Have you had to write letters in situations where you need to show attention, show participation, express gratitude, etc.? Such letters include letters of gratitude, letters of congratulations, letters of apology, letters of condolence, letters of invitation. What do you know about the features of their design and content?

Have you had to write letters in situations where you need to show attention, show participation, express gratitude, etc.? Such letters include letters of gratitude, letters of congratulations, letters of apology, letters of condolence, letters of invitation. What do you know about the features of their design and content?

Etiquette - a word of French origin, originally meant "label", "label". Etiquette is the rules of behavior of a cultured person, the most important tool for achieving communication goals and at the same time a manifestation of the general culture of a person. The rules of etiquette are used taking into account the characteristics of a particular communication situation.

Written business etiquette (speech etiquette) is a set of stable language phrases that help the author of the letter to remain polite and friendly in any situation. The etiquette phrases in correspondence include the introductory address (“Dear ..!”), the final phrase (“Respectfully ...”), phrases in the text of the letter with an expression of hope for further cooperation, etc. Any business letter contains elements in its structure etiquette. But besides the etiquette phrases that can be in any letter, there is a special kind of letters that can be called etiquette.

“Etiquette letters” is a collective concept, it includes several types of letters compiled not in production situations, but in situations where you need to pay attention, show participation, express gratitude, etc.

Etiquette letters include letters of gratitude, letters of congratulations, letters of apology, letters of condolence, letters of invitation.

In general, etiquette letters are drawn up in the same way as business (service) ones. As a rule, etiquette letters are drawn up on a letterhead, signed by the head of the organization or other official, if this right is granted to him. In some cases, special forms can be used to write etiquette letters, for example, for compiling letters of thanks (especially if these letters are a form of encouragement), for compiling letters of congratulations or invitations.

If a letter of etiquette is drawn up on a letterhead, the same details are used as in any other business letter: addressee, date of the letter, registration number, signature, note about the performer.

Etiquette letters always contain an introductory appeal to the addressee:

• Dear Alexander Sergeevich!
• Dear Olga Sergeevna!

If the letter is addressed to the team of the organization or a specific group of people, the appeal may be as follows:

• Dear Sirs!
• Dear Colleagues!

When addressing VIPs (V.I.P. - very important person), the appeal “Dear ..!” is used. A particularly important person is considered not only a high official (member of the government, governor, mayor), but also an honored worker of science, art, a well-known public figure, deputy, head of an organization.

Thank You Letter

A letter of gratitude (letter of thanks) is a business letter sent to an organization or person with an expression of gratitude for the actions performed, the services rendered.

The key phrases of thank you letters are the phrases:

• Thank you for…
• Thank you for your help in…
• We express our gratitude to you for…
• Let me thank you for … etc.

Examples of thank you letters:

Dear Alexey Mitrofanovich!

Thank you for the invitation to visit the Interoptica-2008 exhibition.

We hope that familiarization with the products of your company will mark the beginning of our cooperation.

Sincerely,

In October of this year, a scientific-practical seminar “Modern problems of rhetoric” was held at your institute, in which teachers of our institute took an active part.

The seminar was held at a high scientific level and attracted a wide range of participants from scientific institutions and universities of the country. The participants of the seminar were able to get acquainted with modern achievements in the field of rhetoric, consider the problems of rhetorical education and training of teachers of rhetoric, get acquainted with the new scientific literature on this issue.

We thank the staff of the Institute of the Russian Language. A.S. Pushkin for the excellent organization and holding of the scientific and practical seminar and for the great work in promoting rhetorical knowledge.

We wish you creative success and look forward to fruitful cooperation.

Sincerely…

Letter of congratulation

A letter of congratulations is a letter drawn up on special occasions: a holiday (New Year, March 8, etc.), a significant event in the life of a person or organization (giving an award, an anniversary, conferring an honorary, scientific title, degree, election to any body etc.), an event in private life.

If a congratulatory letter is drawn up not on the letterhead of the organization, but on special forms, paper of various colors, decorated with ornaments, watermarks, and having a high density can be used. Letters of congratulations can be enclosed in special folders-addresses or special envelopes.

Letters of congratulations are always signed. If the congratulation is issued on a letterhead, the signature is drawn up as it should be in official documents: an indication of the position of the person, a personal signature, a decoding of the last name. If the congratulation is not issued on a letterhead, the signature may look generalized:

• Your colleagues
• company team,
• Company employees, etc.

Under such a general inscription, as a rule, there are handwritten signatures of employees who wished to join the congratulations.

Letters of congratulations are usually drawn up in free form, however, there is also a general scheme for a letter of congratulations:

• appeal (“Dear ..!”);
• congratulation;
• complimentary part;
• wishes (well-being, prosperity, success, etc.);
• final etiquette phrase;
• signatures.

The following key phrases are used in congratulation letters:

• Congratulations on…
• We sincerely congratulate you on…
• Please accept our sincere congratulations on...
• We heartily congratulate you on…

Congratulations letter examples:

Dear Ivan Sergeevich!

We sincerely congratulate you on your election as the Chairman of the Board of Directors of EXPOROST Joint-Stock Company.

Your experience and high professional training will serve to further strengthen the position of your company in the system of foreign economic relations.

We hope to maintain and develop mutually beneficial cooperation between our companies.

We wish you good health, success and prosperity!

Sincerely,

Dear Viktor Ivanovich!

Congratulations on your wonderful 70th birthday! All your labor activity is connected with metallurgical production, both in Russia and abroad.

You have made a huge contribution to the development of metallurgy in our country and in a number of developing countries, while working in senior positions in the State Committee for Foreign Economic Relations ...

Sincerely,

condolence letter

A letter of condolence is a letter written in tragic or sad life situations (death, accident, natural disaster, etc.) in order to express participation and support.

Condolence letters use the following phrases:

• We express our sincere condolences to you on...
• We express our deepest sorrow for...

Condolence letter examples

Dear Sirs!

Please accept our condolences on the passing of (name). We express our sincere condolences to your entire team. We will always remember the good deeds of (name) and understand how he will be missed by everyone who knew him.

Please accept our condolences and best wishes to your entire team.

Sincerely,

Dear Sirs!

