Yes, I use the word ‘can’ – not ‘should’.
Should brands apologize online? Of course – it moves a needle in people’s (customers’) mind. It shows that brands can act human, repent for something wrong (in product quality or service) and are willing to accept the fact.
An apology shows a brand’s willingness to go the extra mile in making customers happy.
In case of personal communication online, it works wonders. An old post by Chris Brogan illustrates it quite well.
But, here’s the rider.
Consider you are a PC brand. There are people complaining about your product in a forum. You notice them and find that there was indeed something wrong with the product that was sold. A decent way to appease the customer is to apologize to the customer and offer a way to replace/repair the product.
Easy? Hardly, when the brand had a legal team in place.
For the legal team, the word ‘apology’ and ‘sorry’ rings a bell. It tells them that these words could be used against the brand (usually a massive MNC) for a potential lawsuit citing defective product sale. This apology is permanently available online, as against the verbal apology offered by someone at a repair center!
So, if the words ‘apology’ and ‘sorry’ are out of your arsenal, thanks to your legal team, how do you appease angry customers? The way you frame your responses makes all the difference and without one of those 2 words, your act of offering something of a respite for an irate customer is bound to look tacky and improper.
What is your take?