We’ve all be in a customer service interaction where the representative began the conversation with a statement like this: “I’m sorry, the deadline for the application has passed.” Or maybe the rep said: “Unfortunately, there will be a wait for a walk in appointment. Our staff is working with people who made reservations.” Not to discredit the representative in this interaction, he wants to be helpful and avoid an escalated situation. While it seems natural to begin interactions by apologizing for an inconvenience, is this representative really sorry? Or better yet, should he be?
I have been the representative in this situation, and I will tell you that it’s not fun. If you actually want to provide a good customer experience, you want to be helpful. However, in these scenarios, the representative has nothing to apologize for. Deadlines are made so decisions can be provided to applicants in a timely manner. Appointment queues are designed to regulate traffic and avoid waits. When a system is working as it’s intended, a customer service rep has nothing to apologize for. The representative did not do anything wrong.
I’ve mentioned this belief to colleagues of mine, and one coworker’s response made me think. She said “I know I’ve done nothing wrong, but I want the customer to know I’m on her side.” I admit, this makes sense to me, but do you really need an apology to align with the customer?
In these situations, the best way to align with a customer and establish a relationship is to acknowledge the situation and propose a solution. Better yet, give the customer options. Instead of saying: “I’m sorry, the deadline for applications has passed” you can say something like: “The deadline has passed. The next opportunity to apply will be available on our website. I’m happy to let you know how to access this information.” Or, instead of saying: “Unfortunately, there will be a wait for a walk in appointment,” you could say something like: “There is currently a wait for a walk in appointment. If you are able to wait 45 minutes I can put you in the queue. If you prefer, we can schedule an appointment for tomorrow.”
With these responses, the representative is allowing the customer to make the decision. He is providing solutions while acknowledging the situation that needs to be resolved, rather than merely apologizing for the inconvenience.
This is not to say I never apologize, I apologize daily. When I apologize it’s due to an error I made or an inconvenience I generated. I want to acknowledge my mistake and take ownership for it. In instances out of my control, I’d rather provide a solution. Ultimately, the customer is looking for a solution, not an apology. In doing this I am providing a more meaningful interaction and starting a conversation with the customer so we can find a solution.