It is with deep regret that we learned of the death of Professor (name). Please accept condolences on behalf of our department on the death of a person whose works have made such a significant contribution to domestic science.

Please pass on our condolences to his family as well.

Sincerely,

letter of apology

Letters of apology usually begin with the following phrases:

• We apologize for…
• Let me apologize to you for...
• We sincerely regret that…
• Please accept our sincere apologies for…

Business communication etiquette requires explaining the reason why the author of the letter got into a situation requiring an apology, and at the end of the letter, repeat the phrase with apologies, but not literally, but in a different wording. For example:

• Once again, we apologize for…
• Once again, we apologize for…
• We apologize to you for…
• We apologize for any inconvenience caused due to…
• Please accept our sincere apologies for...

Examples of texts of apology letters

Dear Sirs!

Please accept our sincere apologies for the delay in payment of the invoice for the supply of a batch of components under contract No. 05-34/86 dated 12.03.2008, which occurred due to the fault of our accounting department.

Currently, payment has been made, and we hope that this will not happen again in the future.

Once again we apologize.

Sincerely,

Dear Sirs!

I apologize to you for the incorrect statements addressed to your company, made on September 29, 2008 during a speech at the conference “Information Technologies in Management”.

I acknowledge my accusations against your company as unfair and unfounded, and also declare that I have no complaints about the work of your company's service department.

Once again, please excuse me.

Thanks for adding holidays.ru to:

It was very ugly of me to do this to you, I want to apologize to you for the inconvenience caused and I dare to hope that, like a real man, you will forgive me this momentary weakness.

I know that everything that happened was very unpleasant for you, and I sincerely apologize for the inconvenience caused. I would really like you to show understanding and forgive me.

I would like to apologize to you for the inconvenience caused. I hope you will believe that what happened was a pure accident and allow me to somehow make amends.

Let me offer you my deepest apologies for the inconvenience caused. I am fully aware of my guilt and I assure you that this will not happen again in the future.

Apologies for the inconvenience

Please accept my apologies for the inconvenience I caused you. It was not my best act, I will try to settle all the unpleasant consequences as soon as possible.

I am very sorry about what happened. I admit it was stupid and thoughtless on my part. I hope you accept my apologies and believe in their sincerity.

I am sorry that my act caused such unpleasant consequences, but know that I did not have any malicious intent. Sorry for everything.

We apologize for the inconvenience

On behalf of all of us, we apologize for the inconvenience caused by this unfortunate incident. We hope for your correct understanding of the circumstances.

I hasten to apologize to you for the inconvenience that you had to experience through my fault. I hope that this will not affect our future relationship with you.

We were wrong, we understand this and admit it with all responsibility. We want to apologize for the inconvenience and offer our assistance in eliminating the consequences.

Apologies for the inconvenience

If I can somehow remedy the situation, I will gladly do it. Please accept my apologies for the inconvenience and give me a chance to show you my remorse for my mistake.

I understand that I treated you badly and did not think about what inconvenience I would create with my actions. Of course, my apologies won't help make things right, but I have to ask your forgiveness.

Sometimes I get so hot-tempered and do absolutely reckless things. Please accept my apologies. I really really want your good attitude back.

How to apologize to the client in order to save both his goodwill and the reputation of the company? Read the article.

You will learn:

• Who and for what should apologize to the client.
• How to apologize to a client in a letter.
• How to write an apology letter in English.
• How to apologize to a client over the phone.
• When you don't have to apologize to a client.

If you apologize and do it competently, then there is a good chance to come to mutual respect and continue cooperation. To resolve the situation, you need to follow simple rules and use the code phrases that you will find in our article.

An example of a letter that you can use as an apology to a client was prepared by the editors of the Commercial Director magazine.

How to apologize to the client and who should do it

Suppose you need to write an apology letter. The main rule: you should only do this if you are really to blame. Moreover, every self-respecting company should have the ability to admit its own mistakes and the desire to correct them. Such behavior is dictated by modern business ethics. If you apologize to the client correctly and do it on time, you can not only save your reputation, but also avoid losses: people will not leave you for competitors. Such actions can make the client change his mind and not bring the case to court, and can help avoid unnecessary publicity. Moreover, all phrases in them must be imbued with sincerity.

A letter of apology should be written in the following cases.

• If you have violated the obligations under the contract. This is usually the most common cause, and the affected party can be both organizations and individuals, the ratio here is about 50/50. But keep in mind: it is quite possible that in this case only one letter will not be enough. To properly apologize to a customer, send them a gift, give them a discount, etc.
• If someone from the staff of your company behaved incorrectly towards the client. Apologies in such a situation are simply necessary, because each employee speaks on behalf of the organization, and his behavior in one way or another is reflected in the image of the company.
• In case of force majeure. From unforeseen situations no one is insured and never. The correct apology to the client in this case should include an explanation of the causes of the problems that arose, an explanation that the circumstances did not depend on you.

You can download a sample letter that will help correct a negative situation with a client at the end of the article.

Below is a table that indicates who and how should apologize to the client.

To properly apologize to the client, you need to understand the consequences of the mistake made. It also depends on who and how should apologize.

Minor flaws are not so rare. The head of the company may not even be aware of what happened, and the client will not raise unnecessary noise because of them. In this case, the correct apology of the manager of the company to the client or his representative is quite enough.

Average miscalculations are a more serious matter, requiring an apology from the leader personally. And managers are well aware that their boss has to answer for their mistake. Responsible employees in this case burn with shame and are ready to do anything so that there are no more such failures in their work. Managers punish themselves, and therefore it makes little sense to understand what happened.

Major blunders are those in which the company may lose a customer. And here one correct apology is not enough. This must be done twice. For the first time, the manager must apologize officially - on behalf of the entire company. You should call the head of the client company and repent with all possible sincerity. If it is not possible to contact the victim (he is so offended that he does not want to talk), then the leader with his deputies can go to a personal meeting. In its course, not only the director, but also the top manager of the company should apologize. This will make it clear to the client that he is truly appreciated, and the deputy will be a good lesson for the future. For an apology to be “proper,” it must be repeated informally. For example, you can invite the victim to a restaurant, where, during lunch or dinner, he once again admits his mistake (together with a top manager). It is also recommended to give tickets to a concert of a popular artist, organize a hunting or fishing trip.

