Have you sent a wrong order and the customer’s angry? Or maybe the service wasn’t good enough, and you fear you might lose a client?
There’s no magic way to go back in time. But you can send an apology letter to customers and salvage the relationship.
And the customers were surprisingly understanding. Saying things like “It’s okay,” “Thanks for the heads-up,” or “Happens to the best.”
Even with the best intentions, mistakes happen When an error negatively impacts a customer, a sincere apology letter is crucial for resolving the situation
Writing an effective apology letter is an art. Done right it can turn angry customers into loyal advocates. Done wrong it can further inflame the situation.
In this article, I’ll share tips to help you write customer apology letters that take responsibility and rebuild trust after service failures.
Why Send an Apology Letter?
Apology letters are valuable because:
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They show customers you care and are listening.
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They allow you to sincerely acknowledge errors.
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They demonstrate you want to make things right.
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They give you a chance to explain what happened.
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They let you outline solutions and next steps.
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They help de-escalate angry customers by diffusing tension.
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They build goodwill and emotional connection.
With the stakes high, you want to craft your letters carefully.
Best Practices for Apology Letters
Follow these best practices when drafting your apology message:
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Respond promptly within 24 hours if possible.
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Use a sincere, empathetic tone – not formal or robotic language.
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Personalize the letter by referencing the customer’s specific situation.
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Own up to the mistake completely without excuses.
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Provide detail on what exactly went wrong and how.
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Focus on actions you’ve taken to resolve the issue.
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Offer remedies like refunds, credits, or free gifts if appropriate.
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Express your appreciation for the customer’s patience and loyalty.
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Close by welcoming any additional questions or feedback.
Getting these elements right goes a long way in smoothing things over.
Common Sections of an Apology Letter
While you want to maintain a conversational tone, most apology letters include some core sections:
Introduction – State the purpose of your letter and provide some context. Address the customer personally.
Acknowledgment – Apologize up front and empathetically validate their frustration or inconvenience.
Explanation – Briefly explain what exactly happened and how without making excuses. Take ownership.
Actions Taken – Provide details on steps taken to resolve the issue and help prevent it happening again. Outline any compensation.
Appreciation – Thank the customer for their patience and ongoing support.
Invitation – Invite them to follow up with any other concerns and demonstrate your commitment to outstanding service.
Closing – Summarize next steps and include your contact information.
Use these sections as you draft your own apology letters.
Sample Apology Letter to Customers
Review this sample letter for ideas on wording you can adapt:
Dear [Customer Name],
I’m writing to sincerely apologize for the delay you experienced receiving your order this month. As one of our long-time customers, you deserve our best service. Unfortunately, we made a mistake in processing your most recent purchase.
After looking into the issue, I discovered a temporary staffing gap in our fulfillment center led to your order being held up. I know how inconvenient this was, especially right before the holidays, and I sincerely apologize for the disappointment this caused.
To make things right, I’ve personally expedited your order. You’ll receive tracking information soon indicating it will arrive by December 19. Additionally, I’ve added a $50 credit to your account to use on a future purchase. It’s the least we can do for the trouble.
We value all of our customers, particularly loyal ones like you. This experience has reinforced the urgency of ensuring we are properly staffed to avoid shipping delays. I will be monitoring things closely, so we never let you down again.
Please know how much we appreciate your business. I hope you’ll give us another chance to prove we can meet your high standards. If you have any other concerns or feedback, don’t hesitate to reach me directly at 555-123-4567 or by email at [email protected].
I look forward to serving you again soon and hope you have a wonderful holiday season.
Sincerely,
[Your name]
[Company]
This covers the key components while sounding sincere. Don’t be afraid to open with emotion and acknowledge the inconvenience.
Customizing Your Apology Letters
While templates help, tailoring your letter specifically for each situation and customer builds trust. Personalize apologizes by:
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Referencing previous interactions or purchases from the customer. (“As a fan of our chocolate gifts since 2016, you deserve the best.”)
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Noting specifics of their order, membership, account, or circumstances. (“I understand this download link failing must have halted your project progress.”)
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Zooming in on exact impacts they faced. (“Missing your daughter’s birthday after the wrong flowers were delivered must have been heartbreaking.”)
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If appropriate, explaining causes pertaining to this particular case. (“The special fabric you requested unfortunately faced shipment delays from our supplier.”)
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Offering remedies tailored to them if possible. (“I’ve added 3 months to your membership free of charge.”)
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Including any assurances on preventing similar issues in the future. (“Our customer service team has received additional training on troubleshooting download issues.”)
Even small personalizations make a difference. But resist denigrating other team members or blaming suppliers which looks unprofessional. Keep explanations brief and the focus on apologies and actions.
Sample Customer Apology Emails
Along with letters, you may need to apologize by email for quicker responses. Here are two sample emails to adapt:
Subject: Apologizing for your dining experience
Dear Mrs. Peterson,
I’m writing regarding your visit to our restaurant last night. I want to personally apologize that we sat you at an uncleared table with dirty dishes. This fails to meet our cleanliness standards, and I sincerely regret we didn’t uphold the welcoming experience you deserve.
Thank you for your understanding and continued patronage as we correct this going forward. Please don’t hesitate to contact me directly with any additional concerns at 555-234-4567 or [email protected].
