Correct Your Own Error In a Transaction • Example Letters, Guides and Samples

Guides

This letter expresses regret for an error and tells the customer what you are doing both to correct the situation and to prevent its happening again. The purpose of this brief and sincere letter is to retain the customer's goodwill.

How to write this error letter:

  1. Explain how you have corrected the error.
  2. Explain how the error occurred and apologize, but don't overdo it.
  3. Mention any special effort you may have made to make amends, or anything the customer needs to do.
  4. Close positively, with an expression of appreciation.

Example Letter #1

Copied

We apologize for the duplicate service charge on your revolving credit account. It appears that we recorded the same stack of orders twice, but have now corrected our records.

We appreciate your calling this error to our attention so that we could correct it quickly for a few other customers as well. Thank you for your patronage. We look forward to serving you again.

Example Letter #2

Copied

Thank you for your telephone call on August 4, alerting us to our error. You are perfectly right, and we apologize for charging you for ten shirts instead of the five that you ordered. We have credited your account with $60, which leaves you with a $10.00 balance. As a token of our appreciation, we are enclosing a coupon for a 10% discount on your next order. We look forward to serving you again.

Example Letter #3

Copied

I apologize for the confusion in your shipment. I have included a shipping label for you to use in returning the incorrect goods, and this morning I sent out the balance of your corrected order. You should receive the package this week. Please note also that the newly calculated balance is $456.78 more than the incorrect invoice stated. Feel free to pay this on your next monthly billing cycle. I assure you we work hard to keep mistakes to a minimum. I hope our response was satisfactory, as we wish to continue working with you.

Example Letter #4

Copied

We regret the error we made on our last order sent July 7. We want 100 blue and 100 black pens, not 200 blue pens. We are sorry for any inconvenience this may cause your department and appreciate your prompt attention to this correction. We have always enjoyed the excellent service we receive from Doe Office Supply and appreciate the opportunity to do business with you.

Example Letter #5

Copied

Please disregard the bill you received last week. We are embarrassed to find that our computer sent out two copies of the bill to every customer! Our software engineer has now developed a program that will check for such an error before sending out any bills. We are grateful to all of you who called this error to our attention, and we assure you that it will not happen again.

Example Letter #6

Copied

As you suggested, we applied your payment to an account number that was very similar to yours. Our computer scanner was down the day your payment was received, and this error occurred in entering the account numbers. We apologize for the inconvenience this caused and are changing our policy so that we double-check all entries made by hand.

We have corrected the balance due on your account as you will see on the enclosed bill and trust that this will resolve your concerns. We appreciate your patience and understanding.

Write Your Letter Step-by-Step

1 Explain how you have corrected the error.

Sample Sentences for Step 1
  • Your linens in the sizes and colors you originally ordered, were shipped this morning.
  • You will shortly receive a refund for $125.
  • You are absolutely correct. We missed giving you your 25% trade discount on your December order. Please deduct the 25% from the amount due before you pay us. That would mean you owe us $3,333 instead of $4,444.
  • Enclosed is a corrected invoice for your shipment of sanding machines. The price shown as $93.40 on the original has been corrected to $39.40.
  • Thank you for alerting us to the error in your bill. Enclosed is your refund of $29.30.
  • We have corrected the billing error. Thank you for bringing it to our attention.
  • Invoice #34567 for $4,990, dated January 7, has just been billed to your account, nearly three months late.
Sample Phrases for Step 1
  • are pleased to enclose a refund of
  • are sending them today under separate cover
  • are entitled to a refund of
  • are absolutely correct
  • deleted the late charge
  • disregard the billing you received dated
  • enclosed is a corrected statement
  • enclosed is an itemized statement of
  • enclosed is a coupon for
  • enclosed is your refund for the
  • enclosed is your copy of
  • for alerting us to
  • for bringing this to our attention
  • have enclosed a corrected bill
  • have now billed you for the correct amount
  • have corrected the error
  • have already corrected our
  • have made the appropriate adjustments
  • have redeposited the
  • kindly disregard the
  • mailed it myself first thing this morning
  • missed giving you your trade discount
  • neglected to deduct the
  • net amount due is
  • please deduct this from your payment
  • reflects your correct account balance
  • reflects your correct account number (99-99999-9)
  • shipped them yesterday afternoon
  • should have them by now
  • should receive them within
  • should receive your refund no later than
  • thank you for
  • the questions you raised
  • to the error in your bill
  • will be happy to send you a check for
  • will credit your account with
  • will shortly receive a refund of
  • will receive a refund
  • will shortly receive a refund of

