So many times businesses struggle with problems that happen within their organization. Yet the simplest solution too many of these problems are two little words “I’m sorry”.
If you have something go wrong with a client one of the best things to do is to give them a chance to talk and tell their side and just tell them you hear them and you are sorry. Many times all a customer wants to know is that you are listening to them and respect their issue. Its one reason social media can be so effective. It gives people a chance to come to you immediately when they are upset and you can diffuse the situation.
When it comes to employees, the same holds true, give them the outlet to reach out to management. If it’s a situation where you did something wrong, tell them you are sorry and then try to use that to build a new relationship with the employee.
I remember speaking to a doctor who sat on a medical board dealing with malpractice suits. He said that more than 50% of them would be resolved if the doctor was just willing to tell the patient they did something wrong and apologize.
But in this culture of lawsuits, saying I’m sorry has somehow become a show of weakness and makes people feel vulnerable to additional repercussions. So instead of admitting something is wrong they try to alibi and make excuses so they don’t have to take responsibility.
Every situation is different but telling people you are sorry needs to be one of the first things you consider instead of the last resort.
Do you agree; if you felt wronged by a business, would a sorry have made you feel better?
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Sandy Miller has been helping clients with marketing and advertising projects for over 15 years. In that time I have seen lots of changes but nothing as exciting as the introduction of social media. |
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