Essay about How to Make an Effective Business Apology

How to Make an Effective Business Apology Whether it’s a missed deadline, a flawed product, or a billing error, somebody got injured, and even if the offending party is savvy enough to acknowledge the gaffe, there’s far more to an effective apology than just, â€Å"Whoops! Sorry.† When your turn to beg pardon arrives, here are the five steps to follow in completing an effective apology: FIRST, OWN THE PROBLEM This is your bad. Even if it was a representative or underling who blundered, accept responsibility personally. Your customer, client, or creditor trusted you, if not one-on-one then by extension. They took your company’s word that you were going to do what you said you were going to do. They put their faith in you,†¦show more content†¦Step up to the plate. Say: â€Å"This is my responsibility. I will handle this personally.† Anything much different from those very words is a cop out. And of course you must follow through on your commitment to personal attention, so be prepared to present your business card and offer your direct phone number to back up your pledge. SECOND, STATE SPECIFICALLY THAT YOU ARE â€Å"SORRY† AND THAT YOU â€Å"APOLOGIZE† Strangely, these two crucial words often get lost or conveniently forgotten during the apology process, as if by uttering them we reveal weakness. But you’ve already acknowledged fault and personally owned up to the problem, so set your ego aside and don’t choke on the words. Your ability to be direct and specific will convince the injured party you understand the gravity of the situation and can empathize with them in the predicament you’ve perpetrated. Take a deep breath, make eye contact, and state clearly: â€Å"I’m sorry. I apologize.† That’s not weakness; that’s courage. THIRD, EXPLAIN IN DETAIL HOW AND WHY THE MISTAKE WILL NEVER HAPPEN AGAIN You can’t stop after the first two steps. Those are just words — good words, but words nonetheless. Now you must do something. You must ferret out the cause of the mistake and change the policies, procedures, processes and/or people that either caused it or enabled it, and you must then present your analysis and the changes itShow MoreRelatedHow The Five Stages Help Assist Lululemon Deal With Its Strategic Stakeholders For Avoid Future Public Relations Issues1402 Words   |  6 Pagesfollowing short paper will be an analysis on how I might use the five stages to help Lululemon deal with its strategic stakeholders to avoid future public relations issues using the five I’s strategic analysis stages. Lululemon is a yoga and fitness retailer that faced a turbulent year in 2013. They had a lot of product issues and the CEO was placing the blame on customers rather than on the company. 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