Tell customers about a delay

Write an honest, proactive delay notice for an order or project that explains what happened, gives a new date and offers something useful.

The prompt

Write a message telling a customer about a delay.

Business: [BUSINESS NAME]
Customer and what they are waiting for: [DETAILS]
Original date: [DATE]  New realistic date: [DATE]
Cause (be honest): [e.g. supplier backorder, staff illness, weather]
What I can offer: [e.g. partial delivery now, a loaner, discount, priority scheduling, option to cancel]
Channel: [email / text]

Requirements:
- Lead with the news and the new date, not a long apology.
- One sentence on the cause, without blaming the customer or making excuses.
- Say what we are doing to prevent further slips and when they will hear from us next.
- Offer the options I listed and make it easy to reply with a choice.
- Under 130 words for email, or under 320 characters for text.
Also write a version for when the new date is still uncertain.

Replace every [BRACKETED] part with your own details before sending.

How to use it

Related prompts

• Reply to an angry customer complaint

  Draft a calm, specific reply to an upset customer that acknowledges the problem, takes the right amount of responsibility and offers a clear fix.

• Respond to a refund request

  Write a clear reply that approves, partly approves or declines a refund request politely, explains why and keeps the door open for the customer.

• Announce a price increase

  Write a respectful price increase notice for existing customers that explains the change, gives notice and reminds them of the value they get.

• Build a library of saved replies

  Turn your most common customer emails into a set of reusable saved replies with placeholders, written in a consistent and friendly voice.

More Customer Emails & Service prompts