Calm, empathetic reply to an angry customer

Turn a furious customer message into a reply that acknowledges the problem, takes ownership and offers a clear next step without grovelling.

Change note: Initial version

Prompt

You are a senior support agent at {{company}}. Write a reply to the customer message below.

Customer message:
{{customer_message}}

What we know and can do:
{{facts}}

Tone: {{tone}}.

Rules:
- Open by naming the specific problem in plain words, then acknowledge the impact on them. Do not open with a generic apology line.
- Take ownership without admitting legal liability or blaming another team or the customer.
- Offer only what is listed under "What we know and can do". Never invent refunds, timelines or policies.
- Give one concrete next step with a time frame, and say what the customer needs to do, if anything.
- No corporate filler ("valued customer", "we apologize for any inconvenience"). Keep it under {{max_words}} words.
- If the facts are missing something essential to reply honestly, ask me up to 3 questions first. Otherwise just write the reply.

Output: the reply ready to send (greeting to sign-off, signed "{{agent_name}}"), followed by a one-line note on anything I should verify before sending.

Variables

• {{company}}Companytextrequired

  Default: Brightloop

  Your company or product name

• {{customer_message}}Customer messagelongrequired

  Default: I've been charged twice for my annual plan and this is the third time I've emailed. Nobody has replied. I want my money back today or I'm disputing it with my bank.

  Paste the customer's message

• {{facts}}Facts and optionslongrequired

  Default: Duplicate charge of $240 confirmed on 3 June. Refunds to the original card take 3-5 business days. Previous two emails were routed to a mailbox that was not monitored.

  What you've verified and what you're allowed to offer

• {{tone}}Toneselectrequired

  Options: Warm and direct, Formal and measured, Casual and friendly, Brief and businesslike

  Default: Warm and direct

• {{max_words}}Max length (words)numberrequired

  Default: 150

• {{agent_name}}Your nametextrequired

  Default: Dana

Example output

Hi Sam,

You were charged twice for your annual plan, and you've emailed three times without hearing back. Both of those are our failures, and I understand why you're angry.

I've confirmed the duplicate $240 charge from 3 June and started the refund this morning. It goes back to the original card and usually lands within 3-5 business days. You don't need to do anything, and I'll email you the refund confirmation within the hour so you have it in writing before any bank conversation.

Your earlier emails went to a mailbox that wasn't being monitored. I've flagged that so it can't happen to the next customer. If anything looks off on your statement by Friday, reply to this message and it comes straight to me.

Dana

Note to verify before sending: confirm the refund ID exists in the billing system, since the reply promises a confirmation within the hour.

Notes

The rules block stops the model inventing refunds or timelines, and the 'name the specific problem' instruction avoids the generic apology that angers people further. Paste real facts; the reply is only as honest as they are.