When you’re running a business, one of the inevitabilities you’ll face is customers who are angry and upset. And while it’s never enjoyable to deal with these situations, it’s important to remember that how you respond to angry customers can make all the difference.
Not only in terms of whether you manage to calm the customer down and resolve the situation but also in terms of the impression they walk away with – which could mean the difference between them becoming a returning customer or writing a scathing review online.
How you respond to an angry customer can make or break your relationship with that customer – and, by extension, your business.
According to a study by Zendesk, companies that resolved customer complaints through email saw an increase in customer retention rates, compared to those that didn’t. This is likely because customers who receive a timely and effective response feel valued and appreciated by the company they are doing business with.
When you respond to angry customers via email, it’s important to keep the following points in mind:
1) Address the Issue Quickly and Courteously
Angry customers typically want two things: for their issue to be addressed quickly, and for themselves to be treated respectfully. As such, it’s important to address the customer’s issue as soon as possible and to do so politely and professionally.
2) Take Responsibility for the Issue
You must take responsibility for the issue at hand and do your best to resolve it. This means putting your personal feelings aside and focusing on fixing the problem.
“Never ruin an apology with an excuse.”
Tweet
― Benjamin Franklin
3) Apologize If Necessary
If you feel that an apology is in order, don’t hesitate to provide one. This will help to diffuse the situation and show the customer that you are sorry for what has happened.
4) Offer a Solution
Once you have apologized and taken responsibility for the issue, it’s time to offer a solution. Explain what steps you will take to correct the situation and make sure that the customer is happy with the resolution.
5) Follow Up
Finally, make sure to follow up with the customer after the issue has been resolved. This will ensure that they are satisfied with the outcome and that they won’t have any further problems.
What to do when you receive an angry email?
When you receive an angry email from a customer, the first thing you should do is take a deep breath and relax. Don’t let your emotions get the best of you – stay calm and professional. Next, try to understand where the customer is coming from. What is their complaint? Why are they so upset?
Once you have a good understanding of the situation, it’s time to respond. In your response, be sure to apologize for the inconvenience the customer has experienced and offer a solution. It’s also important to be responsive and keep the customer updated on the progress of their issue.
10 Sample email templates to respond to angry customers
Template 1: Responding to a customer complaint about a bad experience
Use this template when a customer sends an email to complain about poor customer service or experience.
Dear ____________,
Thank you for bringing this to our attention. We are sorry that you have had such a terrible experience with our company. We would love the opportunity to make it right and resolve the situation as quickly as possible.
Please let us know what we can do to help you. We value your feedback and appreciate the chance to improve our service.
Sincerely,
Your Name
Template 2: Email template to respond to angry customers for late order delivery
This template is ideal for ecommerce companies. Use it when a customer expresses her dissatisfaction about late delivery of products.
Hello <Customer Name>,
I am very sorry for the inconvenience our delay has caused you. I would like to offer my sincerest apologies. We pride ourselves on our quick and accurate order delivery, and I assure you that this is not indicative of the level of service you should expect from us.
If there is anything I can do to make up for the issue, please do not hesitate to let me know.
Thank you for your time, and I hope that you will continue to do business with us in the future.
Sincerely,
[Your name]
Template 3: Email template to respond to a customer complaint about the poor quality of the delivered product
Sometimes customers are not happy with the quality of products delivered after an online purchase. Either the product quality is actually poor or maybe it is not as good as the customer perceived it to be when placing an order online. Irrespective, send an apology email.
Hello <Customer Name>,
I am sorry to hear that you are disappointed with the order you received. I would like to help make this right.
If you could please provide me with your order number and the date of the order, I will be happy to look into what happened and see what can be done.
Thank you for your time,
[Name]
Template 4: Responding to a customer complaint about rude behavior of a company representative
You may at times receive written complaints from customers for bad or unprofessional behavior of employees. Some may be true and need investigation as well appropriate action. However sometimes such complaints may be frivolous. Irrespective, it is important that you respond to angry customers.
Dear <Customer Name>
Thank you for writing to us about the experience you had with one of our representatives. We appreciate your feedback.
We would like to apologize for our representative’s behavior and would like to assure you that this behavior is not in line with our company values.
Please reach out to us again if you have any further problems so that we can address them immediately.
We apologize for the inconvenience and we hope you will continue to do business with us.
Sincerely,
[Your Name]
Template 5: Responding to a customer complaint about incorrect invoice or billing
You may have all checking mechanisms in place, however there might be one or more instances of incorrect billing or invoicing. While you take corrective actions, make sure you tender a written apology to the customer.
