The Role of Email Marketing in Customer Experience

The inbox has muscled its way to the forefront of customer experience (CX). Recent research confirms that roughly three-quarters of consumers prefer email for brand interactions, whether it’s promotional offers or order updates, rather than text messaging, social media or in-app notifications. Improving CX through email marketing is no longer optional, but vital for maintaining a competitive advantage. If you’ve been debating whether to prioritise customer service or customer experience, here’s a thought: why not both? Email is the glue that binds service and experience into one powerhouse strategy, and in this blog, we’ll reveal the ways to do so. Why trust us? We’re Klaviyo-certified email experts.

Email is the CX Powerhouse for eCommerce Brands

No one denies that email is an important connecting point between businesses and consumers. But let’s be clear: email’s role in CX goes way beyond transactional notifications. It’s the silk thread running through your customer’s entire journey, a hub for direct communication from the moment a shopper discovers your brand to the post-purchase follow-up. Unlike fleeting social posts or paid ads, emails sit in your customer’s personal inbox waiting to be engaged on their schedule.

Brands should be wary that customers allow them into their inbox conditionally, so they have a unique chance to deliver value on the customer’s terms. Instead of just blasting promotions, the wise brands use email to build an ongoing relationship, transforming one-off transactions into an ongoing conversation that addresses the person’s needs. In other words, stop thinking of email as just a support act for customer service and start seeing it as the main event for customer experience email marketing.

Deliver Experiences, Not Just Responses

Great customer experience is about engagement, not just issue resolution. Sure, responding to support queries quickly is important (and we’ll get to that), but a truly exceptional CX means anticipating needs and delighting customers proactively (as we detailed in our guide to customer experience).

Email marketing is the perfect vehicle to deliver that kind of experience, because it can genuinely unrich every stage of the journey in a personalised way, from a warm welcome email, a surprise discount for a loyal customer and a helpful order confirmation with next steps, to a sincere thank-you note, a reminder about a reward they earned or an invite to an exclusive VIP sale. Each message serves the customer’s interests first, which in turn serves your brand’s long-term goals.

Personalise or Perish

The days of batch-and-blast are long behind us. Today’s customer expects you to know them and speak to them as individuals. That means everything from the subject line to the content should feel tailor-made: reflecting their name, preferences, past purchases, location and behaviour.

Now, leading brands send highly targeted emails based on first-party and zero-party data. You should do the same, segment your audience and personalise your messaging, or risk losing them. Use that rich customer data from your eCommerce store – browsing history, purchase frequency, loyalty status – to craft emails that make each recipient believe that you get what they’re about. Implement an email preference centre, so subscribers can choose what content they want and how often. When customers set the pace, you’ll never be accused of spamming their inbox.

Quality Over Quantity

Speaking of spamming their inbox, let’s lay out why email can quickly turn into a source of stress and frustration if abused.

Nothing torpedoes customer experience faster than an overflowing inbox of irrelevant emails. In a recent survey, the #1 reason nearly 20% of consumers unsubscribe is simply getting too many emails from a brand. Think about that – one in five will cut ties because you don’t know when to hold your tongue. Your carefully crafted message means nothing if it’s lost in a sea of noise. If you’re carpet-bombing your entire list with the same content at the same frequency, the impact of each is diminished. The takeaway? More is not better. Better is better.

Also, if you bombard people who never signed up or who have tuned out, you’ll tank your sender reputation – meaning even those who do want your emails might not see them. Mailbox providers are actively cracking down on spammers: if your emails generate too many spam complaints (above just 0.1% of sends), expect to be banished from the inbox.

Let Customers Talk Back (and Listen When They Do)

Communication is a two-way street, yet many brands treat email as a broadcast-only channel. But being accessible goes a long way in providing quality service, so encourage replies and make it easy for people to reach a real human via email. Something as simple as a clear “Reply to this email if you need help” can turn a marketing message into an opportunity to solve issues promptly.

Speed matters here. Customers today expect quick responses, even via email. If a customer emails you with a question or complaint, aim to acknowledge it promptly, even if a full solution takes longer. A fast “Got it, we’re on it!” reassures them that their issue is taken seriously. That little courtesy goes a long way to make the customer feel heard and valued.

And when you do respond, do it with empathy and clarity. As the experts note, an email reply should be concise, friendly but professional, and clearly address the customer’s needs. Every support email is an opportunity to turn a moment of friction into a moment of reconciliation. Nail it, and you’ve not only fixed the issue, you’ve strengthened the relationship.

Email Is Your CX Secret Weapon. Here’s How We Help

It’s time to ask yourself: does your email program truly support the customer experience, or just your sales targets? The most fearless thing you can do is to challenge old email habits and elevate your approach.

Want to transform your customer journey? At Brave, we’re the eCommerce agency that makes CX your secret weapon. With over two decades of digital experience, we’re an award-winning eCommerce agency and Klaviyo-certified email marketing experts that deliver world-beating experiences to ensure your brand stays ahead of the game. Contact us today and let’s start bolstering your brand.