The support reply that de-escalates without grovelling

---
name: support-reply-that-de-escalates
description: "Drafts a response to an angry customer that acknowledges the real complaint, commits to something specific, and never apologises for things that aren't your fault. Use when the user asks for help with support tasks like support, customer, writing."
license: CC-BY-4.0
metadata:
  source: https://promptsbuddy.com/prompts/support-reply-that-de-escalates
  author: "Dinesh"
  version: "2.0"
---

# The support reply that de-escalates without grovelling

Drafts a response to an angry customer that acknowledges the real complaint, commits to something specific, and never apologises for things that aren't your fault.

## Inputs to collect first

Ask the user for anything below that they have not already given you. Do not
invent values for these.

- `MESSAGE` — The customer's message, verbatim. (e.g. Third time this month your export has failed. We're evaluating alternatives.)
- `FACTS` — What actually happened, including anything you can't say publicly. (e.g. Known bug in the CSV writer for >50k rows. Fix ships Thursday. Not disclosed publicly yet.)
- `AUTHORITY` — What you're actually allowed to offer. (e.g. Can offer a credit up to one month. Cannot promise dates for unshipped work.)

## Instructions

Draft a reply to this customer.

CUSTOMER MESSAGE:
{{MESSAGE}}

WHAT I ACTUALLY KNOW:
{{FACTS}}

WHAT I CAN OFFER:
{{AUTHORITY}}

Before writing, answer these three internally and show them as a short block
labelled ANALYSIS:
1. What is the customer's stated complaint?
2. What is the underlying one? (Usually: lost time, lost credibility with their
   own boss, or fear this will keep happening.)
3. What outcome would make them consider this resolved?

Then write the reply. Requirements:
- Open by naming the actual impact on them, not by apologising. One sentence.
- State what happened in plain language. No passive voice hiding the actor.
- Commit to exactly one specific next step with a date or a named person.
- Never promise anything outside WHAT I CAN OFFER. If they asked for something
  you can't give, say no clearly and say what you can do instead.
- No "we sincerely apologise for any inconvenience". No "we value your feedback".
- Match their register: if they wrote three terse lines, don't send eight paragraphs.
- End without a question unless you genuinely need an answer to proceed.

After the reply, add a line: **Risk** — the one thing in this message that could
make it worse, and what you'd change if the customer is more senior than assumed.

## Notes from people who use this

- The ANALYSIS block is for you, not the customer. Read it, then delete it before sending.
- 'Never apologise first' surprises people. Naming the impact reads as understanding; a lead apology reads as a script.
- If the model keeps sneaking in a promise you can't keep, tighten AUTHORITY — that field is doing the guardrail work.

---

The support reply that de-escalates without grovelling · by Dinesh · v2.0
From PromptsBuddy — https://promptsbuddy.com/prompts/support-reply-that-de-escalates
Licensed CC BY 4.0.

Every prompt is also available at /prompts/support-reply-that-de-escalates/skill.md — see all install options.