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How to reply to an angry customer email (with templates)
Reply to an angry customer by naming the problem in their words and saying what you'll do next, without defending yourself in the first paragraph. One short apology, one clear action and a time you'll come back to them does more than a long explanation.
Start with their version of events
Repeat the problem back in one line before you answer it. 'You ordered on the 3rd, the parcel was meant to arrive on the 6th, and it's still not there.' That sentence tells the customer you read the message and stops the reply from sounding like a canned response.
Don't correct small details in the first paragraph. If the date is wrong, you can fix it later. The first job is to show the customer that the problem is understood.
Don't argue about the tone
An angry email is not a request for a debate about manners. Answer the problem, keep the sentences short and leave the tone alone. If the customer swears, don't quote it back and don't ask them to calm down.
If the message contains a personal attack on a staff member, answer the order question once and then move the thread to email only. That is a boundary rather than an argument.
Close with one action and one time
The last paragraph should say what happens next and when. 'I've asked the carrier to trace it and I'll write to you by 4pm tomorrow' gives the customer something to wait for. Two actions and no time leaves them unsure whether anything is happening.
If you need something from the customer, ask for one thing only. A list of five questions in an angry thread gets a reply to one of them, or none.
Copy-paste reply templates
Angry about a late parcel
Hi [first name],
You ordered [order number] on [date], it was due on [date], and it still hasn't arrived. I'm sorry. I'd be annoyed too.
I've asked [carrier] to trace it and I'll write to you by [time] on [date] with an answer. If they can't find it, I'll send a replacement or refund you, whichever you prefer.
Thanks,
[your name]
Angry about an earlier reply
Hi [first name],
You wrote on [date] and got an answer that didn't solve the problem. That's on us. I've read the whole thread and I'll take it from here.
I can [action you can take] today. Tell me if that works, and I'll confirm by [time].
Sorry for the runaround,
[your name]
Angry and threatening a public review
Hi [first name],
I understand why you're upset about [order number]. You've been waiting since [date], and the answers you've had so far haven't fixed it.
I can [refund, replace or escalate] today. If you'd rather I call you, send a number and a time and I'll ring then.
Thanks,
[your name]
When to escalate to the owner
- A refund above the amount you set as the inbox cap.
- Any threat of legal action, a regulator or a chargeback.
- A threat to publish personal information about a staff member.
- A message that mentions an injury or a safety problem.
- A customer who has sent a third message without a new question.
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