Using ChatGPT for customer service: A complete guide

If you’re running a support team, you’re probably feeling the pressure — customers expect faster responses, 24×7 availability is quickly becoming the baseline, and personalized help is non-negotiable.

Think about your own experiences as a customer. Remember the last time you had to wait days for an answer or got shuffled between agents, repeating your issue over and over? Frustrating, right? Now imagine that same scenario, but instead, you get a fast, accurate response at 2 a.m. on a Sunday. That’s the level of service customers are starting to expect everywhere.

This is where AI tools, like ChatGPT, are stepping in to transform customer support. By handling common questions instantly, they cut down ticket volumes and help teams hit faster response times. And that frees up your agents to dive into more complex issues — whether it’s fixing a tech glitch or navigating a tough customer conversation.

What is ChatGPT?

ChatGPT — a now household name — is powered by artificial intelligence and trained to generate human-like text through large language models and natural language processing. It pulls from vast amounts of text data across the internet, enabling it to engage in natural conversations and assist with a range of tasks, from brainstorming ideas and translating languages to summarizing long documents and crafting creative stories using generative AI.

What’s especially interesting about ChatGPT is its ability to grasp context and nuance. Yes, it’s technically a machine, but you can ask follow-up questions, request clarifications, and even push back on its responses, and it’ll adjust (most of the time, anyway). What’s key here is that it’s not just pulling pre-written answers; it’s generating unique responses tailored to each conversation.

Of course, as with any new tech, there are limitations. ChatGPT doesn’t actually understand things the way humans do, even though it often seems eerily accurate. It’s working from patterns, which can sometimes lead to confidently incorrect answers.

Real-world use cases for ChatGPT in customer support

According to our State of Support Tech in 2024 report, nearly 80% of respondents believe AI will play a major role in shaping the future of customer support — especially when it comes to quality control and triaging or categorizing tickets. Here’s a look at how support teams are weaving ChatGPT into their workflows today.

Answering customer questions

One of the most common — and simplest — ways to use ChatGPT in customer service is by setting it up to handle inquiries. Its speed and scalability mean it can manage a high volume of customer questions 24×7, whether it’s answering FAQs, pointing customers to knowledge base articles, sharing product details, or helping shoppers track their orders.

Automating common customer queries

ChatGPT can’t replace a human, but it can take over some of the more tedious, repetitive tasks in customer support. For instance, when a customer asks about the return policy, ChatGPT can instantly provide a detailed, step-by-step guide on how to return a product — saving time for both the customer and the support team.

Understanding customer sentiment

ChatGPT has an impressive ability to analyze a customer’s message and gauge whether they’re frustrated, neutral, or happy. This is especially useful for flagging urgent or sensitive situations that need immediate attention. It can even pick up on subtle cues in tone or word choice, allowing your team to respond with the right level of empathy or urgency.

Prioritize customer requests for staff

ChatGPT can use its analytical “brain” to prioritize tickets based on urgency, complexity, or — as mentioned earlier — sentiment analysis. For example, it can flag tickets from high-value customers or quick-fix tech issues as high priority, ensuring they get handled first.

Providing personalized support at scale

ChatGPT can tap into customer history and preferences to deliver highly personalized experiences. By referencing past interactions, purchases, and preferences, it can suggest products based on browsing patterns or even offer a discount to loyal, returning customers.

The benefits of using ChatGPT for customer service

• Automate customer responses. ChatGPT can step in to automate responses to FAQs, from simple order-tracking questions to more involved troubleshooting issues.
• 24×7 availability. ChatGPT works around the clock, so customers can get support anytime, anywhere — even when your human team is offline.
• Multilingual support. ChatGPT speaks multiple languages, allowing you to serve customers across the globe and handle interactions in different languages simultaneously.
• Assist your team in real-time. ChatGPT can support agents by suggesting relevant data or response templates during live conversations, helping them resolve issues faster.
• Handle high demand. During peak times like holidays or product launches, ChatGPT can tackle high volumes of queries, reducing customer wait times.
• Cut costs without sacrificing quality. With ChatGPT handling routine inquiries, you can run a leaner support team, cutting costs while maintaining the quality of your service.

5 ChatGPT prompts that will support your customer service team

Prompts can help your support team resolve customer queries faster. Instead of starting from scratch each time, you can use a prompt that analyzes the issue and suggests the best solution — drafting a friendly response in the right tone of voice.

Here are some prompt examples to spark inspiration.

1. A welcome message for a new customer request

First impressions matter. Starting with a warm, professional message can set the tone for the entire interaction.

Example prompt:

"Write a welcoming message for a customer asking about their recent order and delivery time."

Response:

"Thanks so much for reaching out! We’re happy to help with your order. Based on our info, your delivery is set to arrive in the next 3-5 business days. If you need anything else, just let us know — we’re here to support you!"

This kind of prompt helps your team deliver friendly, clear, and helpful responses, ensuring a positive first interaction with customers.

2. Create a response to this customer complaint

Handling customer complaints can be challenging, especially when emotions run high. ChatGPT can help draft professional, empathetic responses that acknowledge the issue while offering relevant solutions. These responses can be tailored to the tone and nature of the complaint, helping to de-escalate the situation and reassure customers that their concerns are being taken seriously.

