12 Best Email Templates To Use For Unhappy Customers [2024]

Ankita Ghosh

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Updated: January 19th, 2023

12 Best Email Templates To Use For Unhappy Customers [2024]

So, you've worked hard to make your customers happy.

But no matter how hard you try, it's inevitable that some will be unhappy with their purchases and leave negative feedback on your website/online store.

You can try contacting them or sending out a survey to learn why, but the best way to turn the situation around is by listening and taking care of their problem as quickly as possible.

In this article, we'll provide you with 12 free email templates for handling unhappy customers and offer strategies to improve the likelihood of a good review.

What To Include In Your Email When Responding To Unhappy Customers

When it comes down to crafting your email, there are a few key elements to include:

Address them using their name properly
Be responsive to their problem straightforwardly
Friendly and compassionate tone
Decent grammar and spelling
A sincere apology that mentions the issue

Handling Unhappy Customers Due to No Response

title=Checking in Dear [NAME],

I am sorry for the delay in getting back to you. We are in a tight schedule right now and this has caused the delay. But I totally understand your frustration – your email deserved a timely response. As you requested, we’ve updated your account settings and informed our tech team about the problem you’re having with your account management page. Please, get in touch with me directly if you experience any further issues on our website, I’ll be happy to help.

Once again, our apologies for the delay in response. We’ll continue to do our best to speed up and improve our customer service delivery.

Regards,

[YOUR SIGNATURE]

Source

Follow-Up Email For a Wrong Order

title=A Special Offer For You Dear [Customer Name],

I’m so sorry that we mixed up your order. I know how disappointing it is to not get what you expected.

I’ve just checked on your original order, and it should arrive on [date] via [carrier] with (tracking number [#]). If you’d like to track your package, you can use this link: [link].

I’ll follow up with you on [delivery date] to make sure you’ve received the correct items. In the meantime, feel free to contact me if you have any questions.

I also have one favor to ask: Could you please return the incorrect items you received within the next [#] days? Inside the box, you should find an adhesive, prepaid return label. If not, please click this link, print the form and attach it to the box, and drop off the box at any [carrier] location (click here to find the nearest one).

Once again, [Customer Name], I sincerely apologize for the mistake and the inconvenience it has caused. Thank you for your patience and assistance.

Sincerely,

[Agent Name]

Source

Handling Late Deliveries

title=Give Us a Chance Dear [NAME],

I’m so sorry to learn your order hasn’t arrived. I understand how frustrating this must be for you. We didn’t intend for this to happen, however, due to some unforeseen circumstances, we are experiencing some delays.

I’ve tracked your package via [carrier] and it’s currently listed as [status]. If you’d like to check on its progress, here’s the link you can use: [link]

Please get in touch with me right away if your package has not arrived by [date] by responding to this email. Alternatively, you can call me directly at [number]. Once again, I sincerely apologize for the inconvenience.

Thank you for understanding,

[YOUR SIGNATURE]

Source

Right Order Mixed With The Wrong Ones

title=Our Sincere Apologies Dear [NAME],

We are very sorry for the mix-up with your order and any inconvenience it has caused. I know a mistake like this can be very upsetting. We always try to do our best to get our orders right 100% of the time, but unfortunately, mistakes can sometimes happen.

We have put your order on priority so the shipment with the correct items is delivered at the earliest. If you’d like to track the package, here’s the link you can use: [link]. If you have any questions in the meantime, feel free to contact me directly.

And we do have one small favor to ask. Could you please return the unwanted items within the next [number] days? There should be an adhesive prepaid return label inside the box. Thanks for your understanding and cooperation, and once again, we apologize for the error.

Sincerely,

[YOUR SIGNATURE]

Source

Basic Apology For a Bad Customer Experience

title=We apologize for... Hi [NAME],

Thank you for reaching out. First, I would like to apologize for your negative service experience with our tech support team.

I want you to know that your complaint and feedback will give us the chance to improve and serve our customers better in the future, so I’ve forwarded your complaint to our customer service management team for further investigation.

