You hope your business never makes a mistake. You hope your team always does the best job they can and even though they are human you hope they never make a mistake. When a mistake is made your pride and ego may prevent you from giving a legit apology. You can say “I’m sorry” because your business made a mistake or you can say “I’m sorry” and take a moment to empathize with your customer. Most people simply want their concerns to be acknowledged – not ignored.
The electronics manufacturer Sonos had to walk back a tweet they posted where they announced they would no longer provide software updates for their legacy products. An uproar ensued from customers that resulted in Sonos issuing an apology and reassuring customers that their legacy products will continue to receive the attention they require. Some customers were upset that the investment they made in Sonos products was waste of money and accused Sonos of planning to make products obsolete sooner than they should be in an effort to get them to purchase other products. Sonos was able to reassure customers by outlining what they were doing to address the fundamental concerns raised.
Is there something you or your business has done recently that has negatively impacted your brand or your reputation? It takes a long time to build a reputation and only a few moments or a poor decisions to lose it. You have invested a lot time and money in building your business and whether you acknowledge it or not, your business has some measure of goodwill with customers. If you value your customers and the goodwill that you have built up with them, protect your brand by going above and beyond when mistakes are made.
