Apology email templates for customers

By Laura Ojeda Melchor|7 min read|Updated Nov 26, 2024

Illustration of a gift card and letter representing client apology emails

Whether you sell directly to consumers or work with other businesses, nothing brings on the shivers like a negative review or angry email from a customer. But it happens to everyone at some point. Companies are made up of people, and people (and the systems they build) aren’t perfect.

The question is: What should you do when a customer tells you you’ve messed up? An apology email is a great start.

In this guide, you’ll learn what to say in your customer email, how to say it, and when to send it. You’ll also get three templates you can use to write sincere and effective apology emails.

When you personalize your apology email to a customer, there are a few best practices to keep in mind.

The last thing you want to do when a customer delivers a complaint to your company is ignore it. According to a 2022 Statista survey, only 10% of Americans are willing to wait a week for a customer service response. 46% felt fine waiting three days for a response from a customer service rep, but not longer.

The faster the response, the better. If you can respond to customer feedback with clear information and next steps, doing so within 24 to 48 hours is ideal. Don’t wait a week. Or month. Or longer.

Because here’s the thing: a bad review or customer complaint is an opportunity. It’s an opportunity to show your customers that you care about them and value the time it took to write a complaint. And it shows that your business is listening to what they say and will rectify mistakes.

A timely response can turn angry customers into big fans of your brand.

Customers can see a generic, copy-paste apology email from a million miles away — and it can do more harm than good.

Take this study published in the Journal of Retailing in 2015, which explores the financial consequences of how businesses handle complaints. Using data gathered from the financial services industry, researchers found that “complaint-handling initiatives are [more] effective at improving customer profitability when the benefits they offer [strongly] match the benefits sought by customers in each segment to recover from the failure.” On the flip side, complaint-handling initiatives that poorly matched the benefits sought by customers negatively impacted customer profitability.

In simpler terms, complaint-handling efforts are effective at winning over customers — but they have to align well with what the customer values most in resolving the issue. And they must be personal.

This goes beyond simply using the customer’s name or company in your greeting. For your message to resonate, you need to understand what truly matters to the customer in that moment.

Are they looking for a fast resolution to save time? Do they want a heartfelt apology to feel valued and heard? Or are they seeking compensation to make up for a major inconvenience?

Figuring out your customer’s motivation might take some legwork. But once you know where your customer is coming from, you can send an apology email quickly with help from one of our templates.

Here are four steps you can take to get to the root of your customer's complaint:

Ask directly and clearly. Include an open-ended question in your response, such as, “Can you tell us more about what went wrong and how we can make it right for you?”.
Pay attention to their words. Read their email, review, or message carefully. Look for key phrases and word choices that hint at the real problem and how they’re feeling.
Use a follow-up survey or form. Provide a simple feedback form asking, “What was the main issue you faced?” and “What can we do to make it better?”.
Empathize in your reply. Respond with something like, “It sounds like [specific issue] was really frustrating for you. What would help make this situation right?”.

Customers don’t react well to defensive businesses. A classic example happened on Kitchen Nightmares back in 2013. If you tuned into the Gordon Ramsay-helmed show back then, you probably remember the infamous incident involving Amy’s Baking Company.

After being featured on the show and getting negative reviews on Yelp, Reddit, and Facebook, the restaurant’s owners responded defensively. They posted combative comments accusing customers of lying and being ungrateful. The business’s responses went viral — to the point where Forbes used the owners’ meltdown as an example of how not to respond to customers.

It’s no surprise that the restaurant closed down in 2015.

Your brand can take a much healthier approach by owning up to mistakes when you make them. If you feel a review or angry email is unfair, resist the urge to argue. Instead, acknowledge the customer’s perspective.

Taking responsibility doesn’t mean admitting to something you didn’t do. It means showing empathy and being solution-focused. Instead of saying, “That’s not our fault,” try, “We’re sorry this happened and want to help resolve it for you.”

This approach shows accountability and a genuine desire to make things right — two key elements of rebuilding trust.

Once you’ve acknowledged the issue, the next step is to take action. Customers don’t just want an apology — they want a solution. Address their specific problem with a clear and actionable resolution.

For instance, if their order arrived late, offer expedited shipping on their next purchase. If they experienced a service failure, consider providing a refund, replacement, or discount on their next purchase.

Be transparent about what you’re doing to prevent similar issues in the future. You might say, “We’ve reviewed our process and pinpointed [X, Y, and Z reasons] why this issue happened. We’ve implemented [A, B, and C measures] to ensure this doesn’t happen again.”

When you're offering a solution, give the customer options where you can. For example, if a customer is upset about a delayed order, you could say: “We’re so sorry for the delay. To make this right, we can either issue a full refund, send a replacement with expedited shipping, or offer you a discount on your next purchase. Please let us know what works best for you.”

Finally, always communicate timelines clearly so customers know what to expect. Instead of saying you've sent a replacement, specify when they should expect to receive the new shipment and include a tracking number.