Regards,
Rachel Jones
Restaurant Manager
Subject: Apologizing for incorrect supplies
Hi Mr. Andrews,
I wanted to follow up regarding the paint supplies you ordered last week. I sincerely apologize for the incorrect spray gun model being shipped to you.
I know the project you purchased it for is time sensitive, so receiving the wrong item must have been incredibly frustrating. As soon as you notified us of the error, I personally placed a rush order for the HVLP spray gun you originally requested.
Your new spray gun is scheduled for overnight delivery and expected to be in your hands tomorrow morning. Please confirm receipt when it arrives. And again, I deeply apologize for the inconvenience this shipping mistake caused.
As a small token, I’ve also credited your account $50 to use on future orders. We value your business and pledge to prevent such errors going forward. Thank you for your patience and understanding.
Sincerely,
John Smith
Customer Service Director
Follow Up After the Apology
Don’t assume one letter resolves everything. Make sure to follow up to confirm the customer’s satisfaction.
You can follow up by:
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Emailing or calling a few days after they receive your apology.
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Personally checking on them next time they visit or order.
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Sending a customer satisfaction survey to get anonymous feedback.
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Monitoring social media for any additional complaints.
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Rewarding their continued loyalty with discounts or gifts.
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Implementing process improvements and notifying them.
Your apology letter opens the door. Follow-up actions prove you took it seriously and aim to go above and beyond moving forward. Continuous improvement turns mistakes into opportunities to get better.
Handling Apologies via Social Media
With complaining over social media common today, you may need to apologize publicly. Here are some best practices if responding to complaints on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram or review sites:
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Reply promptly, within 1-2 hours during business hours if possible.
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Keep it brief but sincere – you may only have 280 characters!
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Apologize and own the mistake, but don’t admit legal liability.
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Offer to continue the conversation privately off the public platform.
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If appropriate, share steps you are taking to address the issue.
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Thank them for their feedback and patience.
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Link to your contact info for follow up.
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For positive resolution, politely request they update or remove their original negative review after the issue is resolved.
Public apologies require thoughtfulness and care in the digital age.
Turning Mistakes Into Opportunities
While apologies are never fun,
Apology letter to a unsatisfied customer
You can send this apology email to a customer who, for some reason, is unhappy. Use it for relatively minor errors, like a glitch in your service, defective product, or general experience with your brand. Otherwise, it may sound a bit insensitive.
Subject line:
At [your business name], we owe you an apology
Apology letter template:
| Hi [customer name], Thanks for contacting us about [name the product, service, or experience]. We’re sorry about the mishap that caused [describe how the customer was affected]. It wasn’t our intention to disappoint you. But we feel fully responsible for what happened and for any inconvenience, this may have caused you. After we looked into the situation, we found the oversight resulted from [enter the cause of the error]. We regret that this error slipped past our quality processes. We’ve taken steps to prevent it from happening again by [enter the steps taken, e.g., by passing customer’s feedback to a relevant department]. As a token of our apology, [enter what you can offer to the customer to appease them, e.g., full refund or a discount]. If you have other concerns or additional feedback, please don’t hesitate to reach out to our customer service team. [You may provide contact details here.] Best, [your or your company name] |
Don’t overthink it. It can really happen to anyone.
Even the former president Barack Obama had to send a personal apology note. It was to Professor Ann Collins Johns who wasn’t pleased about, as he put it, his “glib remarks” about art historians.
Apology letter to customer for delay
This type of email is best sent as soon as you realize the shipment won’t arrive on time. Sometimes you can anticipate it because the weather is bad or there was an error with your supplier. Send it post factum too, to show customers it was incidental.
Subject line:
We’re so sorry for the delay
Apology email template:
| Dear [customer’s name], We’re so sorry that you won’t be able to receive your delivery on time. A mix-up in our warehouse caused your package to be sent later than it was meant to. It was completely our fault, and we regret letting you down on this occasion. Let me assure you that this incident will not happen again [insert what you’ve done to prevent it]. Please expect the delivery anytime soon. [or insert the exact number or business days] We hope you’ll give us a second chance to win back your trust. Please accept this voucher which you can use for your next purchase with us. Thank you, [your or your company name] |
Here’s a sample apology letter to customers for late delivery around the Christmas period (which is extra sensitive) signed by the company’s president. This should appeal to all types of customers, even the most disgruntled.
Apology Letter for mistake || Apology Letter to company || How to write apology letter
What should you say in a business apology letter?
In your business apology letter, it’s essential to take responsibility for the mistake. Avoid vagueness and clearly explain what went wrong. Apologize for any inconvenience caused and assure your customers that you’re taking steps to prevent such an issue from happening again. Why Apologize to Customers?
How do you write a customer apology letter?
When you start writing your letter, make sure to always begin with some form of apology. Then, you should admit any wrongdoings caused by you or your team, and explain clearly why a mistake occurred in the first place. Finally, provide a detailed plan of the things you’ll do to make things right for your customers.
Why should you write an apology letter?
Apology letters can improve your brand image, help you retain business, and help you earn new customers. Let’s explore a few ways writing sincere apology letters can benefit your business: They help you rebuild trust and mend relationships with displeased customers to keep them from churning.
When should you issue a professional apology letter?
What’s important is how you handle them. When you inconvenience your customers, you should issue a professional apology before things get out of hand. Effective apology letters can make an unsatisfied customer feel cared for, listened to, and understood, and can stop them from churning.
