Avoid Negative Words - Negative words can create unnecessary tension. Here are a few words you might wish to avoid: Trouble, Hesitate, Difficult, Difficulties, Bad, Faults, Delay, Failure, Neglect, Unfortunate, Irresponsible, Mistakes, Fear, Uncertain, Problem. Using phrases such as "you have to" or "I need you to" put the burden on the customer and can result in a bad experience.

Keep Bad News in the Middle - Avoid placing the bad news at the beginning or end of the message. In these cases, we're not attempting to bury the bad news... we're just trying to provide context around the bad news at the beginning and end of the message.

Avoid the Blame Game - Don't point fingers at the customer...even if they did make a mistake. Find ways to remain neutral on the cause of the negative outcome. If necessary, take the blame and apologize. Blaming the customer will just result in more negativity. 

What Can Be Done Instead of What Cannot - Instead of telling the customer what you or they cannot do, it is important to convey what you can do. 

Positive Phrasing for Negative News - Try to put a positive spin on your statement. Instead of referring to something as a problem, refer to it as a situation. Instead of saying something can't be done or won't arrive until a certain date, say that we can do it or it will arrive as early as that date. 

Avoid Extreme Adjectives - Using extreme adjectives may leave the customer believing that you've lost your composure or that you may be frantic. Here are some phrases where extreme adjectives were used: It is very unfortunate, we deeply regret, is it extremely late.

Read Your Response Before Sending - It is important to read your response before sending it to check for mistakes and to understand the tone. Ask yourself how you'd feel if that was the response you were receiving if you were in the customer's shoes.