Customer Service Apology Letter

Customer service apology letters are critical for ensuring customer retention and loyalty towards your business.

Regardless of the reason for the apology, taking responsibility, respecting the customer, and acknowledging the error shows your customers that you can be trusted even if the mistake suggests otherwise.

Orange post it note with a doodle of a woman with a headset and customer service written on it

When it comes to business, some mistakes are clearly more serious than others.

Some errors and miscalculations can have significant financial or legal implications.

However, even when the mistake is viewed by the company as insignificant it should never be thought of in those terms when dealing with customers or crafting an apology letter.

Customers need to know that you are taking the situation seriously and are working to correct things on their behalf.

In fact, some mistakes, when handled correctly can benefit a company in terms of both customer loyalty and customer retention.

Sample Apology Letter From Customer Service

In business, we all aspire to maintain high standards however, no matter how hard we try, mistakes will be made and some customers will inevitably be disappointed about something.

An apology letter issued by the customer service team, like in the sample below, is simply a means of acknowledging that an error was made, that it was the company's fault, and that your organization is honorable and has the integrity to apologize for it.

Use our sample letter and notes to help you tailor your own apology.

Customer Service Apology Letter

Notes	Example: Customer Service Apology Letter
Salutation	Dear _______________, Regardless of whether you're on a first name basis, use Mr. or Ms. This is the first indicator to the recipient that you are showing them respect.
Apologize with a detailed account of the mistake and any specifics that you can add.	As a company, we strive to be the best that we can be and to keep our customers both satisfied and happy. Clearly we failed on all counts, in your case. We are very sorry and would like to apologize for* ________________ [ e.g. poor service / not keeping promises / faulty or poor quality products / rude staff / hidden costs or information / issue not resolved in a timely manner etc. ] *Include the details of the mistake or error made and be as specific as possible in the way you phrase things.
Acknowledge the damage done and implications on the company.	We let you down, which is something we aspire never to do. We understand how [ frustrating / disheartening / disappointing / aggravating / upsetting / maddening / inconvenient ] this situation has been for you and appreciate the repercussions* that you may now be dealing with. For that, we are also sorry. *If you are aware of any specific problems that came up as a result of the mistake, detail them in a statement instead of simply saying 'repercussions'.
Take full responsibility, with a detailed account of what happened without making excuses.	FOR POOR SERVICE RELATED ISSUES: We have failed to provide the standard of service our customers expect from our company. No customer should have to endure * ______________ [rude staff, poor service, not listening or taking the customer seriously, unresolved issues, etc.], This should never have happened and we take full responsibility. FOR ALL OTHER ISSUES: We are clearly at fault and take full responsibility. The mistake was due to ______________ [human error, billing error, computer glitch, oversight, etc.], that should have never happened. It seems that _____________. Give the specifics of what happened in sequential statements to let the recipient know that you are aware of the events that caused the issue at hand. Don't use subjective wording or language, instead write it out in a very factual manner.
Promise that it won't happen again and why it's important that it doesn't.	We promise you that the company has taken all the necessary measures to ensure that this won't happen again. It's very important to us that we regain your trust and that you once again hold us in high regard as you've done in the past.
Include a statement of regret, a form of restitution (if appropriate).	We deeply regret this whole incident and hope you will accept our sincerest apologies. OR We deeply regret the incident and hope you will accept our sincerest apologies and _____________. Include, as appropriate, a form of restitution for the mistake or a token gesture such as... a rebate, discount coupon, credit etc.]
End with a willingness to do whatever is necessary to correct the situation.	If there is anything else that we can do, please let us know.* *At this point, providing a direct line to the head of customer service, or the CEO, or any other related senior staff is an effective tool in giving the customer empowerment and regaining trust in the company.
Close	Again, we sincerely apologize.

The Notes and Italicized Tips we include in the table above will help you customize our sample customer service apology letter to your own situation.

Learn about writing a formal apology letter or why the perfect customer apology letter can deliver a more loyal customer.