In search of the perfect apology

Elton John’s already overflowing coffers must have almost collapsed under their collective weight this week. The phrase “sorry seems to the hardest word” was particularly apt, with Defence Secretary Des Browne saving his neck by apologising for the Iran hostages debacle but avoiding the word ‘sorry’, but it was well and truly run into the ground by the papers and Elton’s royalty payments must be tumbling in. (The cheque is in the post Mr Dwight).

Nevertheless – and finally we get to the point of this blog – ‘sorry’ can be something of a tricky word in the business world too.

It certainly didn’t stick in the throat of Lloyds TSB last week when it apologised for keeping customers hanging on the phone. But not all companies are as forthcoming. Elton really could be on to something after all.

The problem is that apologies are a real tightrope. If a firm doesn’t make a timely apology, it can lose itself many customers. Similarly, even if it should say sorry, if it is badly timed or poorly crafted, it can be equally as damaging.

Nevertheless, if it is carefully crafted it can defuse customer anger and distance the brand from the negative connotation. In fact, in some cases, particularly if it is in reaction to customer complaints, a well worded apology can not only retain customers, but even present an opportunity to strengthen customer loyalty.

So what’s the secret to a good apology?

If you’ve found yourself in a tight spot you could do worse than read the April 2006 issue of the Harvard Business Review, which featured a terrific piece by Barbara Kellerman on just this topic. Her article, titled "When should a leader apologise – and when not?" , cites the case of James Burke, the CEO of Johnson & Johnson, who had to deal with the aftermath of cyanide-laced Tylenol capsules and yet delivered a text book business apology from which both the company and the brand emerged unscathed.

She also lists some questions that business leaders should ask themselves when contemplating issuing an apology, including:

• What function would a public apology serve?
• Are you or your organsation right? And if so, could extending an apology serve your interests anyway?
• Are you or your organisation wrong? And if so, could extending an apology get you out of a tough situation?
• Who would benefit from an apology?
• And what happens if you don't apologise? Is time on your side-will the problem likely fade?

It would seem there is something of an art to the public apology. Others appear to have been honing their skills behind closed doors. JetBlue's CEO David Neeleman - whose apology earned the praise of Lior Arussy in his latest article - could well be a candidate.

In the meantime, if you need to further brush up on your apologies then I would recommend visiting http://www.perfectapology.com/business-apology.html

But if this week’s blog fails to help you out of your tight spot, here’s a pre-emptive apology: sorry!

Neil Davey, editor

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