Have you ever had to apologize professionally in an email? It can be a tricky thing – especially if you’re not a natural-born writer.
You know you messed up, and you know that the person you wronged deserves an apology. But as a professional, you don’t only have to take full responsibility for your actions, but also communicate to others that you’re able to gracefully handle the consequences of your mistakes.
This means that simply saying “I’m sorry” is not the right approach. So, what do you say instead?
In this guide, I’ll walk you through how to apologize professionally in an email . I’ll give you tips on how to craft the perfect, but sincere apology email and share a few apology email examples you can use as inspiration.
Let’s get started!
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How to Apologize Professionally in an Email without Saying Sorry?
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When you’re trying to make a professional apology, it can feel like you’re walking on eggshells. You want to make sure that it is a sincere apology and doesn’t come across as just being sorry because you got caught.
Luckily, there are specific steps you can take to deliver a sincere apology in an email without saying the dreaded word. The trick is to make sure it hits all the following six key areas:
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1. Acknowledge the Mistake
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The point of an effective personal apology is to accept responsibility. Never make excuses or blame other people or circumstances.
This can be accomplished with just a simple sentence. For example, you can say, “I realize that I missed the deadline for submitting the report and this caused some inconvenience for you.”
Or, “I understand that some of our investors were unhappy with my presentation at the conference.”
Whatever you write, don’t leave any room for confusion! Make sure your reader knows exactly which situation you’re referring to in your apology email.
Include as many details as necessary to paint a clear picture of the situation, so there are no surprises when your recipient reads it. This will make it easier for them to accept what happened and move on without any added drama.
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2. Explain Why The Mistake Happened
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It’s human nature to want to smooth things over as soon as possible when you’ve messed up.
But in your personal apology, it’s important to take the time to explain why the mistake happened so that your recipient knows it won’t happen again and they don’t feel like they have to brush it off as just a one-time slip-up.
A good way to avoid sounding like you’re making excuses is to focus on the facts of what happened, not your feelings about them.
For example, if you’re apologizing for a mistake made on a project, you can start an apology message with something like: “I left out vital information from my presentation, which confused the client and caused us to lose their business.”
Then, explain why it happened – not because you didn’t try hard enough or care about the project enough, but because there’s something about the situation that made it inevitable:
“When I was presenting the initial draft of my report to my supervisor, she came in with a new client she wanted to introduce me to. She had no idea I was already working with that client, so I was distracted and thought she was asking me to do a presentation for the new customer.”
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3. Show The Steps You’ll Take To Fix It
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When it comes to apologizing, your actions speak louder than your words. If you have to apologize for something you’ve done, the best way to do it is to not only acknowledge that you’re in the wrong but also show what you’re going to do about it.
So, once you’ve explained what went wrong, wrap things up with a summary of your commitment to preventing this from happening again.
Let’s take this hypothetical situation: In an effort to cut costs and improve efficiency, your company has decided to outsource a large portion of its IT department.
You let one of your coworkers know that his job will be outsourced in six weeks, but due to some miscommunication, he never hears about this news again until after the fact. In your formal apology email, you can say:
“I realize that I could have done a better job of keeping you informed, and I apologize for that. I have taken steps to ensure that this will never happen again by making sure that every employee receives an email notification when there are any major changes to their role or responsibilities.
I’m also working closely with your manager on finding ways to help you transition smoothly. If there’s anything else I can do, please let me know.”
Also, if you’ve got a long-term fix planned, include it in the apology email and make sure the steps are followed by a timeframe for completion. You can even create a checklist so everyone is on the same page.
Plus, don’t forget to communicate why these steps are necessary. They should be based on your organization’s values or standards (for example: “As per our company’s policy manual,” or “As per our company’s code of conduct“).
If you can’t come up with a reasonable solution, tell your boss or colleagues why it’s not practical for you to implement it at this time. Show them how seriously you take this error by offering some other options such as:
How long would it take if you had more resources? Do you have other ideas? Even if they’re not perfect solutions, the person on the receiving end will probably appreciate the effort.
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4. Make Amends
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You’ve made a mistake, and you need to make it right. The best way to do this is by making amends.
If you’ve got someone’s name wrong, offer to send them a corrected copy of whatever it was you sent with their correct name on it. If you’ve accidentally sent out an email that included sensitive information or violated someone else’s privacy, offer to meet with them or call them to discuss what happened and how they can put things right.
