TL;DR:
Acknowledge what went wrong, explain briefly, say exactly what you will do, and follow up.
Do not blame the customer, a colleague or a carrier. Describe the facts and the fix.
Promise only what you can deliver, and give dates.
A customer writes that their order has not arrived. They are annoyed, and their message shows it. You feel the urge to defend yourself or to explain at length. Both usually make things worse. What the customer wants is to know that you heard them, what happened, and what you will do about it.
What an angry message is really asking
Under the anger, most complaints ask three things: do you understand the problem, will you fix it, and when? Answer those three plainly, in that order, and most of the heat goes out of the exchange.
Before you write, read the complaint twice and underline the facts: the order, the date, what they expected, and what they asked for. Check your own records, too, so you reply to what happened, not to what you think happened.
The structure: acknowledge, explain, fix, follow up
Acknowledge. Say what went wrong from their point of view, and say you are sorry it happened. One sentence is enough.
Explain. Give the cause in a line or two, only if you know it. If you do not know yet, say so and say when you will.
Fix. State exactly what you are doing: a replacement, a refund, a new date. Be specific and offer a choice if there is one.
Follow up. Say when and how they will hear from you again, and then do it.
Keeping blame out
No blame means no pointing fingers anywhere. Do not blame the customer ("you gave the wrong address") even if it is true; ask them to confirm the address instead. Do not blame a colleague or a delivery service either. The customer dealt with your business, so from their view the business is responsible. Say "the parcel was delayed" and move on to what you are doing.
Worked example: a late delivery complaint
A customer, Maria, ordered a desk lamp ten days ago, was told delivery would take five working days, and writes that nothing has arrived. Your records show the parcel is stuck at a depot. Here is a reply.
Subject: Your lamp order 5521: update and next steps
Hi Maria,
I am sorry your lamp has not arrived. You were told five working days, and it has now been ten days, which is not what we promised.
I checked the tracking: the parcel has been held at a regional depot since the 4th. I do not have a delivery date from the carrier yet.
Here is what I will do. I have asked for a replacement lamp to be sent today by express delivery, which should reach you within two working days. If the first parcel arrives too, you can keep it or send it back at our cost. If you would prefer a refund instead, reply and I will process it today.
I will email you tomorrow once the replacement has shipped, with its tracking number.
Thank you for your patience.
SamCheck it against the four steps. Acknowledge: the apology plus the missed promise (five days against ten). Explain: held at a depot, and honestly no date. Fix: replacement by express, an option to keep or return the first, or a refund. Follow up: an email tomorrow with tracking. Notice there is no blame, no jargon and no excuses.
The maths of the promise is simple but worth checking: ten days elapsed against five promised means five days late. State the real gap, as you did, rather than minimizing it.
Tone, length and the first line
The first line sets the tone for the whole reply. "I am sorry your lamp has not arrived" tells the customer you heard them. "Thank you for contacting us" tells them they are a ticket. Start with the problem in their words, not yours.
Keep the reply short enough to read on a phone: a handful of short paragraphs. Long replies bury the fix. If there are several steps, a short numbered list is fine, but do not turn an apology into a formatted notice.
Choose plain words. Say "held at a depot" instead of "experiencing logistics delays". Say "I will" instead of "we are looking to". Write as one person to another, because the customer will answer as one person to another.
If the complaint is not about a single event but about a pattern, such as the third late order, say that you can see the pattern. Customers notice when a reply treats a repeat problem as a first one. Name it, and describe what will change, even if that is only that you have raised it with the team that can change it.
Before sending, read the reply once as the customer would, tired and annoyed. Does it answer their three questions: did you understand, will you fix it, and when? If any answer is missing, add it. If a sentence only protects you, cut it.
Mistakes to avoid
Starting with policy ("per our terms"). Start with the person.
A vague "we will look into it". Say what and when.
Promising a date you do not control. Say "I will update you by" a date you can meet.
Over-apologizing with five sorrys. One sincere one is better.
Sending in anger. Wait a few minutes if you need to, then reply.
Forgetting to follow up. A missed follow-up is a second complaint.
Doing it faster
Keep a skeleton of the four steps in your notes so you do not start from a blank page; see email templates for requests you send every week, and treat a complaint reply as the case where you must personalize heavily. When a complaint thread gets long, summarize it before passing it on, and use a clear handoff if someone else will take it over.
Do not send refunds, replacements or promises you have not cleared with whoever approves them in your workplace. This is general writing advice, not legal advice.
Frequently asked questions
Should I offer compensation?
Only what your workplace allows. Ask your manager if you are unsure, then state it clearly.
What if the customer is wrong?
Stay factual and kind. Show the records you have, ask a question, and offer what you can do.
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