Writing a customer complaint email reply
A customer complaint email reply is read on a phone, often while the customer is still annoyed. It needs to be shorter than a letter, clear from the subject line, and specific enough that the customer does not need to write back to ask what you mean. The templates below have fields in square brackets.
Subject lines
- Your complaint about [subject], ref [number]
- Update on your [order/booking] [number]
- Your refund for order [number]
Avoid vague subjects such as "Your query" that look like marketing.
Template 1: acknowledgement
Hi [Name], thank you for your email about [subject]. I'm sorry about [issue in their words]. I'm looking into it now and will reply by [day and time]. Your reference is [number]. [Your name], Customer Care
Template 2: delay
Hi [Name], I'm sorry your [order] hasn't arrived. I've checked and it is [where it is]. The delay happened because [plain reason]. It will now arrive by [date]. [Remedy, e.g. refund of delivery charge]. I'll email you once it's out for delivery. [Your name]
Replying to reviews about delivery delays.
Template 3: refund
Hi [Name], thank you for your patience. I've processed a refund of [amount] to your [payment method] today. Depending on your bank, it can take [period] to show. Your refund reference is [number]. I'm sorry again for [issue]. [Your name]
Replying to reviews about refunds and returns.
Template 4: wrong or missing item
Hi [Name], I'm sorry you received [wrong item] instead of [ordered item]. We'll send the correct item by [date] and collect the wrong one at the same time; there's nothing you need to pack or pay. [Your name]
Template 5: poor service at a store
Hi [Name], thank you for telling us about your visit to our [location] store on [date]. I'm sorry you [experience]. I've shared your email with the store manager, [Name], who is following it up with the team. [What changes, if anything]. [Remedy]. If you'd like to talk, reply here and I'll call you. [Your name]
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Template 6: request declined
Hi [Name], thank you for your email. I've looked carefully at your request for [request]. Because [plain reason], we can't [do it]. I'm sorry that isn't the answer you hoped for. What I can do is [alternative]. If you have information I haven't seen, please send it and I'll look again. [Your name]
Formatting tips
- Three short paragraphs at most.
- Put dates and amounts in the text, not in attachments.
- Use the customer's name and your real name.
- No marketing banners or promotions in complaint replies.
- Plain text or simple formatting that reads well on a phone.
What must be personal
Templates give structure, but the issue, facts, remedy and dates must be written for each customer. Read the reply as if you were them: would it feel like a person wrote it?
Consumer complaint letter reply templates.
When the email follows a public review
If the customer also left a review, keep the public reply short and move the detail into email. Do not ask them to change their review as a condition of help.
Taking a review conversation offline.
Common mistakes
- Vague subject lines.
- Long blocks of text.
- Placeholders left in.
- No date for the next step.
- Asking the customer to repeat information they already sent.
Common questions
How fast should we reply?
Acknowledge within your target, often the same working day, and resolve as fast as the facts allow.
Should we use no-reply addresses?
No. Complaint replies should come from an address the customer can reply to.
Can we use AI to draft replies?
It can help with drafts, but a person should check facts, tone and any promises before sending.
Should we include the original complaint?
Keep the thread so context is visible, but write your reply at the top.
Checklist
- Clear subject with reference.
- Personal opening.
- Facts and remedy specific.
- Dates stated.
- Short paragraphs.
- Real name and reply-to address.
In short
Use a clear subject with a reference, three short paragraphs, specific facts and remedy, a dated next step and a real name. Templates give the structure; the details are always written fresh.
Doing this with Falcon
Falcon is not a complaint management system and does not handle calls, emails, messages or letters. It analyses the complaints customers make publicly in Google Maps reviews of your locations and Google Play reviews of your app, classifies them into themes, sub-themes and specific issues from your own taxonomy, keeps the exact quote behind each label and shows negative share by topic, location and month. Comparing that with your own complaint records shows whether private and public complaints point to the same problems.