After your initial email exchange, don’t forget about the customer. Following up shows that you care about the customer's experience and want to confirm the issue has been fully resolved. A simple email or call asking, “Is everything now to your satisfaction?” can create a lasting good impression.

If the problem isn’t fully resolved, be ready to take further action. For example, if a replacement product hasn’t arrived and you get another agitated email from your customer, track it down and update the customer promptly.

Finally, consider offering a goodwill gesture, like a gift card, rebate or discount, or other form of compensation. This shows the customer that you value their business, care about rebuilding trust, and truly want to make amends for the mistake.

Now let’s explore what not to do in an apology email to a customer. The list is short, sweet, and critically important.

When you’re faced with a complaint, making excuses can escalate the situation rather than resolve it.

Customers don’t want to hear about the internal challenges or external factors that caused the problem — they just want it fixed. For instance, sharing that your business was short-staffed or had a supplier issue shifts focus away from the customer’s frustration and makes your business seem unaccountable.

Instead of making excuses, take responsibility and focus on what you’re doing to resolve the issue. Excuses can make your business look unprofessional and unwilling to improve. Even if the issue wasn’t totally your fault, focus on the solution rather than whatever caused the problem. Customers appreciate a proactive approach way more than a justification.

Blaming the customer is one of the fastest ways to jeopardize customer loyalty — and your brand’s reputation. (RIP, Amy’s Baking Company.) Even if an issue arose because of a customer error or misunderstanding, blaming them won’t win you any favors.

The best approach is to stay solutions-oriented. Pointing out that a customer shared the wrong information or didn’t follow instructions shifts the focus away from resolution toward defensiveness. Instead, approach the situation with empathy and offer to help, regardless of who’s at fault. Keep the conversation constructive and focused on resolving the issue.

The goal is to repair your relationship with the customer, not prove who made a mistake. A kind and understanding response will go a lot further in building trust and loyalty than finger-pointing.

When a customer suffers because of something your business did wrong, compensation is essential. A simple apology often isn’t enough to make up for their frustration. Ignoring this can lead to more bad reviews — and lost customers.

The key is to keep the compensation proportional to the inconvenience. For example, if a customer’s order was delayed by a few days, offering a 10 to 15% discount on future purchases could be enough to appease them. But if an order came weeks late — especially after a major holiday — a bigger incentive is probably in order. Offering a substantial refund or gift card in this type of situation shows your company’s goodwill and matches the scale of the inconvenience.

Failing to provide compensation that’s appropriate to the mistake indicates you don’t value the customer’s experience or time. A full refund, gift card, or free expedited shipping can show customers you care about how the issue impacted them personally.

When your customer service team is under pressure to reply quickly to an unhappy customer, templates can help kickstart the process. Use these three templates to get started, then fill in the relevant details using the tips we’ve outlined in this post. You’ll soon be on your way to resolving complaints quickly and strengthening customer relationships.

Subject: We’re Sorry for [Specific Issue]

Dear [Customer's Name],

We’re truly sorry for [specific issue, e.g., the delay in delivering your order]. We understand this has caused you inconvenience, and we’re actively taking steps to ensure it doesn’t happen again. So far, we have done [X, Y, and Z] to improve our processes.

To make things right, we’d like to [specific resolution, e.g., offer a 15% discount on your next purchase or provide a gift card]. Please let us know if there’s anything more we can do to improve your experience.

Thank you for your understanding and patience. We value your trust and look forward to serving you better in the future.

Warm regards,

[Your Name]

[Your Position]

[Company Name]

Subject: Our Apologies for Your Experience at [Event/Location]

Dear [Customer's Name],

Thank you for bringing your recent experience at [event/location] to our attention. We’re deeply sorry to hear it didn’t meet your expectations, and we regret the inconvenience and disappointment we’ve caused you.

At [Company Name], we strive to provide [specific value, e.g., excellent service, enjoyable experiences]. It’s clear we fell short this time. To make it right, we’d like to [specific resolution, e.g., refund your ticket, offer a free visit, or extend a discount for future services].

We value your feedback and we’re taking steps to prevent similar issues in the future, including [X, Y, and Z steps].

Please feel free to reach out directly if there’s anything else we can do to support you.

Sincerely,

[Your Name]

[Your Position]

[Company Name]

Subject: Our Apologies for [XYZ] Error

Dear [Customer's Name],

We want to sincerely apologize for the confusion surrounding [specific issue, e.g., the billing error on your account]. We understand how frustrating this must have been, and we take full responsibility for the mistake.

We’ve already [specific resolution, e.g., corrected the error and refunded the overcharge] to resolve the issue. You should see the adjustment reflected in your account within [timeframe]. We would also like to offer [X compensation, such as a voucher or gift card] to thank you for your patience.

We’re reviewing our processes to prevent this from happening again. If there’s anything else we can do to address your concerns, please reach out to our team any time.

Thank you for your patience and understanding. We deeply value your trust and hope to have the chance to serve you better in the future.

Best regards,

[Your Name]

[Your Position]

[Company Name]