Remember: if you apologize to the client correctly, then in the vast majority of cases he will forgive you.

19 Phrases to Calm Annoyed Customers

The editors of the Commercial Director magazine have prepared a list of phrases that will be useful to managers during a call or meeting in order to win over the client and eliminate his wariness.

How to apologize to a client by choosing the right wording

There are three types of apologies most commonly used:

• Sorry;
• accept an apology;
• I'm sorry.

The first option is a soft apology to the person. From the point of view of psychology, such an appeal shows weakness and error on your part, you really ask for forgiveness for a certain action.

It is recommended to use this form if you trust the person, you are sure that the apology will be received adequately. If you really feel like you've made a mistake, it's correct to admit your mistake to the client using the words "sorry", "sorry please", "sorry for our mistake", etc.

If the situation is different and your fault is not so obvious, then it is better to use a formal business style in communication. In this case, there is a good chance that the person at the subconscious level will accept your apology immediately, without unnecessary conversations.

The phrase “please accept our apologies” seems to encourage a person to unconditional action: he is simply obliged to fulfill the request, without going into unnecessary details of what happened.

Sometimes the right words can stop a conversation or correspondence taking an unpleasant turn. For example, if you feel possible guilt behind you, but it is important for you not just to forgive the client, but his unconditional forgiveness, then the phrase “accept our apologies” fits here perfectly. It makes a person subconsciously agree with you and end the matter in peace.

And the third case. If you want to properly apologize to the client, then the word "sorry" in this case will not be the best option.

First, it is lexically illiterate. The original meaning of this word was to apologize to oneself. True, in the course of the evolution of the language, the meaning has changed, the word has been used as a form of apology to another person, but still it is better not to use it. Secondly, this word not only sounds somewhat familiar, but has a certain justifying connotation. A person, having heard “I apologize” from you, will be psychologically ready to attack further. It would be correct to exclude this word form from communication with customers altogether.

How to apologize to a client: step by step instructions

Step 1.Listen carefully to the person and make a promise to resolve the issue

The client is not right in every case. But, even if he is wrong, he does not need to point it out yet. Act as a psychotherapist. If you listen to the interlocutor and promise to help, it is quite possible that he will be satisfied with this.

There are situations when the conflict becomes more and more violent due to the fact that the right side makes mistakes. You need to try to understand what exactly irritates the problem client.

Step 3Recognize the error of the actions of employees of the company

It will be right to apologize to the client even for insignificant trifles. If a person considers them important, go forward and agree with him on this issue.

Step 4Express regret

For some people with a difficult character, it is not enough to admit a mistake has been made. They need to make sure that you, having hurt, are upset and regret what happened. This emotional connection helps break down barriers.

Step 5Ask how you can make amends

There are two possible scenarios for the development of events. If a person is adequate, then he will apologize. A very angry client may not want to make contact. But it is necessary to ask what is needed for reconciliation.

Step 6Wait for the person to calm down and offer to return to the conversation

Some people do not cool down immediately, you need to let them recover. From time to time check the client's condition, and as soon as he calms down, offer to resume cooperation. Promise that there will be no more such mistakes on your part.

Tip 1.Don't be afraid to admit a mistake

Such a step will please the client and will be useful for you. If mistakes are not acknowledged, they may be repeated in the future.

It is not necessary to calculate who and to what extent is to blame for the current situation. If an accident occurs, first of all it must be eliminated, and only then debriefing should be carried out. If you want to leave the most positive impression with a client or business partner, then show generosity, nobility and generosity.

To properly apologize to a client in this situation, use the following phrases:

• We are sorry that the service we offered did not satisfy you.
• We understand your dissatisfaction - you really have been waiting for a very long time.

Tip 2.Be Specific

If you use general phrases, then this will anger the client even more. Make a specific offer on how to solve the problem: repair the product, replace it, return the money.

Here are the phrases that come into play:

• If you don't mind, then in return we offer ... We will contact the service department, and the process will definitely be optimized.
• We thank you for helping us identify the issue. The technical department will immediately develop a set of measures that will no longer allow queues to accumulate.

Expert opinion

Viktor Nagaytsev,

CEO, PerfectSEO, Moscow

Go beyond words, making amends to the client

We had to move to a new office, and to do it without prior preparation. For several days we set up the equipment and laid out the papers. Customers about our move were notified personally. For those who could not be contacted, we sent letters - regular and electronic. To keep the work going, our employees had to work remotely for several days.

Some time later, one of our clients received a phone call informing him that he intended to terminate the contract. The reason is the letters that came very late, and he did not find a notice of the move on the company's website. The contract was terminated, and the man worked with our competitors for three months after that.

We analyzed the site owned by the client and found out that the work carried out with it is absolutely not enough to enter the top 10. I contacted the client and made an appointment. On it, I conveyed to him the conclusions of our analysts, but the person was not yet ready to change the company. He said that he himself often holds conferences for colleagues and new clients, and gives them lectures. On my part, a proposal was made to rent premises for free for these events, especially since our office was quite free, with spacious halls. The argument worked and the client returned to our company.

Tip 3.Make it clear that the incident is an exception

If the client is politely convinced that what happened is an unpleasant exception to the rule and you make every effort to ensure that this does not happen again, the person can turn his anger to mercy.

The correct apology to the client in this situation might sound like this:

• People almost never complain about the shortcomings of our service. There are many positive reviews about our company, you can see for yourself. The situation in which you find yourself is an unfortunate misunderstanding. And this won't happen again.
• The fact that our consultant made you wait so long is nothing more than an unfortunate accident. We will make sure this never happens again.

Tip 4.Be objective

There is no need for unnecessary drama and phrases like: “What happened to you is a nightmare!”. Such words will only reinforce the negative feelings of the client, who is already not in the best mood.

But also excuses in the style of “It would be something to worry about!” also not necessary. If you say, “Defective product? It happens, it's okay, ”then drop the image of the company in the eyes of the client. In addition, such phrases are often perceived by people as a reproach: “Is it worth making a fuss over such a trifle?”

The correct way to apologize to a client is to:

• We are sorry that the order delivered to you has lost its presentation.
• The company apologizes that you had to wait so long.

