How to Respond to a Negative Business Letter

Write a letter that re-creates a positive relationship with a customer, supplier or organization.

All businesses must deal with negative letters from customers, suppliers and other organizations. Customers may write to complain about poor service or defective products. Suppliers may question an invoice or late payment. Some of these complaints are justifiable, while others lack foundation. Carefully research each complaint that crosses your desk before making any decision regarding your response. In all cases, try to defuse the recipient's anger with a courteous and tactful letter.

Instructions

1. Compile all the information regarding the complaint. Create a file that contains the original complaint letter and copies of any supporting documents. If the letter refers to a particular purchase, obtain the date of purchase, order number, brand name, price and other pertinent information. Discuss the matter with any sales associate or customer service representative who dealt directly with the complainer.

2. Use the first paragraph of the letter to restate the complaint. Include the date of the original letter and other pertinent details. For example: "Thank you for your letter of June 20 informing us of the noise problem you were having with your brand new vacuum cleaner (Model #J-2789). You were right to think that the vacuum cleaner must be defective, since these models are well-known for running quietly."

3. Admit any error that you or your company may have made in the second paragraph. Explain how the error or misunderstanding occurred and offer a solution. For example: "I have personally investigated the matter and have determined that it was the result of a computer malfunction that substituted your account number for another account number. Our computer records are now correct, and I can assure you that you won't experience any further difficulties relating to this unfortunate error. You will receive a revised statement within 10 days."

4. Refrain from making comments about other employees in your organization. If a customer complains about a colleague, deal with the situation immediately and restore her confidence in your organization. For example: "I sincerely regret that you were not satisfied with the conduct of our sales representative, James Clarke. You were right to bring this matter to our attention. Effective immediately, Carl Davidson will replace Mr. Clarke on your account. Carl will be calling you soon to arrange a mutually convenient time to introduce himself."

5. Offer alternative solutions if the original problem cannot be resolved. For example, if your catering company did not provide adequate service at a special occasion, offer a discount on future events. You could say: "We are very honored to be your caterer and we sincerely hope you will accept our apologies for the poor service at the May luncheon. We have decided to offer a 20 percent discount on the June and July luncheons."

6. Use the last paragraph of the letter to apologize for the inconvenience and express your desire for a good business relationship in the future. You could say: "We regret any inconvenience this mistake has caused you and your family. We appreciate your many years of loyalty to our company and hope you will continue buying our products."

References

• Letters for Business: Respond Positively to Negative Feedback
• Klariti: Business Writing: How to Write Complaint Letters