Rewriting Your Work from Home Customer Service Cover Letter

Updated by Skye Rodgers, March 12, 2021

Competition for remote jobs in the customer service field is fierce. If you want to land a killer work from home customer service job, your customer service cover letter needs to stand out. In fact, one survey found that 83% of HR professionals agreed that a great cover letter can secure you an interview even if your resume isn’t good enough.

But what distinguishes an outstanding cover letter for a work at home customer service position from a bad one? Read on as we transform a weak cover letter into a powerful marketing piece that will have you asking, “how may I assist you?” in no time!

Sample Job Description

Ripped from today’s headlines, below is a real job ad for a virtual customer service representative:

A business services company specializing in customer relationship management has a current position open for a Virtual Customer Service Representative.

Core Responsibilities Include:

Position Requirements Include:

Example of a Poorly Written Cover Letter

Below is an example of how not to write a remote customer service cover letter in response to the above job ad:

What’s Wrong With This Customer Service Cover Letter

Let’s explore what went wrong with Suzy’s customer service cover letter example as we dissect her efforts below.

Greeting Is Too General

Suzy uses a generic greeting that won’t grab the hiring manager’s attention like a personalized one. Although the ad didn’t reference a name, a quick Google search can reveal the hiring manager’s full name and make Suzy’s cover letter stand out.

Lackluster First Paragraph

The first paragraph is critical to capturing the readers’ attention and should specifically name the job title of interest, and what excites you about the position and company.

Typos

Suzy’s cover letter has two typos: one in the first sentence and one in the third sentence. Did you catch them? The job posting specifically stated that only detail oriented persons need apply. Suzy’s typos make her seem careless, and that’s not going to impress HR.

Lack of Initiative

Suzy says she saw the ad “a few weeks ago.” Why did it take her a few weeks to respond? Suzy might come off as lazy if she tells the hiring manager that she didn’t take immediate action.

Poor Grammar

We all have our strengths and weaknesses. One of Suzy’s weaknesses is grammar. The fourth sentence of her cover letter contains two grammatical errors. Customer service representatives need good grammar, so this blunder isn’t going to go over well with the hiring manager. Suzy should have someone read her cover letter before it’s sent out if grammar isn’t her strong suit.

Detail Deficient

Suzy doesn’t provide specific details about her qualifications. She tells the reader she has worked as a customer service representative for “a long while now,” and that she has “taken lots” of continuing education courses and “excelled” at each of them. But she doesn’t tell the hiring manager how her experience benefits the company. Suzy needs to use measurable terms.

Pass the Whine

Suzy states the reason she wants to leave her current position is because she doesn’t want to switch to a new software program. No one wants to hire an employee who is resistant to change.

No Benefits

Suzy doesn’t seize the opportunity to tell the hiring manager how she will benefit the company. She neglects to highlight her skills and match them to the job description. She doesn’t effectively sell herself. The customer service cover letter should include bullet points that align directly with the responsibilities called out in the job description. To do this, look at the job description, pull 3-5 specific skills they are looking for, and create a specific bullet point that shows a related accomplishment, skill, or qualification.

No Call to Action

Suzy’s cover letter closes with the statement “I hope to hear from you soon.” She doesn’t provide a call to action (CTA) that conveys what she wants to happen next. Suzy should try using a more direct approach.

Customer Service Cover Letter Make-Over

A successful cover letter needs to convey the following:

1. You are excited and knowledgeable about the company you are applying to.
2. Showcase your strongest skills and experiences as they align with the company and job description.

Below is a rewrite of Suzy’s customer service cover letter that resolves the mistakes of the above version.

3 Tips for Crafting a Stellar Work from Home Customer Service Cover Letter

Crafting a stellar work from home customer service cover letter isn’t always easy. But always make sure to do the following to ensure you add a touch of personality and relevant information to attract the attention of an employer.

1. Do Your Due Diligence

You’ll knock the hiring manager’s socks off if you research the company thoroughly and make reference to awards and acknowledgments the company has received. Offering kudos lets the hiring manager know you’re a serious candidate.

2. Include Your Unique Selling Proposition (USP)

Your Unique Selling Proposition tells the hiring manager why you. Including it gives HR a reason to read your resume. What do you offer that other candidates don’t? This is the information you need to highlight in your cover letter’s bullet points that constitute the most important part of your cover letter.

3. Incorporate Keywords

Infuse your cover letter with words that are used in the job description. For the customer service representative job description above, words might include:

Land an Excellent Customer Service Job With a Well-Crafted Cover Letter

A good cover letter can be essential to get you noticed by hiring managers. However, you want to make sure you are noticed for the right reasons. Double-check your cover letters before sending them to make sure you don’t make the same mistakes that Suzy made. By effectively highlighting your experience and skills specific to the position you are applying for, you can stand out from the rest of the applicants.

Do you have any tips to write the perfect customer service cover letter? What worked for you? Connect with Virtual Vocations on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, and YouTube to share your comments. We’d love to hear from you!