So, you want to apologize for missing someone’s call, right?
But you’re worried that “sorry I missed your call” is unprofessional or too blunt.
Well, you’re in luck! This article is here to help you understand a few things.
We’ll show you how to say “sorry I missed your call” in an email after you’ve accidentally missed someone.
Is It Professional to Say “Sorry I Missed Your Call”?
It is professional to say “sorry I missed your call.”
It’s a good formal choice that lets someone know it was not intentional to avoid their phone call. Generally, this works regardless of who called you or who you are replying to.
You can review this email sample to learn how to use “sorry I missed your call” in a sentence:
Dear Miss Holliday,
I am very sorry I missed your call.
Please let me know if you’d like me to call back; otherwise, would you like to talk to me via email?
All the best,
Sean Woodchurch
Pros
- It’s professional.
- It’s an excellent choice for apologizing after accidentally missing a phone call.
Cons
- It’s a bit generic.
- It doesn’t always seem sincere.
While “sorry I missed your call” is clearly a great choice in formal writing, that doesn’t mean it’s your only one! So, it’s time to see what else is out there.
Keep reading to learn how to apologize for a missed call. We’ve gathered some of the best alternatives to show you what works.
What to Say Instead of “Sorry I Missed Your Call”
- My sincere apologies for missing your call
- I apologize for not being available when you called
- I regret that I was unable to take your call
- I’m sorry I couldn’t answer your call earlier
- Please accept my apologies for missing your call
- My apologies for not being able to speak with you
- Please forgive me for missing your call
- I’m afraid I was too busy to answer when you called
- Please accept my apologies for not being available
1. My Sincere Apologies for Missing Your Call
We recommend starting with “my sincere apologies for missing your call.” It’s formal and sincere, which helps it to stand out from the more generic “sorry I missed your call.”
For starters, including “sincere apologies” is direct and respectful. It shows that you take responsibility and would appreciate it if the recipient could forgive you.
Try using it when contacting a business partner. After all, it’s a helpful way to let them know you understand how important their call is.
So, check out this email sample to learn more about how it works:
Dear Ms. Christina,
My sincere apologies for missing your call.
It was not my intention, but I’m available to talk now if you’d like to.
Best regards,
Dan Sprock
2. I Apologize for Not Being Available When You Called
Next, you might still be wondering how to say “sorry I missed your call” professionally. That’s where “I apologize for not being available when you called” comes in.
It’s formal and sincere. It also shows that you take the blame for not being there when someone calls you.
Even if it isn’t your fault because you have a busy schedule or were on another call, the recipient will appreciate this.
Use it when contacting your boss. It’s a sign of respect that shows their schedule is important, and you didn’t mean to interfere with it.
Also, check out this sample email to learn more about it:
Dear Miss Davis,
I apologize for not being available when you called earlier.
Is there anything I can do for you now that you don’t need to call me about?
All the best,
Suzie Shaw
3. I Regret That I Was Unable to Take Your Call
When emailing about an unanswered call, you can write “I regret that I was unable to take your call.”
It’s direct and apologetic. Therefore, it goes a long way when letting a client know you’re sorry.
It’s respectful as well. So, you can often use this if you’re trying to show a client that you never intended to ignore them and would like a way to return a missed call professionally.
Refer to these message samples if you still need help with it:
I regret that I was unable to take your call this morning. Please let me know what I can do for you.
Of course, I regret that I was unable to take your call just now. What can I do to help you?
4. I’m Sorry I Couldn’t Answer Your Call Earlier
Another way to say “sorry I missed your call” is “I’m sorry I couldn’t answer your call earlier.”
This shows you were too busy to answer someone’s call. It’s effective when contacting a colleague.
They might have reached out to ask you about a team project. Well, this is a fantastic option that lets them know you’re happy to hear from them, but you were too busy to talk at the time they rang.
You should review this sample email if you’re still unsure how it works:
Dear Jimmy,
I’m sorry I couldn’t answer your call earlier.
Was it about the project? I’ll happily talk to you about it now if you have some time.
Warmest regards,
Melanie Shaw
5. Please Accept My Apologies for Missing Your Call
We all miss calls sometimes. Knowing how to respond to a missed call by text is what’s most important.
While the phrase remains professional, it’s still a great choice in text messages. We recommend using it when messaging straight after your boss calls you.
It shows that you never intended to ignore their call, but you had something else to do.
The text message is a great way to get in there quickly and let your boss know you’re sorry.
Also, these message samples should help you to understand more about it:
Please accept my apologies for missing your call. It was not my intention, but I’m afraid a few things came up that I couldn’t ignore.
Please accept my apologies for missing your call. I certainly won’t let it happen again.
6. My Apologies for Not Being Able to Speak With You
Feel free to write “my apologies for not being able to speak with you” after someone calls you.
This works well when emailing a client who needs your attention. It shows that you’re reaching out via email to let the client know that you’re free now and would like to correct the problem.
It’s formal and sincere. That’s why it tends to work best in emails.
So, this email example should help you to understand it better:
Dear Miss King,
My apologies for not being able to speak with you when you rang.
Let me know if there’s anything pressing you’d like to discuss with me via email.
Best wishes,
Charity Boardhouse
7. Please Forgive Me for Missing Your Call
You can also write “please forgive me for missing your call.” It’s a great way to message colleagues or people who contacted you directly (i.e., on your mobile).
This tends to work because it shows that you’d like someone’s forgiveness.
However, it also keeps a more friendly and honest tone in your writing. Therefore, this works best if you know the recipient well and would like to quickly apologize for your mistake.
These text message samples will also show you how it works:
Please forgive me for missing your call. I’m available from now until the end of the day if you’d like to call me about it.
Please forgive me for missing your call, as that was never my intention!
8. I’m Afraid I Was Too Busy to Answer When You Called
If you’re wondering how to say “sorry I missed your call” without apologizing, this is the phrase for you.
Sometimes, apologies aren’t necessary. That’s where “I’m afraid I was too busy to answer when you called” comes in.
Don’t worry; it’s still professional and sincere.
However, it removes the need to apologize. This is because it’s not your fault if you were too busy to answer someone. You shouldn’t take the blame for missing a call if you had other things going on.
So, you can check out this sample email to learn more if need be:
Dear Mr. Rogers,
I’m afraid I was too busy to answer when you called.
Please contact me via email if there’s anything urgent we need to discuss.
All the best,
Sarah Catford
9. Please Accept My Apologies for Not Being Available
Finally, you can use “please accept my apologies for not being available.”
It shows you what to say instead of “sorry I missed your call,” which keeps things formal and sincere.
Generally, it’s a good way to be polite and respectful. It also takes responsibility for not being free on your end when someone reaches out to try and call you.
Feel free to review this email sample to learn more about how to use it:
Dear Miss Adams,
Please accept my apologies for not being available when you called earlier.
What would you like to discuss with me?
All the best,
Joel Smith