Oops, Something Went Wrong… Now What?

We’re human beings living in a highly unpredictable world. There’s no avoiding mistakes, mix-ups, and unpleasant surprises every now and then. No matter how hard we try, how well we plan, and how experienced and professional we are, sometimes stuff happens.?

Maybe you forgot to bring the one-sheets you printed to the expo. You spilled coffee on your white shirt right before a meeting. You overslept and missed your flight to an event. You got sick and couldn’t make it to an important conference.?

It happens to the best of us… But what now? There’s no going back and changing the past. It’s all about how you move forward. If you’re able to handle your mistakes with grace and professionalism, you may come out on the other side, impressing your client even more.?

Here’s a step-by-step guide to how to move forward from an unfortunate incident.?

1. Admit your mistake… even if it’s not your fault

If you’ve got an angry client on your hands, chances are good that the first thing they need before they can move forward is an honest apology. Even if it’s not your fault, the best way to cool things down is to be honest and straightforward about what happened and apologize for the issue. Don’t try to hide it or downplay it. Lay everything out there on the table so you can deal with it quickly and completely.

Remember, communication is absolutely key, and body language can go a long way to accurately communicate the message you’re trying to express. So do your best to speak to your client face to face or on Zoom - either way, you have to literally face the music.?

You’ll also want to clear your schedule as much as you can so that you are available when your client reaches out and needs you. This will help make it clear that you are prioritizing them, especially during a challenging moment.

2. Keep your cool

Situations like these can be emotional and difficult, and it’s highly possible that one, if not both, sides will get tense, upset, or worked up. If you can present a calm exterior, your grounded energy will make a huge difference in allowing all involved parties to proceed with a level head.??

So do what you need to do to find your cool, whether that’s drinking a glass of water or stepping outside alone to breathe. By the time you speak to your client, do your best to do so from a rational, calm place. Half the battle is managing emotions and presenting a confident front, convincing them it will be okay and you can solve it.

3. Offer a solution

No matter the problem, there is something you can do to help resolve it, even if it’s not what your first plan was. So get creative and brainstorm some possible solutions. If you can, offer multiple options your client can choose from to give them a sense of control in a difficult situation.

For example, you might:

• Send extra materials to make up for your not being present at the event or meeting
• Reschedule for the near future
• Send a courier with the forgotten materials

4. Act fast

Once your client chooses a solution they’re happy with, act fast to deliver. This is the time to use all your resources to provide superior service. Call in some favors if you have to, or put a little extra time or money into going above and beyond. The important thing is to treat this like your second chance to prove yourself to your client, showing them that even if things started out rocky, they are still in capable hands.?

5. Follow up

When all is said and done, you’ve implemented your solution, and (hopefully) things have gone okay despite the initial hiccup; it’s important to follow up with your client. After things have cooled down and some time has passed, reach out again to discuss what happened.?

This is a good opportunity to apologize once more, reassure your client that this was a one-time issue, and give them anything they need to hear to regain confidence in you. It’s not a bad idea to send a nice card or even a small gift to leave them with a good impression.?

If you can have a really great follow-up conversation, your client is likely to remember this situation positively and even be impressed by how you handled the challenge.?

6. Accept it and move on

Hopefully, if you follow these steps, everything will turn out okay, and you can move forward with your client on good terms. But whatever the outcome, it’s important that you feel okay with everything so that you can move on and move forward yourself.?

Even if you still feel a bit down about things, remind yourself that stuff happens, nobody is perfect, and there are many things in life out of your control. As long as you responded appropriately and made your best effort, you can be proud of yourself for handling the situation deftly. By accepting it for what it was, you can put it to rest and move forward. Tomorrow is a new day, and you’re only stronger for having gone through this.?

Want help turning your next event into a success? Contact?BizRock?to learn how to build leads, generate buzz, and grow sales.