Tip 5. Show interest

Indifference to complaints is the biggest mistake employees make. If, in your opinion, the claims are unfounded, then it will be correct to explain in detail why they are rejected. To remain silent in response to accusations, or to respond by deliberately pausing, is to show disdain for the client. Such arrogance of the staff is bad for the image of the company.

It is necessary to behave calmly and benevolently, showing a willingness to delve into the essence of the claim. Even if you cannot solve the problem on the spot, you need to make it clear to the client that you took his issue seriously and will do everything possible to resolve it in the near future. If necessary, provide the person with a written apology.

The correct way to apologize to the client can be with the help of phrases:

• We're sorry we weren't able to meet your expectations. We will definitely identify the causes of what happened and ... In the meantime, we can offer you ...
• In order to compensate you for the long wait, we offer… As compensation, would you like to use…

Expert opinion

Elena Kirillova,
director of training programs at Training Media, Moscow

Apologize only for valid claims

Apologies should be made only when the claims are justified. The client expects you to apologize and is even willing to forgive. It’s good if you also thank the person for helping to identify the shortcomings, because this will give you a chance to avoid mistakes in the future. Such an apology to the client would be correct.

But do you need to apologize if you are not to blame? Here you can choose a slightly different verbal formula: "We are very, sorry that ...". The regret expressed by you will make it clear to the person that you are not indifferent to the current situation and are interested in further cooperation.

How to apologize to a client in writing

An apology letter can be called the most difficult type of letter; when compiling it, you must follow certain rules. Often you have to ask for forgiveness for mistakes that you have nothing to do with. And if there is guilt, then you need to somehow cope with moral torment. A well-written letter needs a certain balance: in no case should an apology negatively affect the company's image and at the same time should serve to restore relations with a client or partner.

If you are really guilty, then you can not do without an apology. A serious company should be able to admit its mistakes and be ready to correct them at any time. The purpose of such a letter is not only to properly apologize to the client, but also to restore the reputation - personally or of the company.

With the help of an apology letter, conflicts that are gaining momentum are smoothed out, mistakes of colleagues are minimized. In general, a good manager must anticipate the possibility of disagreements and try in every possible way to prevent an incident from developing.

An apology letter is required in the following cases:

• You have violated contractual obligations.
• You behaved not too correctly in relation to people working for the counterparty company. Moreover, the motives of such behavior do not play any role.
• Employees of your company in any situation did not behave in the best way, and this became known to the public. An example is such a case. The flight attendant of one domestic airline in her personal blog did not comment too correctly on the recent crash of an airliner. She was fired, but in addition, it was necessary to write an apology letter and place it in the most famous media.

If you really want to apologize to the client correctly, then you need to write such a letter, even if force majeure circumstances are to blame. It will only benefit the company's image.

An apology letter and a regular business letter are very similar in form. Be sure to mention the addressee, the subject of the letter and go to the actual appeal. The emphasis on the fact that this is an apology should not be made in the subject line of the letter. It is better either not to indicate it at all, or to make it as neutral as possible, for example: "On the terms of the contract under contract No. 1058." Also, there is no need to tell who is the originator of the letter. Let it go under the signature of the top manager of the company. The main thing here is not to overdo it with formalities.

Apologizing to a client will give the right impression if the recipient is sure that the head of the firm is aware of the situation and is ready to personally apologize for the incident.

After compiling the letter, it must be printed on a corporate letterhead, taken to the head for signature, registered and sent to the desired address.

The letter of apology should consist of 3 parts: introduction, body and conclusion. Of course, in terms of meaning there will be much more parts:

• the first sentence should contain the actual apology;
• after that, the causes of the problem are explained;
• followed by assurances that all necessary measures have been taken;
• after all, the hope is expressed that the incident will not interfere with further joint work.

1st paragraph. An apology is made, but only once, in the very first sentence of the introduction. Then the main text begins.

2nd paragraph. The main part of the letter contains an explanation of the reasons for what happened. And it is imperative to talk about them. Some phrases like “little problem”, “random delay” are better not to use. It doesn't matter how you personally feel about it. There is no place for such phrases in an apology letter, as they can spoil the image of the company.

3rd paragraph. Try to let the recipient know that you are upset and sorry about what happened. But the word "sorry" and its synonyms no longer use. The main thing is to instill confidence in the person that the leader is concerned about the incident and has taken control of the matter.

The next sentence should describe the action taken. In no case should you write: "The perpetrators will be held accountable" or "We will analyze the situation." No future tense! A proper apology to the client assumes that you have already figured out everything and people who made a mistake are punished.

In conclusion, it must be said that such situations will not arise again, and express hope for further fruitful cooperation.

Together with a letter of apology to the injured party, you can send a bouquet of flowers or a bottle of good wine - but only if it is appropriate.

Such letters, properly composed, will allow you to keep a client or even get a permanent partner.

• Thank You Letter to a Client: Writing Rules and Samples

Expert opinion

Ivan Trufanov,

CEO of Werbary, Moscow

Write a letter of apology by hand

Once we accidentally offended a client, and I wrote him a letter of apology by hand. He asked for forgiveness for what happened. He informed me about the measures taken to ensure that this situation does not happen again. The letter looked something like this:

“Hello, Sergey Sergeevich! I understand that you are uncooperative because of our mistake. It became clear to us that you were not satisfied with the behavior of Ivan Ivanovich. This employee has been dealt with (or fired). To avoid such problems in the future, we have made changes to the internal regulations. I apologize to you and express the hope that you will resume cooperation with us.”

The letter was sealed in an ordinary white envelope and sent by courier. At the top of the envelope, they wrote by hand: “We are guilty, but we have corrected ourselves.”

The idea is simple: after seeing the inscription, a person will be interested in who exactly was guilty before him. Of the three clients, one returned immediately, while the rest promised to think about resuming cooperation.

