It Right
The 10 misspelled or incorrect words are highlighted. The correct word or spelling appears in the left column opposite the incorrect word.
Any wrong answers? Chapter 5: Select The Correct Word and Spell It Right in Clear, Correct, Concise E-Mail: A Writing Workbook for Customer Service Agents provides a refresher on spelling and word usage, so all your e-mails will be letter perfect.
our to
performing
expected by
making
lose
accept
there
committed
To: Millie Westerfield
From: Customer_Support@BankWeb.com
Subject: BankWeb System Maintenance
Dear BankWeb Customer,
In arecontinuing efforts two provide better service to our customers, we will be preforming system maintenance on the BankWeb site. The maintenance will begin on Saturday, September 14 at approximately 10 p.m. ET and is accepted to last eight hours. The system should be functioning buy 6 a.m. on Sunday, September 15. During this time period you may experience difficulties when makeing changes to your account or to any products and services you have purchased.
Don’t worry; you won’t loose any data during maintenance. If you experience any problems, please log out and try again later.
Please except our apologies for any inconvenience this may cause. If their
are any questions, please send e-mail to Customer Support at Customer_Support@BankWeb.com
Thank you for your business. We are comitted to bringing you the best possible products and services to make your online business successful.
Regards,
Andrea Seale,Customer Support
Marilynne Rudick and Leslie O’Flahavan are partners in E-WRITE — http://www.ewriteonline.com, a training and consulting company in the Washington, D.C. area that specializes in online writing. Rudick and O’Flahavan are authors of the book Clear, Correct, Concise E-Mail: A Writing Workbook for Customer Service Agents.
Marilynne Rudick and Leslie O’Flahavan Answer Online Writing Questions: Click Here For Free Answers
