No one likes to be the bearer of bad news, but as copywriters and communications experts, the responsibility often falls on us. And although bad news is unpleasant enough on its own, bad news that is delivered improperly might worsen an already uncomfortable situation. Should we sugarcoat the news? Should we just rip the band-aid off at the start? Or perhaps somewhere in-between? Join Wordsmith as we explore the best way to deliver an unpleasant message.
Be straight, be considerate
Although not everyone handles bad news in the same way, most workplaces and people expect a certain level of professionalism and emotional self-control. Knowing this, Maryann V. Piotrowski (the author of Effective Business Writing: A Guide for Those Who Write on the Job) recommends against sugarcoating and drawing out the process. “Bad news is a fact of everyday business life,” she points out. “Businessmen and women are usually mature enough to want it straight.”
However, just because you should deliver the news straight doesn’t mean that you should drop the metaphorical bomb on them from the start – a bit of tact and consideration can help to cushion the blow.
Before you write your message, you need to consider the tone to use.
You might be tempted to suck up to the reader and put in multiple “sorry” and “our apologies” (especially if the mishap was caused by a blunder from you or your company)... but Piotrowski would argue that this would likely further upset the recipient. “Some writers make the task harder than necessary,” explains Piotrowski. “They either adopt a false, over-apologetic tone that makes the reader feel patronised, or they so mask the message that the reader feels duped.”
When you are too apologetic, your message can sound slimy and insincere, as readers may interpret the apologies as an attempt to cover-up the news. Even worse, having to sift through “sorry” repeatedly will delay the point of the message – since businesspeople often preach that time is money, you’re essentially disrespecting them by being inefficient with their time.
Instead, start off with a single strong apology, then provide reason(s) for why the situation has or hasn’t happened. “When you do write, avoid sandwiching the bad news between an irrelevant, indirect, or overly cushioned beginning and ending,” writes Piotrowsi.
Similar to how you would structure and respond to a letter of complaint, we can follow a standard content flow:
· State the context
· Break the news
· Give specific reasons as to why it happened
· Offer alternatives or encouragement (if applicable)
· End on a courteous note
Notice how the letter contains more than just the bad news – these parts should definitely not be neglected, as they demonstrate proper business acumen. As with an apology, you should consider potential next steps or remedies to help make your recipient’s life less stressful (or if the fault is yours, it may help redeem yourself).
Imagine if you were at a restaurant and the waiter just informed you that your favourite dessert was sold out. An inexperienced waiter would then wait for the customer to pick something else, but an experienced waiter would take the initiative and suggest a close alternative. Instead of feeling dejected and skipping on dessert entirely, wouldn’t you say that you’re more inclined to take the experienced waiter’s suggestion instead? It’s the same when you draft your message – a bit of foresight and planning can make the bad news more bearable and also guide the recipient forward!
Putting it into practice
Let’s try an example letter where we have to tell a customer that their order is delayed due to a logistics error from our supplier.
March 30, 2023
Dear Mr. Anderson,
With regards to your order #24151FC – GameStation 5 bundle, we apologise for not being able to deliver your order before the previously stated date of April 03, 2023. Due to a miscommunication between our inventory crew and our supplier, we are currently on backorder for additional GameStation 5 bundles.
The additional products are expected to arrive in our warehouse within the next week, so your updated ETA for delivery will be by April 11, 2023.
We know that you are likely frustrated with the delay, so we would like to make it up to you with a $50-value coupon that can be used with your next order. Please let us know if we can be of any further assistance and thank you for your understanding.
Best regards,
Joel Lee
Big Rig Games
Although it’d be easy to push the blame onto the supplier, it’s important to empathise with the customer here (especially in this case where you know that they would’ve wanted to have the delivery before the Easter holiday). In such instances, the customer will understandably still be upset even though the fault isn’t specifically ours – and they will likely still hold us responsible for the mistake – so we need to take the blame regardless and be careful with how we proceed.
There are a myriad of ways to diffuse the situation and appease the customer, and store credit or special offers are usually the most common. If management allows, a creatively unique or tailored solution (like arranging an express courier delivery during the Easter holiday) might make your customer feel better about the whole situation.
Being the bearer of bad news takes more skill than most would assume. Not only do you have to relay the news effectively, but you also need to take into consideration how the recipient will react and what you can do to help. With these points in mind, your audience will definitely have to reconsider about shooting the messenger when you break the news!