If, for example, you’ve had a problem with a customer’s order, you can write an apology email in the following example format:
“It’s our policy to replace any damaged items completely free of charge, so I’ve already shipped a replacement to your home address. Instructions for returning the damaged item are included with the replacement.
All you have to do is put the damaged item in the box and drop it off at your nearest UPS location.
If you have any questions, please let me know and I’ll be happy to assist you.”
The key thing here is that once again, you have to focus on making things right by offering actionable steps rather than just saying sorry.
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5. Thank the Recipient for Understanding
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Thanking the recipient for understanding is another way to show that you recognize that your behavior was wrong, without having to explicitly say “I’m sorry.”
For example, you can write in the apology email: “I appreciate your understanding and willingness to help me with this matter.” or “Thanks for your understanding, and hope this doesn’t negatively affect our relationship.”
In the end, though, this is a matter of preference. While some would say there’s no reason to thank someone for simply understanding something, it can be seen as a means of showing that you’ve thought about what you’ve done and why it was wrong.
On top of that, thanking someone for being understanding might also show that you think they’re above petty quarrels or arguments and are willing to brush things off in order to move forward in a professional manner.
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6. Sign Off with a Warm Closing Note
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This might seem like a no-brainer, but it can be easy to get carried away with the content of your apology email and forget to leave on a positive note.
Ending with a positive tone can make a big difference in the overall tone of your apology email. If you just say “I sincerely apologize for [situation]” without bringing up anything positive, that can come off as a little bit flat.
However, this doesn’t mean you should go overboard and end with something like “I can’t wait to work with you again!” or “We’ll be in touch soon!“.
These kinds of comments sound like empty promises, and they’re bound to get you called out for your insincerity. Instead, you can say something like: “I hope you have a great rest of your week.”
Or, “Thank you for your patience while I worked through this situation. I appreciate your understanding and look forward to working with you again in the future.”
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7. Bonus Tip: Be Straightforward
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Being straightforward in your apology email is the best way to resolve conflicts professionally, without making your recipient think you’re just using an empty gesture of remorse.
However, we often overlook this in favor of trying to make our apologies as elaborate and non-straightforward as possible. If you just say what needs to be said, you’ll come across much more honest than if you dance around your statement with a bunch of unnecessary wording.
One way to ensure you’re being straightforward is to avoid using words like “if,” “maybe,” or “perhaps.” These open-ended words leave room for uncertainty and can put the reader on guard.
Instead, be direct and definitive: say what you did wrong and how you’ll fix it.
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Sincere Apologies Email Examples – 10 Samples & Templates
To help you get a better idea of how to professionally craft genuine apology emails, here are a few apology email examples:
1. Apology Email Examples For Customer Complaints
Apologizing genuinely & taking responsibility is essential to maintaining good customer relationships and managing customer complaints effectively.
To help you do this, we’ve created a set of 3 effective apology email templates that acknowledges the customer’s criticism, expresses regret, and offers a clear solution.
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Apology Email Template for Poor Service
“Dear [Customer name],
I want to apologize for the inconvenience you experienced with our service. I want to assure you that we are working on fixing this problem so that it does not happen again.
We have put in new software and created new procedures for our customer support team so that they can deal with issues like yours more efficiently in the future.
We appreciate your patience during this time and hope you will give us another chance when you need help from us again!”
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Simple Apology Email Example For Technical Difficulties With the Product
“Dear [Customer name],
I am writing to personally apologize for the inconvenience you have experienced with our product. Your input is very important to us and we take your concerns seriously.
We have investigated the issue and believe that it has been resolved. We will continue to monitor this situation closely and will reach out if we discover any other issues.
Thank you for your patience and understanding as we worked through this matter.
Kind Regards”
Effective Apology Email Template Example For Technical Glitch
“Dear [Customer name],
I would like to sincerely apologize to you for the mishap that occurred with the order you placed on [insert date]. We suffered a technical glitch on our website, and I truly regret any unnecessary frustration this might have caused you.
In order to make up for this error, I’d like to offer you a [gift card/coupon] as a token of my gratitude for your patience in working with us to resolve this problem.
If you would like to accept our [gift card/coupon], please let me know where we should send it, or if you’d like us to simply withdraw the amount from your account as a credit towards your next purchase on our website. We genuinely care.
If there’s anything else we can do for you in the future, please let me know.