I can understand how frustrating it must have been [whatever the customer experienced]. Although we strive for 100% customer satisfaction, it’s clear we’ve fallen short in this case, but we’ll do everything we can to make sure this doesn’t happen again.

I‘m sorry once again for your poor experience. Let me know if you have any more questions, comments, or concerns.

Best,

[YOUR SIGNATURE]

Source

Solution Proposal For Unsatisfied Customers

title=We Are Sorry To Hear That Hi [Customer Name],

We have received your support request regarding [customer complaint] and are working to fix the issue. I’m deeply sorry for any inconvenience you’ve experienced, and we’re committed to resolving it as soon as possible. We appreciate your patience and hope to have a solution for you by [date and time]. In the meantime, have you had a chance to look at [resources related to issue]? They may help shed some more light on the situation.

Sincerely,

[Agent Name]

Source

Apology Email For Late Orders

title=This Is Unexpected Dear [Customer Name],

I’m so sorry that your order hasn’t arrived yet. I can understand how frustrating this must be for you. I have tracked the item’s progress via [package carrier], and it’s currently listed as “[status].” If you’d like to monitor its progress, you can use this link: [tracking link]

If your order doesn’t arrive within [time frame], please contact me directly. I will do everything I can to locate your package.

I’d like to apologize again for the inconvenience, and I encourage you to contact me if you have any additional questions or concerns.

Sincerely,

[Agent Name]

Source

Subscription Refund Request Grant Email

title=A Refund Is On Your Way Dear [Customer Name],

I sincerely apologize for the frustration these issues must have caused you. To help make it up to you, I’ve refunded your subscription fee for this month.

It appears that the problems you experienced were a result of [explanation]. We’ve identified the source of the issue, and we’re working hard to implement a fix as soon as possible. Everything should be resolved by [expected time].

Once access is restored, I’ll reach out and let you know. Sorry again for the inconvenience this has caused. Please don’t hesitate to contact me directly if you need any additional assistance.

Sincerely,

[Agent Name]

Source

Discount Offering For Service Inconvenience

title=An Offer You Should Not Miss Hi [Customer Name],

I’m deeply sorry for the delay in getting back to you. I completely understand your frustration. Your email deserved a much timelier response.

As you requested, I’ve [resolved original issue]. If you experience any further problems, please contact me directly.

Due to the inconvenience, we caused you, we’d like to offer you a [discount or deal]. Just follow this link to the [coupon code].

Once again, [Customer Name], I sincerely apologize for the delay. We will do everything in our power to improve our response time so we can provide you with the speedy customer service you deserve.

Sincerely,

[Agent Name]

Source

Getting More Details About a Defective Product

title=Let Us Compensate For The Lost Time Hey [NAME],

Thanks for your email. We’re so sorry to know you were disappointed with our product. Could you please let us know more about why you weren’t satisfied? We’ll do our best to address your concerns.

If the item arrived damaged in any way or not as described – we would be happy to send you a replacement as soon as possible. Or, if you would like to proceed with a refund, then of course we can do that for you right away.

Please let us know how you would like to proceed and our apologies once again for your unpleasant experience.

Kind regards,

[YOUR SIGNATURE]

Source

Customer Demanding For an Exception

title=We Are Here To Help You Out Dear [NAME],

I’m so sorry to hear that there were unable to meet the return window for [name of item]. Unfortunately, our company policy clearly states that all returns and exchanges must be made within 30 days after your item has been received. For more information, you can read our full return and exchange policy on our website here: [link].

While we can no longer issue a product exchange, we’d like to make it up to you by offering 10% off your next purchase. Simply use this coupon code [CODE] at checkout. Once again, I apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused. Please let me know how else I can help.

Best regards,

[YOUR SIGNATURE]

Source

Customer Left a Negative Feedback

title=We Would Want To Know More About Your Review Hi [NAME],

Thank you for taking the time to give us your feedback. We’re so sorry your experience with [COMPANY] didn’t match your expectations. We’d like to learn more about your specific situation and make things right, if we can.

