Customer Apology Email Template

Subject: We messed up — here's what we're doing about it

Hi [Customer Name],

I owe you an apology. [Describe what went wrong in plain language — e.g., "Your order was delayed by 5 days due to a shipping error on our end."]

This isn't the experience you should have had, and I take full responsibility.

Here's what we've done:
- [Immediate fix — e.g., "Reshipped your order via express delivery"]
- [Preventive measure — e.g., "Updated our shipping workflow to prevent this from happening again"]

To make it right, I'd like to [compensation — e.g., "offer you a full refund on shipping" or "give you 20% off your next order"].

If there's anything else I can do, please reply directly to this email — it comes straight to me, not a support queue.

Sincerely,
[Your Name]
[Your Title]

💡 Pro Tip

Never use passive voice in apologies ('mistakes were made'). Say 'I' or 'we' and own it. Include a specific fix AND prevention step. Customers forgive mistakes more easily when they see you've changed something.

📌 When to Use This Template

When your company has made a mistake that affected a customer — delayed delivery, billing error, service outage, etc.

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