Hard To Say- I'm Sorry

Mistakes can happen - unintentionally too. But what one choses to do about it makes or breaks your brand.

There are generally speaking 3 options -

One, you accept and get into course correction.

Two, you just wait for it to blow over and do nothing about it.

Three, lip service with no intention of admitting or rectifying the problem.

The thing about apologies is they need to be timely and with the correct intentions. A sincere apology implies that you have realised your mistake, willing to admit it and make amends for it.

As it is with people, so it is with the brands. The apology is the acknowledgement that you made a mistake and that is part justice.

Organisational or corporate apologies when done promptly and with absolute honesty can turn around a bad situation into better trust and brand value. It may also translate to easier, better and cheaper recovery (due to reduced litigation costs).

Your brand may take a hit initially, stocks may tumble down, but that could be a temporary setback, before returning to stable grounds. It is amply clear from the examples of the apologies issued by PwC in the Oscar fiasco (2017) or KFC UK when they had to shut down almost 750 of their stores due to chicken shortage (2018).

On the contrary, an insincere attempt at an apology will further amplify the issue. This may mean an apology weak in delivery as well as content; or use of tactics to mislead or divert- either of it will just add fuel to the fire. You may be the best, but if you have made a mistake - own it. Being arrogant may only cause irreparable damage to your brand and its reputation. Dove " missed the mark" in the tone of its apology over a racially insensitive advert in 2017. Or Ellen DeGeneres trying to elicit laughter while apologising was in poor taste.

I feel saying sorry is a humbling experience. Not only will it go a long way in shaping your brand but also impact your ZMOT.