Dear [Customer Name]
Hello,
Thank you for bringing this to our attention. I am sorry that you received an invoice with incorrect information. I can assure you that we will take care of this right away.
In the meantime, please do not hesitate to contact our billing department at [PHONE NUMBER] if you have any further questions or concerns.
Thank you for your patience and for bringing this to our attention.
Sincerely,
[YOUR NAME]
Template 6: Responding to a customer complaint for missing a follow-up
There could be several reasons why employees may miss pre-scheduled customer follow-ups. Some customers may get furious and send an email to the business owner or supervisor. Use this template to send a respond to angry customers for missed follow-ups.
Dear [Customer Name]
Hello,
I’m sorry to hear that we missed our follow-up [meeting, call or appointment]. We strive to provide our customers with the best possible service and I apologize for any inconvenience that we may have caused.
Please let me know what time would be best for us to reschedule the [call / meeting / appointment] and I’ll do my best to make sure that it fits into our schedule.
Again, I apologize for the inconvenience.
Sincerely,
[Your Name]
Template 7: Responding to a customer complaint for disruption in service
This email template is for service organizations such as internet service providers (ISPs), web hosting service providers, SaaS companies etc. There may be a service outage due to server or network issues. Use this email template as a response to complaints from customers for disruption in service.
Dear ____,
I’m sorry for the disruption in the service. Thank you for bringing this to our attention.
I want to assure you that we are doing everything possible to resolve the issue as soon as possible.
I understand how this is impacting your business and I appreciate your patience as we work to restore service.
If there’s anything else I can do to help, please don’t hesitate to let me know.
Thank you,
[Your Name]
Template 8: Responding to a customer complaint for cancelled appointment
You may have to cancel and postpone a customer appointment at a short notice. Use this template as an apology for any related customer complaints.
Hello [Customer Name],
Thank you for reaching out to us about your cancelled appointment. We are very sorry for the inconvenience.
We try our best to not cancel appointments, but sometimes unavoidable things come up.
If there is anything we can do to make it up to you, please do not hesitate to let us know.
We appreciate your business and we hope that you will continue to use our services.
Sincerely,
[Your Name]
Template 9: Responding to a customer complaint for charging late payment fees
Some customers are never happy paying late payment charges. If the customer complaint is genuine, please offer a refund. Use this email template as an apology to respond to angry customers.
Dear [Customer Name],
Thank you for bringing this to our attention. We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused you.
Your satisfaction is very important to us and we have made the decision to waive the late payment fees.
Please let us know if there is anything else we can do to help you.
Thank you for your understanding and for being a valued customer.
Sincerely,
[Your Name]
Template 10: Responding to a customer complaint about unavailability of a product
Inventory management is a critical business process. At times, your best efforts may not ensure availability of all products a customer wants to order. Some may get angry and send a written complaint. While product unavailability is a concern, a customer’s pain at not being able to buy your product is a good sign for the business. Resolve the issue and send an apology. If you can, do include a discount or gift card with the email.
Hello,
I’m sorry to hear that you haven’t been able to purchase the product you wanted. We always do our best to ensure that our products are available for purchase.
I would be happy to help you out.
Can you please let me know which product you were trying to purchase? I can see if it’s still in stock and if not, I might be able to recommend a similar product.
Thank you for bringing this to our attention. I’ll get back to you as soon as I can.
Thank you,
[Your Name]
Conclusion
Few things are more frustrating than trying to communicate with a company that doesn’t seem to care. When you finally do get a hold of someone, they’re often unhelpful and slow to respond. This can make an angry customer even angrier – and can lead to a PR disaster.
Always respond to angry customers as quickly as possible. Even if you can’t fix the problem right away, let them know that you’re working on it and that you appreciate their feedback.
Be respectful and understanding, and never sound defensive or argumentative. This will help to diffuse the situation and may even turn the customer into a loyal advocate.
Are you struggling to respond to angry customers? Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered. Use these 10 email templates to respond to angry customers. Please subscribe to our blog today get more tips and advice on how to deal with angry customers and grow your business.
Do you need email templates or call scripts for specific situations? Contact us now and we’ll be happy to help.
Thanks! From my experience both as an offline assistant and online Contenteam marketer, taking responsibility for the issue is the key action to cool off that angry client. And magically, as soon as they realize you’re not going to shield yourself, they admit they didn’t mean to be rude or angry, and the conversation continues in a more friendly fashion.
Thank you for sharing your views Marie. You are right. When we take accountability, customers cool down and co-operate.