There are many reasons you may need to decline a request. Perhaps you are already overwhelmed with work, or you simply don’t have the skills or knowledge to complete the task. Whatever the reason, it’s important to decline requests politely and professionally.
Here are some tips for how to decline a request:
1. Thank the person for considering you for the task.
2. Explain why you are unable to take on the request.
3. Offer an alternative solution, if possible.
4. Thank the person again and express your hope to be able to help in the future.
By following these tips, you can decline a request while still maintaining a positive relationship with the individual.
- I appreciate the offer/invite, but I can’t commit.
- I’m honored by the offer/invites, but can’t.
- I’m flattered you considered me, but unfortunately I’ll have to pass this time.
- I appreciate the offer/invite, but I am completely booked.
- Thank you for thinking of me, but I can’t.
Types of requests at work and why decline them
Requests may come from coworkers, managers, customers, and vendors while at work. The most frequent requests from coworkers are for help, an introduction, or a reference. You might reject these if you’re working on other projects right now or if you don’t feel confident giving a reference. Because of your other obligations, your supervisors might ask you to schedule a meeting on short notice, which may not be possible. Customers may want to receive a discount or change an order, which may go against company policy. Vendors might ask you to consider purchasing items you don’t want.
By being able to politely decline these requests, you can keep up these professional connections and hone your ability to communicate with the other party in an open and skillful manner.
Why is it important to politely decline requests?
Because you only have so much time in the day and might be asked to do more than you can handle, it’s important to say no to requests. You might accept requests from customers, suppliers, managers, and coworkers who are just not aware of your workload and schedule. Refusing time-consuming or especially difficult requests demonstrates your competence and ability in a realistic way. The second justification for politely declining requests is that you can preserve relationships at work if you do it correctly. Additionally, if you present workable alternatives, you might even boost productivity, collaboration, and communication in the office.
How to politely decline a request
Whatever the request’s origin or your justifications for rejecting it, take into account these actions when doing so:
Understand the reason for the request
Make sure you comprehend, for instance, why the meeting must happen quickly or a client wants to cancel an order. Clarify by asking questions and restating concerns.
Brainstorm several solutions.
Try to come up with at least two potential counterarguments to the demand. Finding solutions is made simpler the better you comprehend the request’s justification. You might be able to meet the client at a different time or participate in part of the meeting remotely, for example, if your supervisor calls a meeting to meet a new client while you are at an appointment.
Firmly, but gently, decline the request
Be clear and direct to avoid any chance of misinterpretation. For instance, saying, “I’m sorry, but I’m unable to write a recommendation letter for you at this time,” expresses your position clearly and formally.
Give a reason for declining the request
Briefly explain why you have to decline the request. For this step, only provide what information is necessary. It suffices to say, for instance, “I am unable to attend the meeting because I have another appointment scheduled for that time.”
Offer alternative resolutions
If at all possible, offer two or three of the potential solutions you came up with earlier. You could, for instance, decline to write a letter of recommendation by saying, “While I’m not at ease doing so at the moment, I’d be happy to review your resume or put you in touch with our human resources department.” Which would work best for you?”.
As a last resort, ask for help
Refer the person making the request to an immediate supervisor if politely declining the request, outlining your justifications, and offering alternatives doesn’t produce the desired outcome.
Examples of politely declining a request
Here are some situations where you might have to refuse a request:
Turning down a meeting
“I appreciate the need to schedule a last-minute meeting with a new client. I regret not being able to attend the meeting as I have a scheduled appointment at that time. I can, however, offer two alternatives. Before leaving for my appointment, I could watch the first half of the meeting remotely, or I could come in early the following day to go over the meeting’s highlights with you. Please let me know what works best. “.
Saying no to a project
“I understand the importance of beginning this project right away. Sorry, but I have to finish the project I’m working on before I can start this one. I want to complete this project by the end of the week so I can start the new project early the following week. As an alternative, I could set aside an hour to meet with the project team and go over my plan of attack. Im happy to do both. Feel free to call or email me with your preference. “*.
Avoiding an introduction you dont want to make
“Thank you for the email. You seem to want me to introduce you to my boss, don’t you? I’ve only recently arrived here, so I don’t feel comfortable making introductions. However, if you’d like, I can give you our human resources department’s contact information, and I’d be happy to review your resume. “.
Avoiding writing a recommendation letter
“Thanks for getting in touch with me, and congrats on applying for a new job,” I recognize that this is a happy time for you, and that the hiring process includes letters of recommendation. But I’m going to decline because I don’t believe I’m in the best position to comment on your qualifications for this job. I may have some ideas if you’d like to meet with me to discuss how I believe you can differentiate yourself as a candidate. Please give me a call at your convenience. “.
Declining a vendor request
“We appreciate you taking the time to prepare this offer for our product. I agree, your rates are very competitive. However, as of right now, we are content with the agreement we have with our current vendor, which is valid through the following year. If this changes in the near or distant future, I’ll think about getting in touch with you to handle our requirements. “.
Declining to make a monetary donation
“We appreciate you coming to our office and giving a presentation about your organization yesterday. Even though we all agree that your cause is admirable, after consulting with my supervisors and coworkers, we have decided not to donate this year because we already support a number of similar campaigns. I will reach out if this changes. Once again, thanks for your time, and do think about returning later. “.
Rejecting a customer request for a discount
It’s great to hear from you, and I understand that you were hoping for a discount on your next purchase given your long-standing brand loyalty. We are, sadly, unable to provide discounts on individual orders. However, we do provide free delivery on automated orders and a rewards program for our customers. Would you be interested in either of these?”.
Refusing a customer feature request
“Thanks for taking the time to complete our survey. We love hearing back from our customers. While we are happy to consider your suggestions, we are generally content with our current business model. Thoughts on any additional products you would like to see in our store would be greatly appreciated, though. Again, we appreciate your time and would appreciate any suggestions you may have. “.
Declining a promotion to a position with greater responsibility
“I feel honored to have been offered this new position; I think it recognizes my abilities, development, and commitment to this company over the past few years. You may be aware that I am also occupied with my university coursework; I intend to finish it this spring. I reluctantly decline this position due to the time needed to finish my studies. When you have similar openings in the spring when I have fewer commitments, I hope you will think about me. “.
Turning down a purchase request
“I recognize that making this purchase might be in our department’s best long-term interests. But at the moment, we don’t have enough money to make the purchase. We could either put off the purchase until the end of the following fiscal quarter or consider removing some items from our budget over the following two months in order to make it sooner. Which do you prefer?”.