Phrases used in apology letters

If there was a delay in the delivery of goods, then you can correctly apologize to the client using the following phrases:

• Sorry that there was a delay in the delivery of goods. This is solely our fault. We apologize for the inconvenience.
• Your order dated… (date) arrived late at our transport department. It happened by mistake of the office manager. Please accept our apologies for the situation, we promise to pay special attention to your orders in the future.
• Your order did not arrive on time due to the error of the employee who worked with it. Please excuse us for the delay.
• Our production department misplanned the schedule for shipping goods, which is why the failure occurred. We apologize for the situation.
• We had certain production difficulties, so we did not meet the pre-agreed deadlines. Please accept our sincere apologies for the inconvenience caused to you.
• We must ask your forgiveness for the late execution of the order from ... (date).
• After carefully reviewing all your orders, we are convinced that an unfortunate mistake has been made. We express our sincere hope that you will forgive us for it.
• Once again, we apologize for the inconvenience caused. We hope that this misunderstanding will not affect our further cooperation.
• We guarantee that we will make every effort to ensure that such a situation does not happen again in the future.

Correctly apologize to the client for the delay in paying bills as follows:

• The negligence of our accounting department is to blame for the fact that your invoices were not paid on time. The situation will be corrected immediately. We apologize for the delay.
• When registering your account from ... (date), our accounting staff made an error, so payment from our side was not received. Sorry for this misunderstanding, which will be corrected immediately.
• We instructed the bank to transfer the money to you, but, unfortunately, it did not do it on time. We apologize for the situation.
• We sincerely regret that your account has remained unpaid for a long time. We apologize for our inattention.
• Due to a personnel reshuffle in our accounting department (accounting department moved to a new office), payment of bills was greatly delayed. We apologize.
• We ask you to forgive us for errors in the work of our accounting department. We will make every effort to ensure that this does not happen again.
• An unfortunate mistake has occurred due to the negligence of our employee. We sincerely apologize for her.
• We are grateful for your reminder of an unpaid invoice dated ... (date) that was incorrectly registered. Sorry for the inconvenience (unnecessary excitement) caused to you due to the mistake of our employees.
• After our telephone conversation with you, we carefully checked all the accounts and indeed found a mistake, for which we sincerely apologize. We do not justify our inattention, but we hope that this will not interfere with our further cooperation.
• Once again, we apologize for the delay in payment. We guarantee that we will make every effort to ensure that this does not happen again in the future.

The following phrases will help to correctly apologize to the client for a delay in responding or for being late for a meeting:

• We apologize for being late to the meeting.
• This meeting is very important for us. We sincerely regret that it did not take place.
• Please forgive me for wasting your time.
• I was sure that our meeting was scheduled for ... (date). I'm sorry to have caused you any inconvenience, and would like to ask, if you don't mind, to set up another meeting - at any time convenient for you.
• Sorry for making you wait in vain. Would you like to meet again? I will be sincerely grateful for this.
• Sorry for the delay, I'm very uncomfortable.
• I sincerely apologize that you had to wait for my response to your invitation to participate in…
• I am sincerely sorry that I was not able to respond to your invitation in time. I am very grateful to you for it, but...
• We apologize for the delay in responding, due to...

4 tips on how to properly apologize to a client in a letter

Following the tips below, you can easily compose any letter of apology correctly.

1. Show respect

In order for a client to start respecting you, you need to take the first step. Greet the person and check that their name is spelled correctly. It is worth making a mistake even in small things, and the impression of the letter will be irrevocably spoiled. Moreover, the client may no longer want to do business with you.

2. Show sincerity

Without sincerity, a proper apology to the client is impossible. If you, after a mistake, think that everything will be fine without an apology, then you do not regret what happened at all. But, having overcome yourself and taking up the letter, try to explain to the client the reasons for this situation. Do it gently and without unnecessary details. If you overdo it with excuses, the person may doubt that you are truly sorry.

Don't take back what you've done. Instead of wasting time on unnecessary worries, consider: how can you rebuild relationships? Promise that this situation will not happen again, ask the client to forget about the unpleasant incident. You must understand that if the offense is serious enough, then the person will need time to calm down and accept your apology. But if the letter is written correctly, then the chances of resuming cooperation will be good.

4. Recheck what you wrote

Re-read the letter immediately after writing it to check it for grammatical and spelling errors, poorly constructed phrases. If you want to really apologize to the client, then try to put yourself in the place of the offended person. Is the meaning of what is written well understood? What emotions will the client experience when reading your letter? You need to try to pick up such phrases so that they not only sound right, but also touch the right strings in a person’s soul.

How to apologize to a client in a letter in English

An apology letter is written not only to ask for forgiveness for a mistake, but also in response to a letter of complaint. In what form should it be written? First of all, you need to say that you are sorry about what happened, to express personal concern about the situation. Then inform the recipient about the actions taken to resolve the problem and eliminate the possibility of a recurrence of the incident. To correctly apologize to the client, use phrases composed in a certain way.

1. Thanks to the client for drawing your attention to the current state of affairs, write:

• Thank you for bringing the matter / issue / problem to our attention. (We express our gratitude to you for drawing our attention to this case / issue / problem).
• I appreciated your advising me of this incident… (I appreciate that you informed me about this incident…).

1. To express regret, the following constructions are suitable:

• We are very sorry to hear that… (We are very sorry that…)
• I am very sorry for this situation. (I am very sorry about this situation).

1. The correct way to apologize to a client is to:

• We apologise for… (We apologize for…)
• Please accept our apologises for… (Please accept our apologies…)

1. Don't forget to let us know what you've done:

• Please be assured that we will… (We assure you that we will…)
• You have my assurance that… (I give you a guarantee that…)
• To compensate for the inconvenience caused… (To compensate for the inconvenience caused…)
• We are doing everything we can do to resolve the issue. (We are doing our best to resolve the issue).
• I can assure you that this will not happen again. (I can assure you that this will not happen again).
• I am trying to sort it out / sort the problem out as a matter of urgency. (I'm trying to figure this out / urgently solve this problem).
• Please return the faulty goods, and we will refund you / repair them / replace them. (Please return the defective item and we will refund/repair/exchange it).

1. After you have apologized to the client, let him know that continued cooperation is very important to you:

• Your satisfaction is our priority. (Your satisfaction is our priority).
• We value your custom highly. (It is very important for us to cooperate with you).

The table below shows a few more common phrases that can be used in an apology letter.

How to apologize to a client over the phone

Employees of some organizations (for example, call centers, technical support, etc.) are often forced to talk with negatively minded customers. Listening to complaints and politely responding to them is not at all easy, such work requires a certain amount of experience.

