ChatGPT vs DeepSeek vs Grok: Prompt Engineering
Certainly! Here are some AI prompt ideas designed to assist customer service teams in various scenarios, such as responding to inquiries, handling complaints, upselling, and improving customer satisfaction:
General Customer Service Prompts
- Greeting Customers:
- Answering FAQs:
- Acknowledging Complaints:
- Requesting More Information:
- Closing a Happy Interaction:
Handling Difficult Situations
- De-escalating Angry Customers:
- Apologizing for Mistakes:
- Explaining Policies Clearly:
Proactive Customer Engagement
- Following Up on Resolved Issues:
- Upselling or Cross-selling:
- Collecting Feedback:
Internal Team Support
- Training New Agents:
- Summarizing Customer Interactions:
- Creating Knowledge Base Articles:
If you want, I can tailor prompts to a specific industry or platform, just let me know!
Of course! Here is a comprehensive collection of AI prompts for customer service teams, categorized by use case and platform.
Introduction: How to Use These Prompts Effectively
- Be Specific: The more context you provide, the better the output. Replace the bracketed
[information]
with your specific details. - Iterate: Treat the first output as a draft. Ask the AI to "make it more concise," "more empathetic," or "more formal."
- Provide a Persona: Tell the AI who it is, e.g., "You are a friendly and expert customer support agent for a SaaS company."
- Review and Edit: Never copy-paste blindly. AI is a tool to enhance your work, not replace your judgment.
Category 1: Writing & Refining Customer Communications
These prompts help you draft clear, consistent, and brand-appropriate messages.
A. Email Responses
- For a Complex Issue:
- For an Apology (Service Outage):
- For a Delayed Shipping Update:
- Following Up on a Solved Ticket:
B. Live Chat / In-App Messages
- Initial Greeting (Warm & Efficient):
- When You Need Time to Investigate:
- Closing a Chat Successfully:
Category 2: Internal Support & Knowledge Management
Use AI to streamline your team's internal processes and knowledge sharing.
- Creating a Knowledge Base Article from a Ticket:
- Summarizing a Long Customer Thread:
- Improving Macro/Template Clarity:
- Analyzing Customer Feedback for Trends:
> [Paste feedback comments]
Category 3: Handling Difficult Situations
De-escalate tension and communicate bad news effectively.
- De-escalating an Angry Customer:
- Saying "No" to a Refund Request (Politely):
- Responding to a Negative Public Review:
> [Paste review text]
Category 4: Training and Skill Development
Use AI as a training tool for new and existing agents.
- Role-Playing a Difficult Customer:
- Generating Quiz Questions:
- Analyzing a Sample Response for Tone:
> [Paste agent's response]
Category 5: Translation and Localization
Crucial Note: Always have a human native speaker review AI translations.
- Translating a Standard Response:
> [Paste English text]
- Cultural Adaptation:
Advanced Prompting: The "Chain of Thought" Technique
For very complex issues, guide the AI step-by-step.
Example Prompt:
"I need to handle a customer who wants to cancel their subscription because a key feature is missing. Let's work through this step by step.
> 1. First, draft an empathetic opening that acknowledges their frustration and thanks them for their feedback.
2. Second, ask a clarifying question to understand their specific use case for the missing feature.
3. Third, based on their hypothetical answer [e.g., 'I need it for automated reporting'], suggest a current workaround or inform them that this feature is on our roadmap.
4. Finally, draft a graceful closing that processes their cancellation while leaving the door open for them to return."
By using these structured prompts, your customer service team can work more efficiently, maintain a consistent brand voice, and free up mental energy to handle the nuanced, human aspects of customer support that AI cannot replicate.
AI prompts can greatly enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of customer service teams by providing consistent responses, guiding agents through complex queries, and personalizing customer interactions. Below are some AI prompt ideas tailored for customer service teams across different scenarios:
1. General Customer Inquiry Handling
Purpose: To provide consistent and professional responses to common questions.