Kind Regards”
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2. Apology Email Examples To Co-Workers
In this section, we will explore three email templates that can be used to apologize to coworkers in different scenarios. We’ll look at how each template is structured and what content should be included for the best effect.
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Apology Email Template Example For Delays & Lost Time
“Hi, [co-worker’s name]
I want to apologize for the delay in getting you your materials and the inconvenience caused to you. I’ve been meaning to send them out for a few days, but there have been some technical issues with our document manager platform.
I’ve already contacted our project manager and we’ve been able to fix it. We’re also working on finding a backup alternative in case this happens again in the future.
Thank you for your patience and understanding.”
Apology Email Template Example For Bad Behavior
“Dear [co-worker’s name],
I’m writing to deeply apologize for my behavior at the meeting yesterday. It wasn’t the right time and place to share my ideas, so next time I’ll be consulting with the rest of the team before proposing anything.
I hope this doesn’t affect our relationship, and I’m looking forward to reading your feedback.”
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Sincere Apology Email Template Example For Lack of Communication
“Hello, [co-worker’s name]
I greatly apologize for not communicating my concerns in a more effective manner. From this point forward, I will work harder to find ways to share my thoughts with everyone involved so that no one is surprised or caught off-guard by the decisions that are made.
Again, I sincerely apologize for the stress, anxiety, and frustration that resulted from my actions and would like to discuss with you how we can handle these issues in a way that causes as little distress as possible for all of us.”
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3. Sincere Apologies Email Examples To Managers and Bosses
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As an professional, it is important to understand how to effectively apologize to your manager or boss. Sincere apology message can help to regain trust, foster better relationships and open dialogue for future communications. Here are 3 examples of sincere apologies email templates that you can use when communicating with your manager or boss.
Apology Email Template Example For Delay
“Dear [Boss/Manager’s Name],
I wanted to apologize for the inconvenience my mistake has caused you. I was careless when I failed to submit the paperwork on time and will ensure that this doesn’t happen again. I have enclosed a copy of the completed work for your review.
I understand how this mistake might set back my effort to prove myself as a valuable asset to your company and I appreciate the opportunity to earn your trust again.
I look forward to continuing our professional relationship in the future.
Sincerely,
[Your name]”
Apology Email Template Example For Bad Behaviour
“Dear [Boss/Manager’s Name],
My most sincere apologies for the way I behaved at the meeting on [date]. I misheard your statement about [topic] and thought you were saying [topic].
It was an honest mistake, but one that nevertheless made me look like I wasn’t paying attention.
Please accept my apology, and know that I won’t make the same mistake again.
Sincerely,
[Your name]”
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Apology Email Template Example for Unprofessional Behaviour
“Dear [Boss/Manager’s Name],
My heartfelt apology for the incident that occurred on [date]. I understand that my behavior was unprofessional and I regret any negative impact it may have had on our company.
Please accept my sincere apology and allow me the opportunity to make up for what happened.
Sincerely,
[Your name]”
4. Mass Apology Emails for Mass Problems
When there is a problem that affects most or all of your customers, it is important to take swift action by sending out an apology email. Though these type of apology emails may lack the personal touch, they should be conveyed in a sincere manner.
Service Outage – Mass Apology Email Example
Below is an example of an email expressing regret for a situation that impacts many, if not all, of your customers. While it may not be tailored to any individual, this should not lessen its sincerity.
“Dear [Name],
We apologize for the recent service outage that you experienced on [insert date]. We understand the inconvenience and disruption this caused, and we take full responsibility for it.
The problem occurred due to [reason] and we are taking steps to make sure that this issue is fixed as soon as possible and will keep you updated on our progress. In the meantime, we will provide certain services free of charge to make up for the disruption.
Again, we apologize sincerely for any trouble this has caused. Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any further questions or concerns.
Sincerely,
[Your Name]”
How To Sincerely Apologize Professionally With 10 Examples – Final Thoughts
There are a couple of key takeaways from this post. One is to focus on how you’re going to solve the problem that caused the initial offense rather than re-litigating what happened.
Another is to use direct language and strong statements, but also be polite, friendly, and understanding.
Finally, don’t forget that the most effective way to apologize professionally without saying sorry is for you to be sincere and accountable.
It’s not just about making sure they know you’re sorry – it’s about showing them you understand why what happened was wrong and that you’re working to fix it.
The same tips given above would be applicable for in person apology as well.
