Pointing out customer's mistake politely in customer support setting





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If someone sends in a support request with a mistake that they clearly made, what would be the polite way to answer?



I initially used the term




It seems that you have forgotten to fill in this and that




but others pointed out it should be started with




You should fill in this and that




In Estonian, which is my native language, using the first is considered more polite, whereas second is seemed more like a command making it a rather harsh way.



Thank you.










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  • 1





    Your question is more about manners than about language, but, yes, I would agree with you.

    – Kate Bunting
    15 hours ago











  • I didn't really know any other place to ask this question from. As this is a board about English language and its usage. I'm sorry if this is a totally wrong place to ask this from.

    – Egert Aia
    15 hours ago






  • 2





    @EgertAia - interpersonal.stackexchange.com for future reference...

    – colmde
    15 hours ago


















-1















If someone sends in a support request with a mistake that they clearly made, what would be the polite way to answer?



I initially used the term




It seems that you have forgotten to fill in this and that




but others pointed out it should be started with




You should fill in this and that




In Estonian, which is my native language, using the first is considered more polite, whereas second is seemed more like a command making it a rather harsh way.



Thank you.










share|improve this question









New contributor




Egert Aia is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
















  • 1





    Your question is more about manners than about language, but, yes, I would agree with you.

    – Kate Bunting
    15 hours ago











  • I didn't really know any other place to ask this question from. As this is a board about English language and its usage. I'm sorry if this is a totally wrong place to ask this from.

    – Egert Aia
    15 hours ago






  • 2





    @EgertAia - interpersonal.stackexchange.com for future reference...

    – colmde
    15 hours ago














-1












-1








-1








If someone sends in a support request with a mistake that they clearly made, what would be the polite way to answer?



I initially used the term




It seems that you have forgotten to fill in this and that




but others pointed out it should be started with




You should fill in this and that




In Estonian, which is my native language, using the first is considered more polite, whereas second is seemed more like a command making it a rather harsh way.



Thank you.










share|improve this question









New contributor




Egert Aia is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.












If someone sends in a support request with a mistake that they clearly made, what would be the polite way to answer?



I initially used the term




It seems that you have forgotten to fill in this and that




but others pointed out it should be started with




You should fill in this and that




In Estonian, which is my native language, using the first is considered more polite, whereas second is seemed more like a command making it a rather harsh way.



Thank you.







politeness






share|improve this question









New contributor




Egert Aia is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.











share|improve this question









New contributor




Egert Aia is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.









share|improve this question




share|improve this question








edited 15 hours ago









Andrew Leach♦

80.1k8154258




80.1k8154258






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Egert Aia is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
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asked 15 hours ago









Egert AiaEgert Aia

1012




1012




New contributor




Egert Aia is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.





New contributor





Egert Aia is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.






Egert Aia is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.








  • 1





    Your question is more about manners than about language, but, yes, I would agree with you.

    – Kate Bunting
    15 hours ago











  • I didn't really know any other place to ask this question from. As this is a board about English language and its usage. I'm sorry if this is a totally wrong place to ask this from.

    – Egert Aia
    15 hours ago






  • 2





    @EgertAia - interpersonal.stackexchange.com for future reference...

    – colmde
    15 hours ago














  • 1





    Your question is more about manners than about language, but, yes, I would agree with you.

    – Kate Bunting
    15 hours ago











  • I didn't really know any other place to ask this question from. As this is a board about English language and its usage. I'm sorry if this is a totally wrong place to ask this from.

    – Egert Aia
    15 hours ago






  • 2





    @EgertAia - interpersonal.stackexchange.com for future reference...

    – colmde
    15 hours ago








1




1





Your question is more about manners than about language, but, yes, I would agree with you.

– Kate Bunting
15 hours ago





Your question is more about manners than about language, but, yes, I would agree with you.

– Kate Bunting
15 hours ago













I didn't really know any other place to ask this question from. As this is a board about English language and its usage. I'm sorry if this is a totally wrong place to ask this from.

