The Angry Client Email

🎧 Transcript

Joseph: You got an angry email from a client. What did they say?

Sana: "We are extremely disappointed with the quality. This is unacceptable."

Joseph: What did you reply?

Sana: "I am sorry that you are not satisfied. We will do the necessary."

Joseph: "I'm sorry that you're not satisfied" is a non-apology — you're apologising for THEIR feelings. Say "I'm sorry about the issues with the deliverables." Acknowledge the specific problem.

Sana: And "we will do the necessary"?

Joseph: French calque — "nous ferons le nécessaire." Sounds vague. The client wants WHAT and WHEN. "We've already begun reviewing the work and I'll send a revised version by Thursday."

Sana: Specific action plus deadline.

Joseph: Angry clients want three things: acknowledgement, a plan, and a timeline.

Sana: Should I explain why?

Joseph: Briefly. One sentence. Then pivot to solution.

Sana: How do I close?

Joseph: "I understand your frustration and we're committed to getting this right. I'll follow up by Thursday."

Sana: What if they're still angry?

Joseph: "I'd be happy to jump on a call to discuss this further."

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