- Prompt: “Act as a friendly and professional customer service representative. Respond to the following customer inquiry in a concise, helpful, and empathetic tone: [Insert customer query]. Include a polite closing statement and offer additional assistance if needed.”
- Example: “Hi [Customer Name], I’m sorry to hear about the delay in your order. I’ve checked the status, and it’s scheduled to arrive by [date]. I’ve also requested a priority update on your behalf. If there’s anything else I can help with, please let me know. Thank you for your patience!”
Use Case: Handle basic inquiries about orders, product information, or account details.
2. Troubleshooting and Technical Support
Purpose: To guide customers or agents through step-by-step solutions for common issues.
- Prompt: “You are a technical support specialist for [product/service]. A customer is experiencing the following issue: [Describe issue]. Provide a clear, step-by-step troubleshooting guide to resolve the problem. Use simple language and include alternative steps if the initial solution doesn’t work. End with a polite request for feedback on whether the issue was resolved.”
- Example: “I’m sorry to hear that your device isn’t connecting to Wi-Fi. Let’s try these steps: 1) Restart your router and device. 2) Ensure the Wi-Fi password is entered correctly. 3) Check if other devices can connect. If the issue persists, let’s reset the network settings by [additional steps]. Did this resolve the problem? I’m happy to assist further if needed.”
Use Case: Assist with software glitches, hardware issues, or connectivity problems.
3. Handling Complaints and Difficult Customers
Purpose: To de-escalate situations and respond empathetically to upset customers.
- Prompt: “You are a customer service expert specializing in conflict resolution. A customer is upset about [specific issue]. Draft a response that acknowledges their frustration, offers an apology, and provides a solution or next steps. Use an empathetic tone and ensure the customer feels heard. Avoid blaming the customer and focus on resolution.”
- Example: “Hi [Customer Name], I’m truly sorry to hear about your experience with [issue]. I completely understand how frustrating this must be for you. I’ve escalated this to our team, and we’ll [specific action, e.g., issue a refund or send a replacement] within [timeframe]. Please let me know if there’s anything else I can do to make this right.”
Use Case: Manage complaints about delayed shipments, defective products, or poor service.
4. Personalized Recommendations and Upselling
Purpose: To suggest products or services based on customer needs or purchase history.
- Prompt: “Act as a customer service representative skilled in personalized recommendations. A customer has purchased [product/service] or expressed interest in [category]. Provide a friendly response suggesting a complementary product or service, explaining how it benefits them. Keep the tone non-pushy and helpful.”
- Example: “Hi [Customer Name], I’m glad you’ve been enjoying your [purchased item]! I thought you might also like [suggested item], as it works great with [purchased item] by [benefit]. If you’re interested, I can provide more details or a special offer. Let me know!”
Use Case: Cross-sell or upsell products during customer interactions.
5. Follow-Up and Customer Retention
Purpose: To check in with customers post-purchase or after resolving an issue.
- Prompt: “You are a customer success manager. A customer recently purchased [product/service] or had an issue resolved on [date]. Draft a polite follow-up message to ensure they are satisfied, ask for feedback, and offer further assistance if needed. Keep the tone warm and genuine.”
- Example: “Hi [Customer Name], I just wanted to follow up and see how you’re getting along with your [product/service]. Is everything meeting your expectations? I’d love to hear your feedback, and if there’s anything I can assist with, please don’t hesitate to reach out. Thanks for choosing us!”
Use Case: Build customer loyalty and gather feedback for improvement.
6. Training New Agents with Scenarios
Purpose: To simulate real-life customer interactions for training purposes.
- Prompt: “Act as a challenging customer with the following issue: [specific problem or complaint]. Respond to the trainee’s answers in a realistic way, escalating or de-escalating based on their tone and solutions provided. Provide feedback after the interaction on how well they handled the situation and areas for improvement.”
- Example Interaction: Customer: “I’ve been waiting for my order for two weeks, and no one is helping me!” Trainee Response: “I’m sorry for the delay. Let me check the status for you right now.” AI Feedback: “Great start! Acknowledging the delay and offering immediate help was the right move. Next time, consider adding a timeline for when the customer can expect an update to set clear expectations.”