Example prompt:

"Write a response for a customer who’s upset about a delayed shipment."

Response:

"We’re really sorry for the delay in shipping your order and understand how frustrating this must be. Our team is working to get this resolved, and your order should be on its way soon. We’ll keep you updated every step of the way so you’re always in the loop. Thank you for your patience — we truly appreciate your business."

This kind of prompt helps your team respond with empathy and professionalism, turning a negative experience into a positive interaction.

3. Create a list of benefits and components of our product for customers

ChatGPT can quickly generate a concise list of benefits and features your team can share when customers are looking for more detailed information about your product. This is especially helpful for sales inquiries or when customers need in-depth details before making a decision.

Example prompt:

"Create a list of key benefits and features of our product for a customer inquiry."

Response:

"Here are the top benefits and features of our product:

1. User-friendly interface: Easy to navigate, even for beginners.
2. 24×7 support: Our team is always here to help whenever you need it.
3. Customizable options: Tailor the product to meet your specific needs.
4. Flexible pricing: Affordable plans that grow with your business.
5. Top-tier security: Your data is fully protected with our secure encryption.

4. Write a call script for a specific recurring customer issue

Having a reliable call script for common issues can make life easier for your team. ChatGPT can generate scripts that guide customer service reps through key steps, ensuring nothing is missed.

Example prompt:

"Write a call script for customer service reps to address account login problems."

Response:

Introduction:

"Hi [Customer Name], thanks for calling! I see you're having trouble logging into your account. Let’s get that sorted out for you."

Step 1:

"Could you please confirm the email address associated with your account so I can check for any issues on our side?"

Step 2:

"I’m going to send you a password reset link — can you let me know when it arrives, and we’ll walk through resetting your password together?"

Closing:

"You should now be able to log in. If anything else comes up, feel free to reach out — we’re always here to help."

5. Compose example phrases our customer service reps can use to connect with customers

Great customer service is built on empathy. Sometimes, a well-phrased statement can help calm a frustrated customer and show them their concerns are being taken seriously. ChatGPT can generate empathetic, human-sounding phrases that your team can use to build rapport and trust.

Example prompt:

"Create empathetic phrases that customer service reps can use when dealing with frustrated customers."

Response:

1. "I understand how frustrating this must be. Let’s see what we can do to fix it for you."
2. "I’m really sorry for the trouble, and I appreciate you bringing this to our attention. We’ll make it right."
3. "I can see how this would be upsetting. We’re going to do everything we can to resolve it quickly."
4. "Your experience is important to us, and we’re grateful for your patience while we sort this out."
5. "I’d feel the same way in your shoes. Let’s get this resolved for you right away."

These phrases help your team show empathy, strengthen trust, and ensure customers feel heard.

The limitations of ChatGPT for customer service

ChatGPT’s capabilities are vast and improving every day, but it’s not without limitations.

For starters, it excels at handling straightforward questions, but it can struggle with more nuanced or complex issues. Since it relies on patterns and data, there are times when it might miss the full context of a customer’s request or fail to capture the scope of their problem.

ChatGPT also doesn’t "understand" emotions like a human does. Unlike a person on a phone call or live chat, it can’t pick up on emotional cues or body language.

Then there’s its over-confidence. While ChatGPT is excellent at managing structured, repetitive tasks, it can falter with unique or unfamiliar situations. If a customer brings up an issue outside its training, ChatGPT might give an answer that doesn’t quite fit — or worse, no helpful response at all.

This is where human agents shine. They can pick up on subtleties, ask follow-up questions, and dig deeper to fully understand and resolve an issue. They’re also invaluable for creative problem-solving in ways that conversational AI just can’t match.

So, while AI chatbots like ChatGPT can reduce manual tasks and speed up ticket responses, they’re not a complete replacement for human customer service teams. The best strategy is to use AI to handle routine tasks, FAQs, and basic troubleshooting — leaving more complex, emotional, or technical issues to your human agents.

Improve customer service experiences with AI

Customer support teams are under a huge amount of pressure to handle more tickets without negatively impacting service quality. Assembled Assist uses AI automation to deliver faster, more consistent service at scale.

Here’s what makes it stand out:

• Smart ticket resolution that actually works. Ever wish you could clone your best agents? Assembled Assist learns from your top performers’ responses and tackles straightforward tickets on its own — like password resets and shipping updates. For cases that need a human touch, it instantly routes them to the right agent.
• Build AI workflows without breaking a sweat. The AI workflow builder lets you create custom flows with a simple drag-and-drop interface. Automatically categorize tickets, collect customer feedback, draft responses for review, and set up smart routing rules — all in minutes.
• Your brand voice, amplified. Worried AI will sound robotic? With the custom brand voice feature, you can train the AI to communicate in your company’s unique tone and style.

Ready to see how Assembled can transform your customer service operations and boost customer satisfaction? Let us show you firsthand how these features work together to deliver a better experience for your team and your customers.

Book a demo today and discover why leading support teams trust Assembled to power their AI-enhanced operations.