Guidelines to Writing an Apology Letter

An apology letter or a letter of apology is written to admit a mistake and express your guilt to the person whom you have offended. An apology letter is an effort by the guilty to set right the strained relationship with the other person.





This type can either be formal or informal. These are used for maintaining business relationships are formally written. On the other hand, the letters written in personal life use an informal format.





Apology letters in business relationships can be written:





• To apologize a customer for delayed service


• To apologize a dealer for miscalculation of the dues


• To apologize a senior for missing out important facts while preparing a presentation





Apology letters in personal relationships can be written:





• To apologize a friend for absence from his birthday party


• To apologize a neighbor for a wrong accusation


• To apologize a teacher for not doing the home assignment





However, there are many other examples from day-to-day life where you can make use of such types.





An apology letter helps not only in saving a relationship but also gives impetus to your efforts in keep long-term relationships with your business members or beloved ones.





1. Writing an impact-creating letter requires some guidelines. The points given below can be used to write the letter.





2. Speedy response – Write the letter as early as possible after you have offended the person. An early response contributes significantly in saving your relationship with the person. However, sending the letter becomes imperative if the individual overtly demands apology.





3. Honesty – As said "Honesty is the best policy". Therefore, be honest and non-defensive while admitting your guilt. This shows that you are genuinely concerned for the loss.





4. Acknowledge the situation – In the letter, do mention that you understand and acknowledge the impact of the mistake on the person. You analyzed the situation from the person’s point-of-view and feel deeply regretted.





5. Mention the solution to resolve the issue – After you have admitted your mistake, suggest a possible solution to set the things right and pacify the offended person. If it’s a business letter, then try to mention the time and the name of the right person who will take forward the issue and resolve it. However, if you have already resolved the problem, then mention the remedial measures you have taken.





Further to these guidelines, the letter can be customized to write apology letters for different situations.





Know more about Apology Letters.