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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."
Check your understanding
1. Why is "I'm sorry that you're not satisfied" a bad apology?
It apologises for the client's feelings, not the problem. "I'm sorry about the issues with the deliverables" owns the specific problem.
2. Why doesn't "we will do the necessary" work?
French calque of "nous ferons le nécessaire." Too vague. English requires specifics: what + when.
3. What three things does an angry client want?
Acknowledgement of the problem, a specific plan, and a timeline.