Sorry is the Hardest Word?
Is it pride, ego or just plain cluelessness?
Having managed social and crisis communications for companies that I have worked for previously and now advising clients on their own communications approach, it seems that the word “sorry” is sometimes not found in the companies’ dictionary.
It is in fact often harder to get a company to apologize sincerely to their customers than to win the local lottery.
If statements like “we apologise if this might have caused you any inconvenience” or “we are sorry if you have been inconvenienced” sound familiar, you might have been a victim of gaslighting if you are a customer reading this.
If you are the company responsible for this statement, you have just absolutely gaslighted your customers and possibly caused even more frustration.
The main reason these statements have an issue is the way they are being phrased. By using the words “if”, “might” and “perhaps” suggest that companies are providing an outlet for themselves to excuse their own behavior and misdemeanor.
Take for example a recent case I heard from a friend about an airline misplacing her luggage. She had to buy clothes and other necessities not provided by the hotel the moment she landed as she had everything in her luggage. The airline eventually managed to deliver the luggage to her hotel the next day with the following apology note “we apologise if we might have caused you any inconvenience having misplaced your luggage”.
They might as well say “Though we have misplaced your luggage, whether we think it’s our fault or not depends on whether you have been inconvenienced. We think you might be or you might not, who knows (or cares?)”.
They should have placed themselves in the shoes of their customer and think empathetically before they craft the note and decided on the appropriate actions.
If it’s them, would they not feel frustrated, stressed and absolutely inconvenienced being in another country without their own belongings? Would they be absolutely delighted to have an airline that they entrust to transport them and their belongings from one place to another without fuss - lose their belongings? It’s not rocket science that customers expect the bare minimum of what they paid for when they decide to fly with said airline.
The customer is not even expecting the airline to go the extra mile to send a goodwill token of apology and appreciation for her support when in fact, a self-respecting world class airline should do that.
In contrast, I recall an incident when a driver drove off with my bag accidentally when I was in Japan and was uncontactable because his mobile phone was out of power. He turned up later in the evening and apologized profusely without any “ifs” or ”mays” and the next morning, got me a small token of apology though I was not expecting it at all.
This goes to show that everyone can make that impact and difference in customer centricity; it’s a matter of your core values and if you genuinely care enough to do so or not.
From a communications perspective, it is also better to be more transparent and forthcoming in owning the issue, acknowledging mistakes, and apologizing for them sincerely. No organization is too big or important for an apology when it’s warranted; just as no organization is too big to fall.
So, the next time when a mistake is made, how ready are you to own it sincerely?
About the Author
Mad About Marketing Consulting
Ally and Advisor for CMOs, Heads of Marketing and C-Suites to work with you and your marketing teams to maximize your marketing potential with strategic transformation for better business and marketing outcomes.
