After last week’s episode about incorporating AI into creative businesses, I’ve loved receiving all your messages – particularly one that made me think “yes, exactly!” Someone shared how they’d discovered that with the right prompts, AI actually helped them avoid all those generic, jargon-y words we’re beginning to see everywhere. Others of you mentioned how you’re already testing it with emails and proposals, finding it helps with everything from dyslexia (which I fully relate to), to maintaining consistency in the way we write emails and replies to our clients.

What’s particularly interesting is how this has opened up a conversation about something I think many of us struggle with: managing all those daily client emails and messages while keeping our responses personal and warm. You know those moments when you’re staring at your inbox, knowing you need to respond thoughtfully to each message, but feeling a little drained by having to write similar responses again and again?

So in this episode and post, I’d love to share two practical approaches that have completely changed how I think about using AI in customer service. And I know you might be thinking “but isn’t AI exactly what makes customer service feel impersonal?” – I had exactly the same concern. But I’ve discovered something quite different: when used thoughtfully, AI can actually help us be more consistently personal in our responses, not less.

Creating Templates That Actually Sound Like You

I think sometimes we can feel almost guilty about the idea of using templates, particularly AI-generated ones. There’s often this worry that templates mean being less personal or authentic. But I’ve found that thoughtfully created templates actually help us be more consistently warm and professional in our responses.

Here’s exactly how to create templates that maintain your voice:

1. For each typical question or situation, gather 2-3 examples of emails you’ve written that felt particularly good – ones where you got the tone just right and were clear in your response.
2. Take these examples and your “writing style guide” (you can find a custom prompt to create this from last week’s episode/post), and use this additional prompt with your AI tool (ChatGPT for example works well for this):

What makes this approach particularly effective is how it combines your actual writing examples with specific instructions. We’re not asking AI to create something entirely new – we’re asking it to help us be more consistent with the warm, professional tone we already use.

You can hear more about using this prompt in the full podcast episode (listen above).

A New Way to Handle Tricky Messages

Now, here’s something I’m particularly excited to share with you – a way to use AI that’s been genuinely transformative for handling those more challenging messages. You know the ones – perhaps it’s feedback that catches you off-guard, or a frustrated customer’s email that’s filled with emotion and multiple questions all wrapped together.

These messages can be particularly challenging for us as creative business owners. I think we’re often a bit more sensitive than average (which is actually a strength in so many ways!), but it can make handling difficult communications more draining.

Here’s a method I’ve found incredibly helpful. When you receive one of those tricky messages, try this approach:

1. Copy the email into your AI tool (again, ChatGPT is a great option), along with your writing style guide
2. Use this prompt:

What’s fascinating about this approach is how it helps us step back and respond from a place of clarity rather than reaction. Instead of feeling overwhelmed by a lengthy or emotional message, you can quickly identify the core issues that need addressing.

For example, if a client sends a worried email about project delays or access issues, AI can help you pull out the specific concerns, organise them clearly, and suggest a structure for your response that addresses each point professionally. This somehow helps remove the emotional weight and helps you feel more in control and ultimately kinder, so you can directly help your client.

Starting Small

Like any new tool in your business, it’s important to begin gradually. Choose just one approach to start with – either creating templates for common questions or using AI to help with challenging emails. Pick whichever one feels most immediately useful for your business right now.

If you’re starting with templates:

• Choose just one type of common question you often receive
• Gather those 2-3 examples we talked about
• Create a single template
• Test it for a week before creating others

Or if you’re dealing with a tricky customer situation right now, start by using AI just as an analysis tool. Use it to break down the key points before you even think about writing a response.

It’s so important to remember, this isn’t about using AI to handle every email or creating a complete template library overnight. Instead, look for small wins – like feeling less drained when you open your inbox, or noticing that you’re responding to messages more promptly because you feel better equipped to handle them.

Making This Work in Your Business

What I find particularly powerful about this approach is how it helps us use AI to support the human side of our businesses rather than replace it. When we’re not spending energy rewriting similar responses again and again, we have more capacity to focus on those aspects of customer service that truly need our personal touch.

Think of it like having a thoughtful assistant who helps organise your thoughts and maintains consistency in your communication, while you focus on building genuine connections with your clients and customers. It’s not about automating everything – it’s about using AI thoughtfully to create more space for meaningful interactions.

I’d love to hear how you get on with using AI in your customer service. If you try either of these approaches, pop over to Instagram and let me know how it works for you. Or leave a comment below – I’ve been really enjoying our conversations in the comments section and look forward to hearing your thoughts!

The goal isn’t to sound like everyone else – it’s about using AI to help you consistently communicate in your own voice, while saving energy for the aspects of your business that really do need your creative focus.