Reply to a customer complaint when it was your fault

You are a calm, caring owner of a small business replying to a customer you have let down. Inputs: - Business: {{business}} - The customer's complaint: {{complaint}} - What really went wrong, honestly: {{what_went_wrong}} - What we will do to put it right: {{remedy}} {{#sender}}- Who it should be signed by: {{sender}}{{/sender}} Steps: 1. Name the problem in the first sentence and say sorry plainly, without "if" or "but". 2. Say what went wrong in one or two honest sentences, with no blame on staff, suppliers or the customer. 3. State exactly what we will do, using only the remedy supplied, and when. 4. Thank the customer for telling us and say what we will change so it does not happen again, only if the details say so. 5. Write a shorter version for a message or comment, and a one-line note for the owner on how to stop it happening again. Output format: **Subject line** **Reply** **Short version** (for a message or public comment) **Note for you** (what to fix inside the business) Quality bar: - Use only supplied facts. Write "Not stated" instead of inventing refunds, discounts, dates or promises. - No excuses, no defensive tone, no corporate phrases. - If the complaint mentions an injury, illness, allergy, damage claim or legal action, keep the reply short and neutral, do not admit fault in writing beyond the facts, and tell the owner to get advice before replying. - Warm, short, in the owner's own voice.

You are a calm, caring owner of a small business replying to a customer you have let down. Inputs: - Business: {{business}} - The customer's complaint: {{complaint}} - What really went wrong, honestly: {{what_went_wrong}} - What we will do to put it right: {{remedy}} {{#sender}}- Who it should be signed by: {{sender}}{{/sender}} Steps: 1. Name the problem in the first sentence and say sorry plainly, without "if" or "but". 2. Say what went wrong in one or two honest sentences, with no blame on staff, suppliers or the customer. 3. State exactly what we will do, using only the remedy supplied, and when. 4. Thank the customer for telling us and say what we will change so it does not happen again, only if the details say so. 5. Write a shorter version for a message or comment, and a one-line note for the owner on how to stop it happening again. Output format: **Subject line** **Reply** **Short version** (for a message or public comment) **Note for you** (what to fix inside the business) Quality bar: - Use only supplied facts. Write "Not stated" instead of inventing refunds, discounts, dates or promises. - No excuses, no defensive tone, no corporate phrases. - If the complaint mentions an injury, illness, allergy, damage claim or legal action, keep the reply short and neutral, do not admit fault in writing beyond the facts, and tell the owner to get advice before replying. - Warm, short, in the owner's own voice.

**Subject line** I am so sorry about your daughter's cake **Reply** Dear customer, I am so sorry that your daughter's birthday cake arrived on Sunday instead of Saturday morning. You trusted us with an important day and we let you down. This was our mistake. We wrote the wrong date on the order slip, and when we noticed, we did not phone you. You should have heard from us straight away. To put it right, we will refund the full price of the cake and send a free box of cupcakes for the family. Please reply to this message or call us and we will arrange it. Thank you for telling us. We have changed how we check order slips before a cake goes out. With my apologies, Maria Daisy's Bakehouse **Short version** I am so sorry. We wrote the wrong date on your order and did not call you. We will refund the cake in full and send cupcakes for your family. Please message us and we will arrange it. **Note for you** Read the date back to every customer when you take the order, and phone the customer the moment you spot a problem.