Here are some more business email and letter phrases. In this list we look at how to make requests, complain, apologise and give bad news. Show
The examples in the left column are more formal. The right-hand column shows the less formal equivalent. When we make a request
When we agree to a request someone has made
When apologising
When giving bad news
When complainingThe following phrases may be used as the opening line of the letter or email:
The following phrase may be used as the closing line of the letter or email:
Sapling: AI Assistant for Customer-Facing TeamsSapling completes your sentences for you and automatically checks your writing for spelling and grammar mistakes. Improve language quality and efficiency. Try it herre. Hi, how are you Delays happen to all businesses all the time. They’re all too common in 2022, what with global shipping problems leading to longer delivery times. Not to mention that millions of people working in the corporate sector are experiencing burnout. They don’t have the mental or emotional energy to stay on top of answering every email or checking up on the shipment status of a customer’s late order. That’s why, in these times in particular, we should always be prepared to send a tactful “I/We apologize for the delay” email or chat message. What are Snippets?If you work on any customer-facing team, then Sapling’s Snippets can help you save time. Think about all the common phrases you send in your emails that you have to type out each time such as “Feel free to reach back out if you have any further questions!” Why not instead type a short macro and have that entire sentence automatically expanded for you? That’s exactly what snippets does. Snippets allow you to upload your most commonly used phrases or sentences into a
response bank. To use the snippet you want, simply press the backslash I/We Apologize For The Delay SituationsEven without throwing a global pandemic into the mix, life stirs itself up enough to account for all kinds of delays that we as business owners must own up to. Even – and this is the painful part – if the delay is not our fault. Taking ownership of it is part of owning and running a successful business. Below are 4 common “I/We apologize for the delay” situations that you and any of your employees may run into on a given day. Shipping DelayShipping delays can occur for several reasons. In one case, your customer’s order may be stuck on a boat that got stuck in the Suez Canal en route from overseas. In another, a flood could have spilled into the distribution center nearest the customer’s residence and ruined your goods. Or their order could be delayed through the post office, which is well-known for getting backed up especially around the holidays. When there’s a shipping delay, whether there’s anything you can do about it or not, the proper course of action is to send an email or message to the customer apologizing for the prolonged wait. Late Response To EmailEveryone responds late to an email from time to time. Sometimes a new email gets lost in a sea of them, or we think to ourselves, “I’ll answer that later.” But then later never comes. When later inevitably does come, you’ll want a polite “I apologize for the delay” phrase ready to deploy. Service OutageService outages are unavoidable whenever you’re selling a software or another digital service-based product. Even apps crash every now and then, most of the time because they need an update. Regardless of when or why it happens, a service outage always happens at the wrong time for the customer. Be swift to send them a message as soon as you hear about the problems they’re experiencing and apologize for the delay. Short Staffed With High Customer Support VolumeAs a business, you will experience periods when you are short staffed. Unfortunately, customer service doesn’t stop just because you don’t have all hands on deck. The calls and service requests will keep coming. Your customers will know that something is different because they are not being served as fast as usual. Sending them a “We apologize for the delay” message may help mitigate some of their frustration and buy your team some extra time to handle the high support volume. Tips To Write An I/We Apologize For The Delay EmailsAn “I/We apologize for the delay” email rings hollow unless it’s written to include a few key elements. The recipient wants to know why there was a delay, how long it’s going to take, and when they can expect to achieve satisfaction. It’s not always possible to answer every one of these questions, but if you use polite, tactful language and tell the truth, it’s not always necessary, either. Below are 3 tips for how to write a successful “I/We apologize for the delay” email. Get To The Why Right AwayAfter you apologize for the delay, get to the “why” right away. Why was my shipment delayed? Why didn’t you answer this email last week when I sent it to you? The recipient is going to want the reason for the delay. They’ve waited this long, and they feel they deserve to know. You don’t have to go into minute detail with the reason. But telling the recipient why the thing they expected was/is delayed will make them feel more a part of the conversation. Don’t Play The Blame GameNever blame a specific person or department in your business for a delay. Remember that everyone in your company is on the same team. Even if someone fumbled the ball, the customer doesn’t need to know that. They should never be privy to behind-the-scenes drama or mistakes. If an employee made a mistake, “we the company” is responsible as far as the customer is concerned, never an individual. Set Realistic ExpectationsWith a delay, it’s important to set realistic expectations for the future. If possible, give an estimate in the number of days for how long the delay will take. For example, a delayed shipment may now take 14-21 days to reach the customer instead of 7-10. Since you’ve been out sick, a report you would normally have been able to finish by Monday will take you until Thursday. Again, make sure the expectations you set are realistic. If it’s unlikely that the customer will ever receive the shipment, tell them the truth, and offer them a refund or to resend the product. If you need more time to work on that report, say so. Don’t say it will happen faster just because you wish it to. I/We Apologize For The Delay Phrase ExamplesBelow are 16 examples of “I/We apologize for the delay” phrases you can insert in your future correspondence.
I/We Apologize For The Delay Email TemplatesBelow are 10 “I/We apologize for the delay” email templates for you to use in your professional as well as everyday correspondence. Email Template #1 - Late Response
Email Template #2 - Late Response
Email Template #3 - Short Staffed
Email Template #4 - Shipping Delay
Email Template #5 - Service Outage
Email Template #6 - Shipping Delay
Email Template #7 - Short StaffedHello {{first_name}}, We apologize for the delay. We are short staffed and experiencing a high volume of customer service requests. We will investigate the issue you brought up in your email and reply with our findings within 48 hours. Sincerely, {{company_team}} Email Template #8 - Late Response
Email Template #9 - Service OutageHello {{first_name}}, We are currently updating our system which is resulting in an outage for many of our customers. We expect all customers to be able to use the software by {{date}}. We apologize for the delay. Sincerely, {{company_team}} Email Template #10 - Shipping Delay
How do you professionally apologize for a delay?I/We Apologize For The Delay Phrase Examples. I apologize for the delay. ... . I'm sorry for responding so late. ... . I apologize for the delay in completing the project. ... . I'm sorry for the delay. ... . I'm sorry, I'm running a bit behind schedule. ... . I apologize for my tardy reply. ... . I'm sorry for not getting back to you sooner.. How do you say I apologize professionally?...with my apologies,. We would like to apologize in advance for the inconvenience.. We are extremely sorry for the trouble caused.. We are really sorry for the inconvenience.. Please accept our apologies for the inconvenience.. We are sorry and apologize for the mistake.. We regret the inconvenience caused.. What to say instead of I apologize for the delay?Alternatives to sorry for the late response: be positive. Thank you for your patience. ... . Lunch on me for the delayed response! ... . Huge props to you for always staying on top of emails! ... . I've been working on x / I've been out of the office. ... . I spent some time thinking about a response and… ... . I'd hoped to respond sooner, but…. How do you apologize for a formal email delay?"Apologies for the Late Reply; I've Been Busy With X”
My apologies for the late reply. I've been busy searching for your requested [documents, data, files, etc.] and your message got lost in the shuffle. At long last, everything is attached.
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