Use Case: Train new hires on handling various customer scenarios, including tough ones.
7. Multilingual Support
Purpose: To assist customers in their preferred language using AI translation or responses.
- Prompt: “You are a bilingual customer service representative fluent in [language]. A customer has written the following message in [language]: [Insert message]. Respond in [language] with a polite, helpful answer addressing their concern. Ensure the tone matches cultural norms for customer service in that language.”
- Example: Customer (Spanish): “Mi pedido no ha llegado, ¿qué está pasando?” AI Response (Spanish): “Hola [Nombre], lamento mucho la demora con tu pedido. He revisado el estado y debería llegar el [fecha]. Si no llega para entonces, por favor contáctame de nuevo. ¿Hay algo más en lo que pueda ayudarte?”
Use Case: Support customers in regions with diverse linguistic needs.
8. Chatbot Response Optimization
Purpose: To draft quick, automated responses for chatbots that feel human-like.
- Prompt: “You are designing responses for a customer service chatbot for [industry/company]. Write a short, friendly response for the following common query: [Insert query]. Ensure the response is under 50 words, includes a solution or next step, and ends with an invitation for further assistance.”
- Example: “Hi there! I’m sorry your account login isn’t working. Please try resetting your password via the ‘Forgot Password’ link. If the issue persists, let me know, and I’ll help right away!”
Use Case: Deploy in chatbots for instant responses to FAQs or initial customer queries.
9. Email Response Templates
Purpose: To create polished and professional email responses for common inquiries.
- Prompt: “Draft a professional customer service email response for the following situation: [describe situation]. Include a greeting, an empathetic tone, a clear solution or next steps, and a polite closing with the representative’s name and contact information. Keep the email concise and formal.”
- Example: “Subject: Update on Your Order #12345
I’m sorry for the inconvenience caused by the delay in your order. I’ve confirmed it will arrive by [date], and I’ve added a small discount to your account as a gesture of apology. Please don’t hesitate to reach out if you have further questions.
Best regards,
[Your Name]
Customer Support Team | [Contact Info]”
Use Case: Standardize email communication for order updates, refunds, or complaints.
10. Sentiment Analysis and Escalation
Purpose: To assess customer tone and prioritize urgent issues.
- Prompt: “Analyze the following customer message for sentiment and urgency: [Insert message]. Determine if the tone is positive, neutral, or negative, and whether the issue requires immediate escalation to a manager. Provide a brief summary of the customer’s mood and recommended next steps.”
- Example: Customer Message: “This is the third time my package has been lost. I’m beyond frustrated and need this fixed now!” AI Analysis: “Sentiment: Negative. Urgency: High. The customer is extremely frustrated and indicates repeated issues. Recommend immediate escalation to a manager for resolution and a personalized apology with compensation.”
Use Case: Help agents prioritize and handle high-priority or emotionally charged interactions.
These prompts can be adapted based on the specific needs of your customer service team, whether they’re used for live agent guidance, chatbot automation, or training purposes. Integrating AI tools with these prompts can save time, improve response quality, and enhance overall customer satisfaction. Let me know if you’d like prompts for a specific tool (e.g., Zendesk, Salesforce) or scenario!
💡 Try this comparison yourself:Compare AI models side-by-side on SNEOS
Analysis
This comparison demonstrates the different approaches each AI model takes when responding to the same prompt. Here are the key differences observed:
Response Characteristics
ChatGPT: Provides a direct response with 30 sentences.
DeepSeek: Provides a direct response with 105 sentences.
Grok: Provides a direct response with 123 sentences.
Key Takeaways
- Each model brings unique strengths to this type of query
- Response styles vary significantly between models
- Consider your specific use case when choosing between these models
Try This Comparison Yourself
Want to test these models with your own prompts? Visit SNEOS.com to compare AI responses side-by-side in real-time.
This comparison was generated using the SNEOS AI Comparison ToolPublished: October 01, 2025 | Models: ChatGPT, DeepSeek, Grok