2 Explain how the error occurred and apologize, but don't overdo it.

Sample Sentences for Step 2
  • Your order was perfectly clear and correct, and I cannot imagine why the wrong goods were sent. I can only apologize for the inconvenience we caused.
  • You were accidentally overcharged for the tapestry sets you ordered in February. We apologize for the error.
  • The error was the result of a computer glitch which has now been sorted out. We are sorry for the inaccuracy, but very much appreciate your notifying us so promptly. This enabled us to catch the error sooner than we would have otherwise.
  • Please accept my sincere apology for the letter that we sent to you. This was, of course, an error. You have a first-class payment record and a letter of congratulations would have been more appropriate.
  • This was a simple clerical error, with the numbers being transposed, but by the time the price had been multiplied by 144, the mistake really added up! I am sorry for the inconvenience this has caused you.
  • The special promotional discount was only entered into the computer a few hours into the sale. I am afraid we processed your invoice before this had been done. I am sorry for the trouble this has caused you.
  • Sorry for the false alarm. Your account has a zero balance.
  • We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause you, but hope that the money has been earning interest for you in the meantime.
    The order was incorrectly billed to another customer.
Sample Phrases for Step 2
  • a simple clerical error
  • accidentally billed you for
  • an unfortunate oversight
  • apologize for the error
  • are sorry that we overlooked
  • are sorry for the inconvenience
  • can only apologize for
  • can't imagine why
  • despite our precautions
  • do our utmost to avoid errors
  • do our best to eliminate errors
  • enabled us to catch the error
  • has now been corrected on
  • my sincere apologies for the
  • neglected to deduct the
  • numbers were transposed
  • order was incorrectly billed
  • owe you an explanation and an apology
  • payment was erroneously credited to
  • processed your invoice before
  • regret inconveniencing you
  • sales representative was unaware of
  • sorry for the false alarm
  • sorry for the mix-up
  • sorry for the trouble this has caused you
  • the error was made when
  • very much appreciate your
  • was the result of a
  • was a glitch in the system
  • were accidentally overcharged for
  • your order was perfectly clear and correct
  • your notifying us so promptly
  • your patience and understanding

3 Mention any special effort you may have made to make amends, or anything the customer needs to do.

Sample Sentences for Step 3
  • We would appreciate your shipping the incorrect order back to us via UPS, using the enclosed shipping label.
  • We will take care that this does not happen again.
  • Such mistakes are rare, but we have asked our staff to double-check their figures in the future.
  • Enclosed is a coupon for 30% off any of the accessories for your new mixer.
  • I am enclosing a copy of the invoice and the delivery document for your review. Your statement will arrive, as usual, around the 20th of the month.
Sample Phrases for Step 3
  • after we check with our supplier
  • am enclosing a copy of
  • are pleased to enclose a coupon for
  • are sending you a small token of our
  • are pleased to enclose a refund of
  • billing department has been asked to
  • bring future discrepancies to our attention
  • disregard the additional billing
  • eager to improve our service
  • employees have been trained to deal with
  • enclosed a corrected statement
  • enclosed is a coupon for
  • enclosed is a copy of
  • has been adjusted to accommodate
  • have deleted the service charge on
  • have alerted our staff members to this
  • have asked our representatives to double-check
  • have asked our staff to
  • have informed our retail stores of
  • have reviewed the questions you raised about
  • have entered the missing data
  • have updated your credit file
  • made the appropriate adjustments
  • make sure that our distributors are aware
  • new rates have now been published
  • please accept with our apologies
  • please send it back to us via
  • please return the signed agreement
  • such mistakes are rare
  • tighten up our communications
  • trust that this will resolve
  • use the enclosed shipping label to
  • want to assure you that
  • will take care that this does not recur
  • will double-check all figures
  • will make sure this does not happen again
  • will ship the correct order by
  • would appreciate your
  • your statement will arrive within

4 Close positively, with an expression of appreciation.

Sample Sentences for Step 4
  • You will find a set of our new line of bed sheets with your order. This is not an error, but a gift. Thank you for your business.
  • We value your patronage and look forward to serving you in the future.
  • Thanks for your business, and best regards.
  • We hope we will have the opportunity to serve you again.
  • We look forward to serving you again.
  • Please call if you have any questions or concerns about this correction.
Sample Phrases for Step 4
  • am deeply embarrassed by this
  • are grateful to you for
  • are welcome to contact us
  • are eager to improve our service
  • ensure that this does not happen again
  • for permitting us to provide your
  • for your patience and understanding
  • for pointing this out to us
  • have been a great help to us
  • hope we will have the opportunity to
  • hope everything turns out well
  • hope this will be satisfactory
  • hope you enjoy the
  • if you have any questions about
  • look forward to
  • offer you my personal assurance of
  • one of our most valued customers
  • please let us know
  • please accept our apologies
  • please call if you have further questions
  • please call again if you have other suggestions
  • should receive your refund by
  • thank you for
  • this is not an error, but a gift
  • to serving you again
  • to hearing from you
  • to the best of our ability
  • to serving you in the future
  • value your account
  • value your patronage
  • very much appreciate your interest in
  • want you to know
  • will find a small gift
  • will avoid such errors in the future
  • will be restored to the original limit of
  • will do our best to
  • will take every precaution to

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