How to apologize to a customer for a mistake? We provide a perfectly written Formal Business Apology Letter that fits your needs!
The way you deal with your mistakes is maybe more important for a business relationship than making them without repairing them. Therefore, if an issue occurs, it should always get your utmost attention.
When doing an apology, it's best to answer these questions for your specific situation:
- Is it easier for you to apologize in person or via other means of communication?
- Do you tend to give many excuses to explain your actions or the situation?
- There is a saying that goes “The more excuses you give, the guiltier you seem”.
- Do you think it’s true?
- Why or why not?
- If a customer or a business partner said that he has lost his trust in your company, what would you do or say?
Consider the following strong suggestions that a good business apology should contain:
- Correct timing; It is best to apologize as fast as you can, but no need to be impulsive. You need to prepare what to say.
- Wisely chosen means of communication; There are many ways to apologize: you can apologize in person, over the phone, or write an apology letter. Having eye contact is a good thing since apologies are personal; however, if a person was deeply hurt, a letter might be a better way.
- Explanation without excuses; After apologizing you can shortly explain why this happened, but be careful not to start making excuses. This would be impolite.
- “The customer is always right” principle; Whenever you need to apologize to the customer or business partner, you need to think about this principle. Most of the time it is better to accept all the blame.
- Explainer; A quick explanation of what you will do not to let this happen again.
There are many rules to follow when writing a formal letter like a formal Business Apology Letter, and these are the essential rules to follow:
Step 1: Type your address
Type your address and telephone number, flush left on the top of the page. It is not necessary to include your name or title here, it will be included in the closing.
Step 2: Type the date
Type the date, in the format: month, day, and year on one line below your address and telephone number, flush left.
Step 3: Type the recipient's address
Type the name of the recipient's, include the title, and address one line, flush left. Whenever possible, address the letter to a specific individual.
Step 4: Type the salutation
Type the recipient's personal title and full name in the salutation, one line after the recipient's address, flush left, followed by a colon. Leave one line blank after the salutation. Hereby a suggestion: use the recipient's full name unless you usually refer to the individual by a first name.
Step 5: Compose the letter
In the first paragraph of the letter's body, you state the purpose of the letter: giving your formal business Apology Letters. In the paragraphs following, you can use examples to support your main argument. In the final paragraph, you need to summarize the purpose of your letter again and suggest a suitable course of action to follow. Do not indent the paragraphs. But instead, leave an empty line between each paragraph.
Step 6: Close the letter
Close the letter without indentation, leaving three or four lines for your signature between the closing and your typed name and title.
As you know, communicating in a professional manner will get you respect and will bring you new opportunities in life and business. Therefore, we support you by providing this Formal Business Apology Letter template and you will see you will save time and increase your effectiveness. Please note this template is provided for guidance only. Letters and other correspondence should be edited to fit your personal situation.
Download this formal Business Apology Letter with samples and suggestions, good luck!