If you wouldn’t mind giving us a call at [number], it would be greatly appreciated. We look forward to speaking with you and working towards earning back your business.

Regards, [YOUR SIGNATURE]

Source

25 Managing Unhappy Customers Email Subject Lines You Can Use

Here's a list of 25 popular email subject lines you can use for managing your unhappy customers:

Are you unhappy with your product?
Hi , the replacement product you ordered is on its way
My customer experience was lacking
Sorry about your disappointment. How can we make things right?
We can't solve your problem here, but we'll direct you to someone
We were unable to complete your transaction. Please check the following and try again
Mistake refunded? I am intrigued...
I'm giving you a for an honest review
Need some consolation?
We're sorry for any inconvenience you may have experienced.
Sorry you had a bad experience, we'd love to help!
We'd like to make this right...
Something went wrong with your order...
Sorry to hear about your experience. Would love to help.
We changed how we do refunds and it's working!
We totally get what you're going through.
Sorry the shoes ripped on your first walk...let's fix this!
I know how you feel
Is your customer satisfaction rating looking like THIS?
I'm so sorry you're getting this email
I'm sorry to hear this. Please contact me and I will help you
Hi there! We're just checking in on you...
We're sorry to hear you're unhappy with our service.
Great news: your refund is in the mail!
Give us a chance to make it right

Tips For Writing A Successful Email

A well-written email can be a powerful communication tool. If you want to get your point across and have it read, write an email that is clear, concise and compelling.

Here are 6 tips to help you write better emails:

1. Keep it short.

People are busy, and they aren't going to read anything more than a few paragraphs long in their inboxes. If you have something important to say, be concise.

2. Be friendly and personable. The best emails show that their sender cares about the recipient: address them by name, make jokes and be friendly, compliment them on something they've done recently—demonstrate that you know them well enough to give them a personal touch.

3. Use bullet points or numbered lists where appropriate.

If you're making a list of suggestions or talking about multiple things, it's much easier on the reader if you use bullet points or numbers rather than listing every point out separately in paragraphs.

(Obviously this doesn't apply if you're using an email for something else entirely—such as a newsletter or informational message.)

4. Proofread your message carefully before sending it out.

Even though you may think you're a pro at typing emails, there are still some mistakes that you could be making. It's important to avoid these errors so that your message is clear and correct.

If you skimmed over the email, there is a good chance that you missed an error in the very sentence that you just changed.

Pro tip: Read your entire message out loud before hitting send. You are more likely to catch mistakes this way!

5. Be sure to include the recipient's name in the email.

This seems like an obvious tip, but it's easy to forget that we're not sending mass emails to a group of people but individual messages to each person on the list.

Your best bet is to craft your message carefully, and make it personal by using the recipient's name. It shows that you're paying attention and it also makes the email feel more personable.

6. Be clear about what you want

Be specific and don't beat around the bush. Think about what you're asking for clearly before you write anything down.

In the first line of your email, state clearly what you want and how the recipient can help.

FAQ

Below we detail the most common questions related to emailing unhappy customers.

What you should avoid saying to an unhappy customer?

You should avoid putting the blame on the customer. Focus on the solution rather than complaining.

How can you determine that a customer is unhappy?

They are using a foul language or being sarcastic
Confrontations happen
They have complaints regarding your service

Why you should address the problem of an unhappy customer immediately?

Because any further delay in reply and stretching the matter too much may result in making the customer even angrier.

Conclusion

You do not want to experience getting bad reviews from your customers. So it is important that you address their issues and resolve them as soon as possible. If you are having difficulties thinking of what you can say to them through emails, making use of our unhappy customers email templates will save you a lot of time and effort.

meet the author

Ankita Ghosh

I'm Ankita Ghosh and I am working with Starter Story as a content creator for more than a year. I write content around various business-related topics with the goal of helping small businesses launch and grow.

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