5 Customer Service Policy Examples for Small Businesses

Delivering exceptional experiences is a priority for customers. And your job is to empower your employees to deliver the service your customers are looking for. The best way to achieve this goal is through a customer service policy.

By writing and sharing a strong customer service policy, you’ll communicate your values to employees and customers alike, smoothing out interactions by providing a set of guidelines to follow.

Today we’re breaking down what goes into a customer service policy to help you create one for your own business. You’ll also find real-world examples to get inspired by.

What is a customer service policy?

A customer service policy is a statement that explains how your business interacts with customers and what your employees should do in case of a problem.

It provides standard operating procedures (SOP) for all employees to follow, ensuring that each and every customer gets the same quality service. 

This policy is beneficial because it gives your team clear expectations, resulting in better customer outcomes. It’s similar to a privacy policy, but focuses on behavior rather than data.

Does your business need a customer service policy?

Yes! Your business needs a customer service policy that states how you interact with consumers and promises a good experience. 

Customer expectations are reaching an increasingly higher standard. In one report, a whopping 96% of surveyed customers said subpar customer service affected their loyalty to a brand. But if a business solves customer problems quickly, said another survey, customers are 2.4x more likely to stay. 

Particularly since the pandemic, corporate empathy and responsiveness are key—and a strong customer service policy is a great way to reassure customers exactly what you’ll provide. 

Benefits of a customer service policy

A strong, well-written customer service policy is beneficial because it:

• Communicates business values to customers and employees. Determine what you stand for and then shout it loud and proud—holding yourself accountable to meet those values and standards with every interaction. 

• Empowers employees to be autonomous. Team members have the confidence and freedom to make decisions when necessary, without senior leadership being a blocker.

• Serves as a documented SOP. A customer service policy provides standard operating procedures for everyone to follow, increasing productivity and efficiency without compromising quality.

• Improves customer retention. Just 20% of consumers say they’d come back to a brand that had a poor customer experience. Conversely, when you provide better support, customers are more likely to stay. 

• Sets clear expectations. Finally, a customer service policy clearly outlines expectations for both your customers and your support team.

What a successful customer service policy includes

The exact content of your policy will vary depending on a few factors. For instance, you’ll want to consider:

• The industry you’re in. A barber shop will have a different policy than a lawyer’s office. 

• The types of customers you serve. B2C customers and B2B buyers, for example, can have different expectations or a different tone of voice.

• What you’re selling. Interactions with customers will likely differ based on whether you’re selling products or services. Make sure your policy reflects these nuances.

• The makeup of your team. Think about setting realistic expectations. For example, if you have only a single support person, 24-hour service won’t be realistic.
• An internal vs. external doc. Think about whether you’re writing your policy for an audience of employees or customers. An internal policy will likely cover internal tools and talk about specific roles and responsibilities (some of these things can be combined with your employee policy). An external policy focuses on what your customers can expect when doing business with you.

While these are some of the factors that will alter what to include in your policy, there are also a few foundational elements that hold steady, regardless of your business type. Let’s walk through a few of them:

A deep understanding of customer needs and expectations

The first step to any good customer service policy: An in-depth, comprehensive understanding of what your customers need and what they expect.

For example, some industries don’t need immediate responses. Others, such as retail businesses, do. Your policy needs to be tailored to reflect what your target audience expects.

Unsure what your specific customer base is looking for? Learn about their expectations by running focus groups; scheduling 1:1 customer interviews; or conducting social listening with a platform like SparkToro.

Objectives or commitments

A customer service policy should focus on internal objectives and how they translate to external commitments. Maybe integrity is one of your company’s core values. If so, your customer service policy could state that consumers can expect nothing but 100% honesty in every employee interaction.

An internal customer service policy should include procedures for employees to follow in various situations, including:

• How to greet customers
• How to tackle problems or angry customers
• When to escalate
• Ways to turn an angry customer into a happy one

You can also set time-to-response expectations (for example, within 24 hours).

A clear understanding of your policies

As part of your customer service policy, clearly state your refund policy for customers to see. A refund or policy simply explains whether you give full monetary refunds on returns. Be clear about your process for returns and whether customers should expect to get their money back. 

If relevant, your cancellation policy should make an appearance, too. This policy protects you from losing revenue when customers cancel their service or appointment last-minute. Explain whether customers can cancel without being charged a fee. 

Real-world examples of customer service policies

A customer service policy is primarily an internal document. It’s there for your employees to reference when needed. But you can also share your policy publicly to help set customer expectations. Take a look at these great customer service policy examples to get ideas for your own:

Abel Womack: Code of conduct

Your customer service policy is a great place to consider including a code of conduct—guidelines that offer a blueprint for customer interactions. Abel Womack, a material handling solution company, used its customer service policy to outline a code of conduct explaining what customers can expect from the business.

Indeed: Organized and comprehensive

This customer service policy from Indeed covers a lot of information. But it’s easy to navigate thanks to a clickable navigation menu structured into neat bullets. And we completely agree with the statement Indeed makes at the top of the page: Customers shouldn’t have to wonder or guess about your processes or procedures. They’re entitled to as much knowledge as possible.

Good Business Charter: Company values

In Good Business Charter’s customer service policy, they do an excellent job of drawing on their company values and explaining how each one translates to good service. All companies that are accredited by the GBC, the policy states, must follow responsible pricing standards. 

VEVOR: Return policy

Looking for an example return policy? VEVOR, a tool company, clearly states its process for returns and replacements—including tables listing reasons why you might or might not get a free return. 

Princess Polly: Make it interactive

Popular online clothing boutique Princess Polly structured its customer service policy as a collection of frequently asked questions. For website visitors, this is easier to navigate than a large wall of text. 

Wavestone: Getting specific

Wavestone has a well-thought-out client satisfaction policy that’s clearly described on its website. The company explains the main elements that go into this policy, and gets specific about how these values affect customer interactions. 

FAQ about customer service policy templates

What are customer service policies?

A customer service policy is a statement that explains how your business interacts with customers. Think of your policy as a set of guidelines, promising a good customer experience and instructing employees on how to make it happen.

How do you write a customer care policy?

Start by making sure you understand the needs, wants, and expectations of your customers. Next, consider your core company values and how those translate into service interactions. Finally, outline your promise to your customers by stating the guidelines employees should follow. 

What is a customer complaint policy?

A customer complaint policy provides a set of guidelines to follow when you receive a customer complaint. For example, you might follow a procedure that involves listening to the customer, investigating the issue, and then making it right.