– Egert Aia
15 hours ago





I didn't really know any other place to ask this question from. As this is a board about English language and its usage. I'm sorry if this is a totally wrong place to ask this from.

– Egert Aia
15 hours ago




2




2





@EgertAia - interpersonal.stackexchange.com for future reference...

– colmde
15 hours ago





@EgertAia - interpersonal.stackexchange.com for future reference...

– colmde
15 hours ago










1 Answer
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2














Politely solving a problem arising from a customer error



Your method is more polite than your colleagues', because it is less blunt.



Even more polite would be to omit reference to the customer's failure to do something. How about:



"Please fill in this and that."

"You can achieve this by filling in this and that."

"It looks like this and that are not filled in. Could you fill them in please?"

"For the X process to work, it needs Y and Z. Please fill them in: it should then work."


That way you de-emphasise the existence of a mistake, or depersonalise it.



An intelligent customer would recognise that you have seen he has made a mistake, and that you are polite about pointing it out, and will form a favourable view of your company's customer handling.



An unintelligent customer would not notice, so nothing is lost.






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    1 Answer
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    active

    oldest

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    1 Answer
    1






    active

    oldest

    votes









    active

    oldest

    votes






    active

    oldest

    votes









    2














    Politely solving a problem arising from a customer error



    Your method is more polite than your colleagues', because it is less blunt.



    Even more polite would be to omit reference to the customer's failure to do something. How about:



    "Please fill in this and that."

    "You can achieve this by filling in this and that."

    "It looks like this and that are not filled in. Could you fill them in please?"

    "For the X process to work, it needs Y and Z. Please fill them in: it should then work."


    That way you de-emphasise the existence of a mistake, or depersonalise it.



    An intelligent customer would recognise that you have seen he has made a mistake, and that you are polite about pointing it out, and will form a favourable view of your company's customer handling.



    An unintelligent customer would not notice, so nothing is lost.






    share|improve this answer




























      2














      Politely solving a problem arising from a customer error



      Your method is more polite than your colleagues', because it is less blunt.



      Even more polite would be to omit reference to the customer's failure to do something. How about:



      "Please fill in this and that."

      "You can achieve this by filling in this and that."

      "It looks like this and that are not filled in. Could you fill them in please?"

      "For the X process to work, it needs Y and Z. Please fill them in: it should then work."


      That way you de-emphasise the existence of a mistake, or depersonalise it.



      An intelligent customer would recognise that you have seen he has made a mistake, and that you are polite about pointing it out, and will form a favourable view of your company's customer handling.



      An unintelligent customer would not notice, so nothing is lost.






      share|improve this answer


























        2












        2








        2







        Politely solving a problem arising from a customer error



        Your method is more polite than your colleagues', because it is less blunt.



        Even more polite would be to omit reference to the customer's failure to do something. How about:



        "Please fill in this and that."

        "You can achieve this by filling in this and that."

        "It looks like this and that are not filled in. Could you fill them in please?"

        "For the X process to work, it needs Y and Z. Please fill them in: it should then work."


        That way you de-emphasise the existence of a mistake, or depersonalise it.



        An intelligent customer would recognise that you have seen he has made a mistake, and that you are polite about pointing it out, and will form a favourable view of your company's customer handling.



        An unintelligent customer would not notice, so nothing is lost.






        share|improve this answer













        Politely solving a problem arising from a customer error



        Your method is more polite than your colleagues', because it is less blunt.



        Even more polite would be to omit reference to the customer's failure to do something. How about:



        "Please fill in this and that."

        "You can achieve this by filling in this and that."

        "It looks like this and that are not filled in. Could you fill them in please?"

        "For the X process to work, it needs Y and Z. Please fill them in: it should then work."


        That way you de-emphasise the existence of a mistake, or depersonalise it.



        An intelligent customer would recognise that you have seen he has made a mistake, and that you are polite about pointing it out, and will form a favourable view of your company's customer handling.



        An unintelligent customer would not notice, so nothing is lost.







        share|improve this answer












        share|improve this answer



        share|improve this answer










        answered 15 hours ago









        EurekaEureka

        1,10627




        1,10627






















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