Writing an apology email is never an easy task. You may try consistently to keep your customers happy, but the unexpected can still happen, and mistakes can slip through. You need to know how to deal with the situation in the best possible way if you want to retain customers.
A good email apology letter can help to mitigate the impact of an error on your brand. Customers will often understand when you admit to a mistake because they realize we are all human. Here are some tips on how to write one.
1. Choose your subject line wisely
Your subject line is very important in an apology email. You want to instantly reassure customers that everything is under control. Some examples of subject lines include:
- Confused by our last email? Here’s what happened.
- Oh no! Here’s what we meant to say.
- Here’s the email we meant to send you.
- This won’t happen again.
- We’re sorry to share some embarrassing news.
2. Empathize with your customer
Empathizing with your customers is essential, especially if you inadvertently offended them in some way. If you sent a message that customers felt was insensitive, you need to say how deeply sorry you are instead of saying that you didn’t mean for it to sound that way. It is critical to understand how your mistake made customers feel and what it means to them.
Apology Letter Example 1:
We understand our previous message was insensitive and may have upset you. We’re deeply sorry as we never intended to cause any offense or distress. Please accept our sincere apologies.
To make your apology email even more sincere and human oriented, try using visuals and personalized videos.
People love to be treated as individuals, so be sure that this approach can help you manage even the most serious corporate mistakes caused to your customers.
What is more, video format allows you to present additional promos or product features as an apology in a much more interactive way.
3. Be transparent and honest
The most important rule when making an apology is to be transparent and honest. Don’t just tag an apology at the end of a message. Your customers will usually learn sooner or later if there’s an issue you should apologize for.
If you explain what happened straight away and as forthrightly as possible, it can help to strengthen your relationship with your customers rather than destroy it. They will respect you for owning up.
Apology Letter Example 2:
We are aware that our promotional messages didn’t reach you on time. A glitch in our database resulted in sending out promo messages that weren’t active anymore. This issue has been fixed and won’t happen again. We apologize if you missed out on some great offers in which you may have had an interest. Here is a code for a 25% discount you can use on our website.
4. Don’t make excuses
It’s essential to take full responsibility and own up right away, especially if the situation is a serious one. Don’t be vague about what happened, or you could face a negative backlash. If a hacker’s attack has led to a data privacy breach, customers have a right to be angry.
Making excuses or trying to shift the blame to others won’t go down well. Your customers may have received spam emails that contain viruses.
In this case, you need to inform them immediately about what happened, apologize for any inconvenience to them and explain what steps they need for removing malware or viruses. Here are some examples of how to do it.
Apology Letter Example 3:
We are writing to inform you that there was unauthorized access to our company database. As a result, your email address may have been compromised. We sincerely apologize for the spam emails you received. We have blocked unauthorized access and made changes to prevent future incidents of this nature, such as implementing an advanced email security solution.
Going to [link] will help you with removing malware or viruses you may have been exposed to. We have recently also activated two-factor authentication and strongly advise you to enable this feature to provide an additional layer of security for your account. Additional details are available in our help center. Thank you for your patience, and your data security will continue to be a top priority for us.
5. Keep your tone optimistic
When you have to write an apology email, it is usually for a severe issue, but your customers don’t want to read a depressing email. A light tone is perfectly acceptable if the situation allows for it. Your tone can be light without being flippant or minimizing the problem.
Apology Letter Example 4:
Oops! You know the message you received that led you to an error page. Yes, that was our mistake. We want to apologize for any inconvenience we caused. Here is the correct link. We promise it will work! Click it to receive a surprise discount.
Apology Letter Example 5:
Our bad! We just wanted to apologize if you were confused by the message we sent yesterday. The wrong images were a rookie mistake, but hey, it’s Friday…. Here's the email with the correct images and enjoy your weekend.
Apology Letter Example 6:
Unfortunately, we had a glitch over the weekend, and our 50% off offer on marketing materials stood you up. We are really sorry this may have been a disappointment and are happy to say that you can now go ahead and enjoy your 50% off offer without any problems. Better late than never!
6. Ask for customer feedback
You can use an issue to build a stronger relationship with customers. Sometimes offering a discount code won’t be enough. Once you have apologized and given an explanation, customers may want to follow up with questions and concerns. You need to offer them a chance to give you their feedback. This will show that you care about their opinions and want to make improvements to offer them a better customer experience in the future.
What if you sent out an email to your entire customer base congratulating them on the birth of their newborn babies when it was only meant to go to certain subscribers? This could be very harmful to your brand, even though some subscribers may see the funny side. If you encourage them to give you their feedback, it can direct their responses to internal feedback channels instead of it playing out on social media.
Apology Letter Example 7:
Please accept our apologies. We mistakenly sent out emails to all our subscribers that were only intended for parents who recently purchased baby products. We realize this is a very sensitive issue for some and did not mean to upset you in any way. We care about our customers and have taken measures to ensure it won’t happen again. If you have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us.
7. Offer something to make up for any inconvenience
After you have made an apology and offered an explanation, it will help to offer something that makes up for any inconvenience.
If it’s an issue where a discount code or gift could help, don’t hesitate to offer one. If it’s a serious issue like a data breach, make sure customers know exactly what steps to follow. If you’ve made a mistake, don’t just tell customers you’re sorry.
They will be more satisfied if you offer a solution or reparation. Reparation could be in the form of a discount or reimbursement, or it could be a symbolic gesture like thanking a customer for helping to improve a company process.
A company that mistakenly addressed all its subscribers with the name “Paul” realized they were in a sticky situation. They felt that correcting the mistake had to be done in an amusing way if it was to turn the situation around. They played with the mistake to give their customers a laugh.
Apology Letter Example 8:
Hi (name) (we know you’re not Paul). We are all about accepting our shortcomings and our triumphs. So here’s what happened. Our dog did it! And if you don’t believe that absolutely true story, here’s a 10% discount code for (name), not Paul, to use on our website.
It is impossible to avoid all issues that may require an apology to your customers. However, you can minimize the risks by paying more attention to your email campaigns, its text and target audience. For instance, different online writing tools can help your sales and marketing employees to maximize email quality and correctness.
Security threats awareness is one more essential step that will help save your business reputation. Educate your employees to detect possible phishing attacks and you will minimize risks of data breaches.
You shouldn’t stress about this, but it helps if you respond swiftly and in a way that customers will appreciate. If you admit your mistake, explain what happened without giving excuses, express regret and say what you’re doing to fix the problem, you can turn the situation around. It doesn’t cost you anything to write an apology email, and it can help you to make the best of a bad situation. It can result in strengthening your customer relationship and retaining their trust.