How to talk to a person who actively expresses his dissatisfaction? There are several universal rules. They are suitable for any activity in which communication with the client is not one-time, but requires constant interaction with him.

Of course, there are cases when a person has every right to be dissatisfied: the quality of a product or service does not correspond to the declared one, the order was not completed within the promised time frame, etc. But it is one thing to calmly make claims, and quite another to shower insults or even threaten the interlocutor to him. To properly apologize to such a client, it is not enough to have iron endurance. You can't do without certain skills.

Let's say you're an ISP tech support employee. If problems arose in several houses at once, and even areas, then a flurry of calls from annoyed users immediately follows. In order not to drown in negativity, you need to correctly build a conversation with customers. To do this, follow a few simple rules.

Rule 1Don't take insults personally.

Remember: the client is not dissatisfied with you personally, but with your company. You do not need to emotionally react to all the words spoken, you need a figurative barrier between you and the interlocutor.

If the client goes beyond all boundaries and begins to use obscene expressions in his speech, then warn him that you will be forced to end the conversation, and hang up. Many companies allow such actions by regulation.

Rule 2When the complaint is justified, apologize to the client, and do it right.

Moreover, you need to do this at the very beginning of the conversation, even if the answer is rude, like: “What is the use of your apology?”

Many operators do not like to apologize, because in a psychological sense it is humiliating for them. They believe that asking for forgiveness means losing, defeating.

But this psychological barrier is easy to remove. Just think and realize: you are not to blame for anything, the company apologizes in your face. Your area of ​​responsibility is completely different: you must reassure the client by correctly informing him of the state of affairs.

Rule 3Don't put the blame on other employees.

It would seem that sometimes the easiest way is to shift the responsibility to others: “This is a question for the repair team, they did something wrong!” Or: “I couldn’t say that! It must have been a different operator, one of the new ones.” You can't do that.

Instead of doing the right thing and apologizing to the client, you admit your incompetence and at the same time destroy the image of the company.

It would be better to say:

• I apologize that our staff misled you. Let's try to figure it out together.
• Sorry that the company's technicians are delayed. Perhaps there are good reasons for that. I'll contact the right department and get back to you right away.

Rule 4Do what you promised and don't test the patience of your customers.

After assuring the person that you will call back within a certain time, keep your word. Even if by the right moment you have not received the necessary information, still contact the client and say that his problem is being solved. A person, having convinced himself of the commitment of employees and feeling that he is not indifferent to them, will treat the company more loyally.

One more thing. You need to take a call from a client immediately, regardless of your well-being or mood. A person who has been waiting for an answer for a long time will have time to wind himself up, which will negatively affect further communication.

Rule 5Never use the phrase: "I don't know."

Rule 6To reduce the heat, return the conversation to the right track, find out the essence of the problem.

To properly apologize to the client, you need to know what exactly you need to apologize for. By asking him to tell you exactly what he is dissatisfied with, you will make him think about it and switch to a constructive one. But try not to ask the person questions that he finds difficult to answer. This can provoke a new outbreak of negative emotions.

Rule 7Communicate with the client in his language.

The language you speak is full of specific terms. And an outsider may not understand them. The client is an ordinary Internet user, he does not delve into technical problems. How many people know exactly how the TV works? It's the same here. If a person does not understand the meaning of what was said, he begins to get nervous, to believe that he is being treated down. And this situation may be fraught with a new conflict.

Whatever firm you work for, there are many typical complaints that a client can make. But, no matter what the discussion is about, you need to learn how to properly conduct a conversation, correctly apologize to customers and in no case provoke people to continue the conflict. Here, pre-defined conversation modules can help, which the operator sees in front of him and which, if necessary, can use.

But, no matter how skillfully you conduct a conversation, keep in mind one thing: the client's problem must be solved, and as soon as possible. If this is not done, then even the most correct and sincere apologies will not be able to save the situation.

When an apology is not needed

If the person’s claims against the company are justified, then you must control the situation, behave politely, calmly and, as a result, apologize to the client properly. But sometimes you don’t need to ask for forgiveness, as this will only add fuel to the fire and an irritated client will become even more aggressive.

Here it is necessary to build a conversation in the right way, using the “action - causes - timing” scheme. For example, if a person is unhappy with a delay in the delivery of goods, say: “I should / should call the transport company so that they expedite the arrival of the goods. This unpleasant situation arose due to the fact that it was necessary to re-register some documents. Literally in a day, the order will arrive at the address you specified. Or you can use another option: “I will now contact the technical department to have your computer connected. There was a server failure, which was the cause of the misunderstanding. The error will be corrected as soon as possible."

If you want to properly apologize to the client, then try not to use expressions like: "We had to ...", "Be patient a little ...", etc. It would be better to say: "Your problem is being solved, and we will keep you updated." If necessary, when ending the conversation, tell the client that you are sorry.

Sometimes you come across not quite adequate people whose goal is to provoke you into a quarrel. Some find fault with trifles, others are just rude. This can be caused by a variety of circumstances: someone did not receive the expected “rollback”, someone overestimates their importance as a client, someone just has psychological problems.

In dealing with such people, use the “questioning technique”. Do not let the provocateur "emotionally connect" to you, do not enter into a verbal skirmish. Follow a simple pattern: the person's question, your reaction to it, then a counter-question implying a positive answer, followed by a favorable conclusion.

For example, the following conversation is going on:

• Customer: Can you guarantee timely delivery of the order?
• Manager: Of course, everything will be as written in the contract. The cargo will be delivered to your warehouse by 17.00 on Thursday. Do you remember what the terms were?
• Client: Of course I do.
• Manager: It's very nice that we agreed on this issue, especially since we have the same goal. Surely everything will work out for the best.

A similar conversation scheme can be used several times, if necessary. The main thing is to direct the conversation in the right direction and not allow the provocateur to seize the initiative.

Sometimes there are situations when it is not possible to apologize to the client correctly, and in order to resolve the issue, one has to contact the head of the provocateur. It is not necessary to describe the situation again, as the boss has already listened to the version of his subordinate.

The main thing here is to convince the manager of his competence and make sure that his employee is put in his place. The scheme of the conversation should look like this: action - demand - pause - "the problem needs to be solved" - an agreement on the timing.

