11 Different 'Sorry for the Late Response' Replies

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11 Different 'Sorry for the Late Response' Replies

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Honestly, if we were to pinpoint the exact cause of late responses, it would often be because “life happens.” Because really, it does, and the most you can do is reply with a “sorry for the late response” message. 🤷‍♀️

Sometimes, you’re navigating a busy work week, and an email or two gets lost in the masses. At other times, you’re unwell and don’t have the energy to respond straight away. And then there are times when you can’t respond because of reasons out of your control (anyone else had their two-year-old put their phone in the dishwasher?).

Anyway, if you find yourself in situations where you need to say sorry for the late response, we’ve got you covered with some templates. 

How do you say, ‘Sorry for the delay’ professionally?

When you’re apologizing for the delay, you could be in one of two positions:

  1. You could be replying in an individual capacity. For example, you could be apologizing to a colleague for responding to their email late, or to your manager for not updating them on time.

  2. You could be replying on behalf of your company. For example, if you’re late responding to a customer’s inquiry. In this case, you’re representing your business, and customers may view your delayed response as a reflection of your customer service. 

In both cases, it’s important to apologize for the delay outright by starting your message off with a sentence like “apologies for the late response.” But, in the first situation, you might only need to explain yourself.

In the second case, you might also need to take action to satisfy an unhappy customer. Later in this article, we’ll take a look at responses you can use for both cases.

How do you say, ‘Sorry for the late reply’ without saying sorry?

If you feel the word “sorry” is a bit too casual for a professional setting, you can apologize without using the word. For example, you could say:

  • Hi {First Name}, apologies for getting back to you so late.

  • Hi {First Name}, I hope my late response hasn’t inconvenienced you.

  • Hi {First Name}, please accept my apologies for the delay in getting back to you.

Sample: ‘Sorry for the late response’ email 

Here’s what a finished “sorry for the late response” email might look like:

Hey Kathy,

I apologize for getting back to you late. We’ve been swamped with work here, there’s lots going on with the new merger. I saw your email the other day and completely forgot about it. As for your request, yes, we can definitely manage that. I’ll ask my colleague to send a proposal your way by tomorrow COB.

Best regards,

Roy

Use AI to write your 'sorry' email for you

Have a specific scenario in mind? Use this Magical template generator to create a custom template that says 'sorry' in exactly the right way. You can get specific with your prompt (for example, you can ask for 'an email template saying sorry for the late response because I was away on vacation') and even choose the tone of voice you want to use. To generate an unlimited number of email templates, add the free Magical Chrome extension to your browser.

11 great 'sorry for the late response' replies 

Need some inspiration to write your own “sorry for the late response” message? We’ve got you covered.

For responding to co-workers

Of everyone you know, co-workers should (hopefully) be the most understanding when you reply late, because you’re all in the same boat. Whether they’re understanding or not, here’s how to apologize for the delay in response.

Template trigger: -sry1
Hey First Name, sorry for getting back to you late. I had meant to respond to your message earlier, but it fell through the cracks. Here's the update you were asking about... (Add free template to Magical)
Template trigger: -sry2
My apologies for responding late, First Name. I was away last week for Reason 1 and only just saw your message now. I’ll send the documents you requested by 5pm today. I hope the delay hasn’t caused you too much trouble. (Add free template to Magical)
Template trigger: -sry3
Hi First Name, sorry for the delayed response. I’ve been swamped and your email got lost in the mix, I just saw it now. Sure, let’s meet later this week to discuss Topic. I just checked your calendar and suggested a slot when we both appear to be free. Feel free to adjust it. (Add free template to Magical)

For responding to customers

According to HubSpot’s research, customers are some of the least patient people: 90% of customers expect an immediate response, and 60% of them define immediate as 10 minutes or less. So if you’re properly late in responding to them, it’s definitely a good idea to start by apologizing.  

Template trigger: -sry4
Hello First Name, sorry for the late response, I understand how frustrating this must be for you. Unfortunately, our support team has been overwhelmed with a large volume of requests. We really appreciate your patience. How can I help you? (Add free template to Magical)
Template trigger: -sry5
Hey First Name, my apologies for getting back to you late. Our team was off from Date to Date for the holidays, so I’ve only just received your email now. I’ve looked into your request and have informed the relevant team—they’re on it. We’ll send you an update within 48 hours. (Add free template to Magical)

‍Template trigger: -sry6

Dear First Name, apologies for the delayed response. Your inquiry has been forwarded to the relevant team, and we’ll get back to you with a resolution in 1 to 3 business days. (Add free template to Magical)

For responding to potential business partners

Whether you have good or bad news to share, responding to potential business partners can take time, especially when you’re reliant on internal stakeholders. Here are some “sorry for the late response” templates for different situations.

Template trigger: -sry7
Hey First Name, sorry for the late response. We were discussing your proposal internally, and we just got the go-ahead now. We’re happy to move forward with the next steps. Shall we schedule a meeting early next week to chat things through? (Add free template to Magical)
Template trigger: -sry8
Apologies for the delayed response, First Name. Unfortunately, since our last discussion, Company Name has decided to go in a different direction, so we will no longer be moving forward with you on this project.

We really appreciate you taking the time to chat with the team, though. If another opportunity for us to work together arises, we’ll definitely be in touch. (Add free template to Magical)
Template trigger: -sry9
I’d like to sincerely apologize for getting back to you so late, First Name. We’ve been very busy, so it took time to properly review everything you sent over. After thinking it over, our team has decided to move forward without your services. However, there may be another part of this project you might be able to help out on—do you have time to chat next week? (Add free template to Magical)

For responding to job applicants

Got good news or bad news to share? Here’s how to get back to job applicants when you’re late to reply.

Template trigger: —sry10
Hey First Name, truly sorry for the late response. I was hoping to get back to you sooner, but unfortunately, Company Name has decided not to hire you for Job Title, as they have gone in a different direction. However, your application really stood out and I have high hopes for you, so I’ll keep your details on file in case another opportunity comes up. (Add free template to Magical)
Template trigger: —sry11
My sincerest apologies for the late response, First Name. Our team lead was away for the week, but they're back now. I forwarded your application, and we’re interested in moving forward with the next steps. We’d like to schedule an interview—how does Time on Date work for you? (Add free template to Magical)

Save and customize your ‘sorry for the late response’ replies with Magical

Even if you’re a total whizz at managing your time and keeping yourself organized, we all end up replying late at some point or the other. When this happens, it’s best to start your response off by apologizing for your late reply. And with the free Magical Chrome extension, you can store response templates and use them whenever (and wherever) you need to. 

Here’s a quick peek:

You can see in this template, we’ve included placeholder tags like {First Name} and {reason} here. After saving your templates, all you need to do is type “//” to summon them anywhere on your browser (like on Slack, or in an email) and the placeholders will automatically fill in with details from your open tabs.

So, feel free to create and customize your own “sorry for the late response” templates. And if you’d like to try Magical out, add it to Chrome for free today.

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