Real-world examples of how to follow up after resolving a customer complaint via email

Simple examples of how to follow up after resolving a customer complaint via email

Let’s skip the theory and get straight into real examples of how to follow up after resolving a customer complaint via email. You can copy these, tweak a few details, and send them today.

1. The “Just checking in” follow-up after a refund

This is the workhorse of follow-up messages: short, kind, and focused on how the customer feels now, not on defending what went wrong.

Example email:

Subject: How is everything going with your recent order?

Hi Jordan,

I wanted to follow up on the issue with your damaged order from last week. I see that your refund was processed on Tuesday.

Are things all set on your end now, or is there anything still not quite right?

Your experience matters to us, and I appreciate you giving us the chance to fix this. If you have any feedback on how we handled your complaint, I’d love to hear it so we can keep improving.

Thank you again for your patience,

Alex
Customer Support

This is one of the best examples of a follow-up because it does three things in a few lines: confirms the resolution, invites feedback, and keeps the door open for more help.

2. The follow-up after a replacement product ships

When you’ve shipped a replacement, don’t assume “no news is good news.” A short follow-up shows you care about the outcome, not just the transaction.

Example email:

Subject: Did your replacement arrive in good shape?

Hi Priya,

I’m following up on the replacement headset we sent after your original order arrived defective. According to the tracking info, it was delivered yesterday.

Can you let me know if everything is working properly now? If there’s any issue with the replacement, we’ll make it right.

Thanks again for sticking with us while we sorted this out. We really appreciate your business.

Best,
Morgan
Support Team

Real examples like this show that a single sentence—“If there’s any issue with the replacement, we’ll make it right”—can completely change how a customer remembers the situation.

3. The follow-up when you offered a discount or credit

Sometimes the resolution is a coupon, store credit, or future discount. The risk? The customer never uses it and still feels annoyed. A follow-up can nudge them back into a better experience.

Example email:

Subject: Quick check-in about your account credit

Hi Sam,

Last week, we added a $25 credit to your account after the delay with your order.

I wanted to check in and make sure you can see the credit on your account page and that it’s easy to apply at checkout. If anything is confusing or not working, please hit reply and I’ll walk you through it.

Also, if you have any thoughts on how we could have handled your complaint better, I’m listening.

Thanks for giving us another chance,

Taylor
Customer Care

This is a clear example of how to follow up after resolving a customer complaint via email and gently encourage another purchase without sounding pushy.

4. The follow-up asking for honest feedback (not just a rating)

Many companies jump straight to “Please rate us 5 stars!” after a complaint. That’s tone-deaf. A better approach is to invite honest feedback first, and only later ask for reviews if the customer is clearly satisfied.

Example email:

Subject: How did we do in handling your complaint?

Hi Chris,

I’m glad we were able to resolve the issue with your subscription billing last week.

I’d really value your honest opinion: did we handle your complaint in a way that felt fair and respectful? If you have 1–2 minutes, just hit reply and tell me what worked and what didn’t.

We regularly review this feedback with our support team to improve how we respond to future issues.

Thank you for helping us get better,

Dana
Customer Experience Manager

If you want to go further, you can link to a short survey using a tool that follows good privacy practices. The U.S. Federal Trade Commission has guidance on privacy and data security that’s worth reviewing as you design any feedback process.

5. The follow-up when you’ve made a policy change

Sometimes a complaint exposes a bigger problem—an unclear policy, a confusing process, or a recurring product issue. When you actually change something because of customer feedback, that’s gold. Tell them.

Example email:

Subject: An update based on your recent feedback

Hi Leslie,

You contacted us last month about our return policy on sale items. At the time, we made an exception for your order, but your experience also sparked a broader review.

I wanted you to know that we’ve now updated our return policy to allow returns on most sale items within 30 days. Your feedback directly influenced this change.

Thank you for speaking up and helping us improve how we treat all our customers.

With appreciation,
Jamie
Customer Operations

This is one of the best examples of how to follow up after resolving a customer complaint via email because it turns a negative moment into a story the customer might actually share in a positive way.

6. The follow-up when emotions ran high

Sometimes a customer was angry, maybe even rude. You resolved the issue, but the relationship feels fragile. Your follow-up should be calm, gracious, and focused on the future.

Example email:

Subject: Thank you for your patience

Hi Maria,

I’m writing to follow up on the shipping mix-up we resolved on Monday.

I know the situation was frustrating, and I appreciate you sticking with the conversation while we worked through it. I hope the updated delivery and partial refund have helped.

If there’s anything we can do to make your next experience smoother, please let me know. I’d like your next order with us to feel a lot easier than this one did.

Thank you again,

Evan
Support Lead

Real examples like this show that you don’t need to rehash the conflict. A simple acknowledgment of their frustration can go a long way.

7. The follow-up that invites the customer back

Once a complaint is resolved, you can gently invite the customer to give you another try—after confirming they’re satisfied.

Example email:

Subject: Hope we’ll see you again

Hi Aisha,

I wanted to make sure everything is still going smoothly after we fixed the issue with your account access last week.

If you feel the problem is fully resolved, I’d love to invite you to try us again when you’re ready. When you do, reply to this email and I’ll personally make sure your next order gets priority handling.