The conversation with the client should be held in a neutral business tone. You can’t put pressure on a person, but it’s also not recommended to bypass the “corners”. It is worth giving up at least a little, and the client, sensing your weakness, will go on the attack. And such a development of events will not at all contribute to a constructive conversation.

• All types of manipulative tricks in business and ways to protect against them

Information about experts

Elena Kirillova, director of training programs at Training Media, Moscow. TRAINING MEDIA company. Year of creation: 2001. Services: creation of educational video materials (courses, films, trainings, multimedia programs) that carry a positive business culture; conducting corporate trainings (www.tmedia.ru). Clients: more than 400 companies, including MTS, Indesit Company, Ingosstrakh, OJSC ROSNO, Marriott hotel chain, IKEA. Staff: business unit - 13 people, project team - up to 30 people.

Viktor Nagaytsev, General Director of PerfectSEO, Moscow. Viktor graduated from the Moscow Open Technological Institute (Department of Economics and Management). Since 2004, he has been engaged in search marketing and website promotion. Created the Maketrust.ru website promotion service, as well as the semi-automatic PR and Internet advertising service SeoProvider.ru. Author of the book “The Key to Promotion. How to bring the site to the first position ”(M .: Berator-Pablishing, 2009). "PerfectSEO" LLC. Field of activity: Internet promotion services (search engine promotion, contextual and media advertising, viral and reputation marketing, etc.). Territory: head office - in Moscow, branches - in Yekaterinburg, Kazan, Nizhny Novgorod, Novosibirsk, Rostov-on-Don. Number of employees: 53. Annual turnover: about 3 million US dollars.

Sometimes in life there are situations when it is necessary to apologize in writing. In English, an apology letter can be informal/personal ( informal / personal) and business ( formal). It is written in case of some kind of error, non-fulfillment of obligations, impossibility of fulfilling a promise, etc.

In general, the structure of an apology letter does not differ much from the structure of a regular letter. formal / informal letter. However, there are some peculiarities. Consider each style of apology letter separately.

Informal letter of apology

Sometimes you have offended or upset a family member or friend and want to offer a sincere apology. You can save the relationship by sending a letter. What to write in it? The structure of your letter will look like this:

1. Dear (Name),
2. Introduction(§ 1) - why are you writing this letter. You should start with an apology, admit your mistake.

   Here are some useful introductory phrases to help express your sincere apology:

   English expressions	Approximate meaning of expressions
   I hope you will understand when I say that...	I hope you understand when I say that...
   What can I say, except I'm sorry that...	What can I say but sorry...
   I'm sorry for...	I'm to blame... (I'm sorry...)
   I owe you an apology.	I owe you an apology.
   I'm sorry if I upset you in any way...	I'm sorry if I offended you in any way...
   I can't describe how sorry I am and how guilty I feel.	I don't have enough words to describe how sorry I am and how sorry I am to you.
   I feel dreadful about...	I did horribly...
   It was my fault, and I'm sorry.	It was my fault, sorry.
   My sensitivity was on vacation that day and I "m so sorry.	I was terribly insensitive that day, I'm sorry.
   I must beg your forgiveness for my outspoken and insensitive remarks.	I beg you to forgive me for my terrible remarks.
   Please forgive me for being so late. It was inexcusable.	Please forgive me for being late. I have no excuse.
   I apologize most humbly for (ignoring your feelings).	I sincerely apologize for...

3. Main Body(§ 2-3) - the reasons and explanation for your act. In the body of the letter, you are trying to explain why everything happened the way it did. It is important to fully admit your mistake, even if you think it was not only your fault. Otherwise, such an apology letter will not make sense, but will only aggravate the conflict. Never blame the recipient. Promise not to repeat such mistakes again.

   In the main part, such stable phrases will help:

4. Conclusion(final §) - in the final part of the letter you apologize again, wondering what you can do to resolve the current situation, and promise that this will not happen again. Since this is a close person, promise to call in person or meet to apologize again.

   The following phrases will help make up the final paragraph:

   English expressions	Approximate meaning of expressions
   I hope you believe me when I say how sorry I am.	I hope you believe how much I'm sorry.
   I can't tell you how sorry I am.	I can't even express how sorry I am.
   I beg you to forgive me.	I beg you, forgive me.
   There is no excuse for... and I hope you'll forgive me.	I am very guilty... but I hope you will forgive me.
   I sincerely hope...	I sincerely hope...
   All this being said, I again apologize for the problems I have caused you.	After all that has been said, I want to once again ask your forgiveness for the problems caused.
   We hope you are willing to give us another chance.	Hope you give us another chance.
   I hope this incident won't stand in the way of our friendship.	I hope this incident does not get in the way of our friendship.
   Again, I apologize for betraying your trust.	Once again, I apologize for not justifying your trust.
   I hope that as time passes you will find a way to forgive me.	I hope that in time you can forgive me.
   I understand that it might be difficult for you to accept my apology, but...	I know it's hard for you to forgive me, but...
   I will call you later this week to apologize in person.	I'll call you this week to apologize in person.
   I can promise you that this will never happen again.	I promise this won't happen again.

5. At the end of the letter of apology is the final phrase. For example:
   Sincerely (Sincerely yours),
   (Name)

   You can see examples of personal letters of apology in English here:

Formal letter of apology

Now consider a formal letter of apology.

Formal letter of apology usually sent in response to a letter of complaint ( Letter of Complaint). The purpose of a business apology letter is to explain the reasons for the problems identified in the letter of complaint, as well as to convince the addressee that steps will be taken to eliminate the problems and avoid their recurrence in the future. It is advisable to offer compensation.

If from the literacy of drafting Personal letter of apology depend on your personal relationship with someone, then a business letter of apology can be a step towards resolving relations with a client / partner, help correct an unpleasant situation in business, and maintain the company's reputation.

Consider each structural part of such a letter.

1. At the beginning of an apology letter, we address the addressee by name and surname. That is, calls like Dear Sir / Madame or To Whom it May Concern- undesirable. Such an appeal may seem too formal, it will give the impression that you did not even bother to find out the name of your addressee.
2. Introduction(§ 1) - why are you writing this letter. You should start with an apology, expressing personal concern about the current situation.

