In my opinion, this is the most wishy-washy way to say no in customer service:

“I’m sorry, but unfortunately, I can’t do that for you. It’s against company policy.”

Let’s break this down. It contains no fewer than five issues:

1. “I’m sorry”

If you’ve done nothing wrong, why are you apologising? Over-apologising can make you sound guilty or uncertain — neither of which helps you deliver a confident response.

2. “Unfortunately”

Many people believe it softens the blow. In reality, it just adds another layer of negativity. I'm sorry, but unfortunately, I can't do that for you. It's against company policy.

“I’m sorry, but unfortunately we can’t…” is three negative hits in half a sentence. Not ideal.

Also — when you say “unfortunately we can’t,” you subtly imply that you would help if it were up to you. It shifts responsibility and leaves the customer feeling like they’re being let down by “the system” — not by a clear decision.

3. “I can’t”

Using “I” makes it personal — and weakens your position.

When customers hear “I can’t”, their instinct is to escalate.

“We can’t” signals that your answer is aligned with a broader team or policy — not just your individual judgement.

4. “We can’t”

Even “we can’t” isn’t strong enough if what you’re communicating is a clear boundary.

If something is not allowed under your policies or procedures, then you should say:

“We don’t do that.”

“We won’t be able to help with that.”

Be clear. Be confident. Avoid hesitation.

5. “It’s against company policy”

This is the classic Jobsworth phrase. It’s vague, dull, and dismissive.

If you know your company’s policies and procedures — and especially if that information is available to the customer (e.g., on your website or in a manual) — refer to that directly.

“We don’t do that because, as it says in our homeowner manual, warranty cover does not extend to…”

So how should it sound?

Something like this:

Mr Jones, we won’t do that for you because, as our manual states, our warranty cover does not apply to decorative finishes. You’ll need to resolve this independently.

Ditch the wishy-washy stuff. Your customer communication will be stronger, clearer, and more credible.

Would you like to learn more?

Our Dealing With Difficult Customer Situations course focuses on helping you be the best you can be in situations where every word matters.