When It's a Bad Idea to Apologize to Customers.

Bibliographic Details
Title:	When It's a Bad Idea to Apologize to Customers.
Source:	Harvard Business Review. Sep/Oct2026, Vol. 104 Issue 5, p23-23. 2/3p. 1 Cartoon or Caricature.
Subject Terms:	Customer relations, Local delivery services, Consumer attitudes, Customer satisfaction, *Willingness to pay, Apologizing, Trust
Abstract:	Research on a U.S. food-delivery service found that apologizing for minor problems customers had not noticed could negatively affect their perceptions of the company. Customers who received apologies for small delivery delays showed lower satisfaction and trust and were less likely to order again or spend as much over the following 90 days. The findings suggest that companies should apologize when service failures are obvious, but for minor issues customers may not recognize, providing a neutral update—or taking no action—may be more effective.
Database:	Business Source Index

Be the first to leave a comment!