   Here are some useful phrases for the introductory part of the letter:

   English expressions	Approximate meaning of expressions
   I am writing to apologize for...	I am writing to apologize for...
   I am writing to offer my apologies for...	I am writing to express my apologies for...
   I must (would like to) apologise for...	I should (would like to) apologize for...
   Please accept my / our sincere / profuse apologies for...	Please accept my/our sincere apologies...
   We apologize for...	We apologize for...
   Thank you for bringing the matter / issue / problem to our attention.	Thank you for letting us know about this case/problem.
   I appreciated your advising me of this incident.	Your message is very important to me.
   I would like to begin by giving my sincere apologies for the inconvenience that you experienced.	At the outset, I would like to express my sincere apologies for the inconvenience caused.

   NB!!! Recall that abbreviations like I'm, don't, I'd and so on.

3. Main Body:

   (§ 2-3) – causes and explanations of the current situation / problem.

   (§ 4) – offer of compensation.

   In the main part of the apology letter (paragraph 2-3) you need to explain the reason for the error / problem. Each problem is in a separate paragraph. It is necessary to admit the fault of the company, express your regret and grief, report on the measures taken.

   It is highly desirable to offer some sort of compensation for the error (paragraph 4).

   Here are some useful phrases for the body of a business apology letter:

   English expressions	Approximate meaning of expressions
   We accept full responsibility for the mistake.	We take full responsibility for the error.
   I assure you we are taking the necessary steps to prevent it from happening in the future.	Rest assured that we are taking all necessary measures to ensure that this does not happen again.
   You have my assurance that...	I guarantee you...
   Please be assured that we will...	Rest assured that we...
   I am trying to sort it out (sort the problem out) as a matter of urgency.	I'm trying to sort this out (solve this problem) immediately.
   I can assure you that this will not happen again.	I promise this won't happen again in the future.
   We are doing everything we can do to resolve the issue.	We do our best to solve the problem.
   Please allow me to suggest you... as compensation for...	May I offer you... as compensation for...
   To compensate for the inconvenience caused...	To compensate for any inconvenience...
   Please allow me to offer you... by way of compensation...	May I offer you... as compensation...

4. Conclusion(final §) - in the final part of the letter, you need to apologize again, express the hope that what happened will not affect your further cooperation in any way, write your contact details so that you can be contacted if such a need arises.

   You can use the following expressions:

   English expressions	Approximate meaning of expressions
   Once again, our (my) sincere apologies for the inconvenience caused...	Once again, please accept our (my) sincere apologies for the inconvenience caused...
   I hope that you will accept my apologies (that my apologies will be accepted).	I hope you will accept my apologies (my apologies will be accepted).
   I hope that you can forgive (overlook) this regrettable error.	I hope you can forgive this unfortunate mistake.
   Thank you for your understanding.	Thanks for understanding.
   If you would like to continue this conversation, please feel free to call me at...	If you want to continue our conversation, please do not hesitate to call me on the phone ...
   Should you have any questions related to this correspondence, please feel free to contact me at your convenience.	If you have any questions regarding this letter, please feel free to contact me at a convenient time for you.

5. At the end of the letter is the closing sentence:

   Sincerely (Sincerely yours),
   (Name)

   You can see examples of business apology letters in English here:

If you find an error, please highlight a piece of text and click Ctrl+Enter.

All secretaries very often have to compose various letters, including those with apologies. Formatting the text of an apology letter can become a real problem if you do not know the rules of business etiquette and formatting requirements. In this article, we will take a closer look at how to write an apology letter (sample letters are available for download) for both the organization and the company's clients.

From this article you will learn:

• When should you write an apology letter?
• the content of the apology letter;
• illustrative examples of the design of letters of apology.

When should you write an apology letter?

It is clear that writing an apology letter is required in the case when they really need to be brought. Every self-respecting organization should be able to admit its mistakes and correct them: this is an integral part of business ethics. Moreover, a timely apology will help to preserve the reputation, important customers or partners of the company and avoid losses. Sometimes a well-timed business letter of apology can help to avoid litigation and publicity. Therefore, every secretary should be able to compose such letters. Moreover, this must be done qualitatively and sincerely.

When to write an apology letter

• Violation of obligations under contract. This reason is one of the most common. It does not matter whether the letter of apology is addressed to the organization or the client: the frequency of violations of obligations in both cases is approximately the same. However, one should understand the seriousness of the violations, it is quite possible that an apology alone will not be enough and you will need to send an additional gift, provide a discount, etc.
• Incorrect behavior of company employees also requires an apology. In this case, it is important to understand that each employee of the company is its face and his behavior will generally affect the reputation of the entire organization.
• Force Majeure. No one is immune from force majeure situations that may adversely affect the company's activities. At the same time, it is important to explain to your customers that the cause of any problems is circumstances that are beyond your control.

A formal letter of apology should consist of several paragraphs, the content of which is strictly regulated. The first paragraph of the letter should contain the apology itself (one apology for the entire letter will be enough). The second paragraph fully describes the reasons and problems that led to the current situation, which required a written apology. At the same time, one should not deliberately underestimate the scale of the event, calling it a small oversight or misunderstanding.

In case, even if your organization does not consider itself to be at fault, this should not be visible in the letter. Otherwise, the whole point of an apology disappears, and the guilt remains unsatisfied.

The last paragraph should be devoted to grief and regret about the situation that has arisen. You can also indicate the measures that have been taken so that such situations do not occur again. An apology letter to the client (an example is provided below) may also contain information about bonuses provided additionally as an apology.

In conclusion, we can express the hope that such situations will not arise again. Moreover, you can mention that your company hopes that this will not affect future relationships and cooperation in any way.

Illustrative examples of letters of apology

In this paragraph, we will visually show how an apology letter to a client (sample) and an apology letter from an organization (sample) should look like.

Sample letter of apology to a client

Good day, XXX!

My name is YYY, I am the head of the LLC company. Yesterday there was a problem: the delivery service, with which we cooperated for three years, could not cope with the volume of work assigned to it. Without waiting for the end of the litigation, we had to look for new ways to deliver your order. The issue has been resolved and the order is now ready to ship. In the near future, the operator will contact you and clarify when you are ready to receive it.

To make amends, a unique gift will be delivered to you along with your order. No later than April 15, the order and gift will arrive to you.

Sincerely, the head of YYY LLC.