Either way, thank you for giving us the chance to address your complaint. Your trust matters.

Warm regards,
Ben
Customer Success

This is an example of a follow-up that balances respect for the customer’s feelings with a gentle invitation to return—no pressure, just an open door.

8. The follow-up for B2B or higher-stakes clients

If you’re working with business clients, the stakes are higher and the tone should be a bit more formal. Think of this as one of the more detailed examples of how to follow up after resolving a customer complaint via email in a B2B context.

Example email:

Subject: Follow-up on last week’s service disruption

Hi Daniel,

I’m following up on the service outage your team experienced on May 3. As agreed, we’ve applied a service credit to your account and implemented additional monitoring on your instance.

Since then, our logs show normal performance. I’d appreciate it if you could confirm whether your team is also seeing stable behavior on your side.

We’ve added this incident to our internal review process and will be using it as a training example for our engineering and support teams.

Thank you for your partnership and for the candid feedback during this process.

Best regards,
Kelly
Account Manager

For higher-stakes situations, you might also reference internal quality or training standards. Organizations like the U.S. Small Business Administration share guidance on building stronger customer relationships and processes that you can adapt.

How to write your own follow-up email after a complaint is resolved

Now that you’ve seen several real examples of how to follow up after resolving a customer complaint via email, let’s break down the pattern they all share. You don’t need a script; you need a simple structure.

Think in four short parts:

1. Subject line that signals calm, not alarm.
Use phrases like “Checking in,” “Following up,” or “Quick follow-up on your recent issue.” Avoid anything that sounds scary or urgent unless it truly is.

2. One sentence that recalls the situation.
Something like: “I’m following up on the issue with your billing from last week” is enough. No need to re-argue what happened.

3. One or two sentences confirming what you did.
For example: “We processed your refund on Tuesday and updated your shipping address for future orders.” This anchors the follow-up in concrete action.

4. A clear, friendly question.
Ask something specific: “Is everything working properly now?” or “Is there anything still not quite right on your end?” This invites a simple yes/no reply.

When you look back at the best examples in this article, you’ll see this structure over and over, just with different details.

Timing: When to send your follow-up email

Even the best examples of how to follow up after resolving a customer complaint via email fall flat if they arrive at the wrong time.

For most situations:

• If you issued a refund only: follow up 3–5 days later, after the refund should have appeared on the customer’s statement.
• If you shipped a replacement: follow up 1–2 days after delivery based on tracking.
• If you fixed an account or technical issue: follow up 2–3 days later to see if the fix is holding.
• For business clients or bigger incidents: consider a second follow-up a week or two later, especially if you promised internal changes.

Customer expectations have risen sharply in the last few years, especially as more people rely on online services and deliveries. Research from organizations like Harvard Business School has highlighted how service recovery—how you respond to failures—can strongly influence long-term loyalty. A thoughtful follow-up is a practical way to show that you care about that long-term relationship.

Tone: What modern customers expect in 2024–2025

The trend in 2024–2025 is clear: people have very low tolerance for robotic, overly formal messages. They also don’t want fake cheerfulness when they’ve just been frustrated.

When you look at these real examples of follow-up emails, notice the tone:

• Plain language instead of corporate jargon
• Short paragraphs that are easy to skim on a phone
• Direct acknowledgment of the issue and the customer’s feelings
• No pressure to “move on” before the customer is ready

A good test: read your email out loud. If you wouldn’t say it that way to a reasonable person standing in front of you, rewrite it.

FAQ: examples of follow-up after resolving complaints

What are some quick examples of follow-up lines I can reuse?

Here are a few short lines you can drop into your own emails:

• “I wanted to check in and make sure everything is now working as expected.”
• “Are you seeing the refund/credit on your end yet?”
• “If anything still doesn’t feel right, please hit reply and I’ll take another look.”
• “Your feedback helped us improve how we handle situations like this in the future.”

Each example of a follow-up line is designed to invite a simple response and keep the conversation open.

How many times should I follow up after resolving a complaint?

Most situations only need one follow-up. If the customer replies and still has concerns, answer those and, if needed, send a final short follow-up after the new fix. If they don’t respond at all, don’t keep chasing them; that can feel intrusive.

Can I ask for a review in my follow-up email?

You can, but timing matters. Use the first follow-up to confirm that the issue is truly resolved. If the customer responds positively, you can send a separate, shorter message later asking for a review. That second message might say:

“I’m glad we were able to get things back on track. If you’re comfortable sharing your experience in a review, it would really help other customers know what to expect from our support.”

What’s an example of a follow-up email that feels too pushy?

Anything that jumps straight from “We fixed it” to “Give us 5 stars” in the same breath usually feels pushy. For instance:

“We’ve resolved your complaint. Please click here to rate us 5 stars.”

Compare that to the earlier examples of how to follow up after resolving a customer complaint via email in this article. The better ones give the customer space to say, “Actually, it’s still not right,” before asking for public praise.

If you remember nothing else, remember this: the best examples of how to follow up after resolving a customer complaint via email are simple, human, and focused on one question—“Are you okay with how this ended?” Start there, and you’ll already be ahead of most inboxes your customers are dealing with.