“I’m Sorry” Isn’t Enough
Summary
- Apologizing is important but it needs to follow empathy and understanding. First, listen to the person and how they feel.
- Once you've heard someone out, they do want an apology. A specific apology shows you understand the issue.
- It's important to say sorry for specific things, like wasting someone's time or not meeting expectations, especially when they paid a lot and trusted you.
- Small businesses have a big chance to fix things with customers because they can build strong relationships.
- Apologizing does not fix everything, but it helps when you do it before trying to solve the problem.
- Remember, people generally appreciate hearing an apology.
Video
How To Take Action
I would suggest starting with really listening to people when they have a problem. Take the time to understand how they feel. This helps strengthen relationships, especially for small businesses and personal growth.
A good way of doing this is by practicing active listening. Make sure you pay attention to what they say without interrupting. This shows that you care about their feelings and concerns.
Once you've heard them out, apologize specifically for what went wrong. Instead of a general "I'm sorry," say things like, "I'm sorry for wasting your time" or "I'm sorry for not meeting your expectations." This shows you've understood what upset them and it feels more genuine.
For a small business, this approach is powerful. You have the opportunity to connect with customers personally, unlike big companies. Use this chance to patch things up and build loyalty.
Remember, saying sorry doesn’t solve everything, but it’s a start. Do it before jumping into problem-solving mode. It shows respect and readiness to make things right.
Finally, keep in mind that people appreciate hearing a heartfelt apology. It doesn't change the past, but it lays a foundation for better future interactions. Use these steps to improve how you relate to others and build trust in your relationships.
Full Transcript
apologizing on its own before you hear them out before you empathize and without taking action is irrelevant it does not matter but people do want to hear an apology once you've heard them out you've empathized with them about how horrible the experience was they do want to hear you say I'm sorry and apologize specifically for what you did I'm so sorry for taking up your time and inconveniencing you when you're a busy person you have your own life to go on I'm so sorry that you're paying top dollar for this amazing experience and we were not able to uphold our promise and the key here is that especially in a smaller business where you have more of a relationship with the customer you've got less custers you're not some Fortune 500 you have a huge opportunity here to work with the customer on the resolution does it make it right no but saying you're sorry before you go into a solving mode and before you propose a resolution is important because traditionally people just like to hear it
