See also:
- How to talk to an angry customer or client
- How to follow up with a customer who gave you a low survey score or bad review
Start Here
- Make sure you read the tips from firstHow to talk to an angry customer or client
- If speaking with the customer on the phone, let them express their feelings/frustration first. Listen and acknowledge their concerns, then share how you plan on fixing it.
Talking Points
- Dear <Name>, I’m sorry to hear that your <product name> arrived damaged. This is certainly not in line with our high standards of service.
- We take pride in our high standards of service and we know that we did not meet your– or our own– expectations.
- We understand how frustrating this can be and please know we’re doing everything we can to make it right.
- <Provide details on when a replacement and/or refund will be available and how they to get it>
| Name | Tags | Slug |
|---|---|---|
So I can understand the full extent of the issue/problem, could you please tell me a little more? | Listen to Understand | |
I want to make sure that I really have an understanding of what you’re telling me. I’m hearing that… | Listen to Understand | |
Thank you for alerting us to [ISSUE]. I recognize that this can’t have been an easy thing to deal with and I’m so sorry that this caused you to feel [insert expressed emotion]. | Acknowledge Concern | |
I’m sorry, I can see how [ISSUE] must have been frustrating for you. | Acknowledge Concern | |
I’m very sorry, I appreciate how difficult it must have been for you to deal with. | Acknowledge Concern | |
If I were in your situation, I would feel the same. | Acknowledge Concern | |
I’m sorry to hear that | Express Regret | |
We take pride in our high standards of service and we know that we did not meet your – or our own – expectations. | Acknowledge Concern | |
Please allow me to apologize for your experience | Express Regret | |
Thank you for giving us the opportunity to make this right. | Thank Them for Feedback/Patience | |
I appreciate you bringing this to our attention, so that we can deal with this immediately. | Thank Them for Feedback/Patience | |
I would feel the same in your situation, but we will sort this out… | Acknowledge ConcernOffer Reassurance | |
We deeply value your relationship, and we are committed to providing you with the highest level of service. Thank you in advance for your understanding and patience. | Thank Them for Feedback/Patience | |
Please know that we are doing everything in our power to make it right. | Offer Reassurance | |
We understand how frustrating this can be and please know we’re doing everything we can to make it right. | Acknowledge ConcernOffer Reassurance | |
You were absolutely right to bring this to my attention, so I can [insert action] | Offer Reassurance | |
I will try everything I can to resolve this by [date] | Offer Reassurance | |
As I look into this, I will [insert action]… | Tell Them How You Will Fix it | |
What I’m doing now to help you is [insert action] | Tell Them How You Will Fix it | |
What I’m currently doing to help you is… | Tell Them How You Will Fix it | |
This situation is difficult, but one solution that we could try is [insert solution] | Tell Them How You Will Fix it | |
Now that I’m aware of the situation, we can look to fix it by [insert solution] | Tell Them How You Will Fix it | |
If I were in your situation, I would feel the same. What I would try, and I suggest that we do too, is to [insert solution] | Tell Them How You Will Fix it | |
I will contact you as soon as I have an update | Tell Them How You Will Fix it | |
I will work on resolving the problem and will be in touch by [date] | Tell Them How You Will Fix it | |
I’m sorry that you’ve had this issue, but we have managed to [insert solution]. Now we have done that, our next steps are [insert next steps] | Tell Them How You Will Fix itExpress Regret | |
We recognize that this is not ideal, and we ask for your continued patience throughout this process. | Thank Them for Feedback/PatienceAcknowledge Concern |
