“I love deadlines. I love the whooshing sound they make as they go by.” – Douglas Adams
Start Here
- Acknowledge the Delay 
- Provide a Brief Explanation 
- Express Sincerity 
- Affirm Their Importance 
- Commit to Improvement 
- Offer Assistance: 
- Thank Them for Their Understanding 
- Close on a Positive Note 
Talking Points
- <Name>, I’m terribly sorry for my delayed reply. 
- Please forgive my tardy response. 
- I realize my response took longer than expected, and I appreciate your patience. Your time is valuable, and I'm sorry for any inconvenience my delay may have caused. 
- Due to unforeseen circumstances that required my immediate attention, I could not respond as promptly as I would have liked. I'm committed to ensuring this is an exception rather than the norm. 
- I deeply value our communication and regret any disruption my delay may have caused to your plans or schedule. 
- Please know that your message is important to me. I'm dedicated to providing you with the attention and service you deserve. 
- I'm taking steps to improve my response time moving forward, ensuring that we can maintain smooth and timely communication. 
- Now that I'm fully attentive to our conversation, I'm here to address any concerns or questions you might have. How can I assist you today? 
- Thank you for your understanding and patience. It's greatly appreciated and doesn't go unnoticed. 
- I look forward to our continued conversations and to making positive strides in our communication. Let's keep the lines open and constructive. 



