Question

Topic: Advertising/PR

I Messed Up With A Customer

Posted by Anonymous on 3/16/2009 at 4:29 PM ET 125 Points
Hey, guys... I messed up with a customer, and I don't know the best way to go about this. [or rather I do, I just don't know HOW I should go about it]

I'm beating myself up about this really bad, even though I know that in business, you're going to make mistakes. It happens.

But, anyway, here is what happened with me. I had an advertiser for my publication, and for some reason, we missed putting her business in for this month's publication.

We found out too late to add inserts or anything like that. So, I know that I need to call her and just be upfront about it, and maybe give her an additional few months, but what's the best way to go about that?
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RESPONSES

  • Posted by michael on 3/16/2009 at 4:36 PM Member
    Fess up and make 2 offers

    1) Cash back

    2) TWO months for the same price

    She'll take the second.

    Michael
  • Posted on 3/16/2009 at 4:44 PM Member
    Michael has it, just do it right away, and be very humble and apologetic.
  • Posted by CarolBlaha on 3/16/2009 at 9:29 PM Accepted
    Don't beat yourself up. Call her upfront, or visit in person. Be candid, apologize, accept responsibility, remorseful and offer remedy (the 3 R's of an apology). I think you're being overly generous giving 3 extra months. Every monkey falls out of a tree-- its how you get back in that counts. If this is the worst mistake you make in business-- you have no worries. Don't blow it out of proportion.
  • Posted on 3/18/2009 at 2:16 PM Author
    Hey, guys, thanks so much for the response. I made the call yesterday, and I did offer her 2 additional months (initially, the run was 3 months, but it will now be 5, sorry Carol).

    She actually didn't make too much of a fuss, well no fuss at all really. I believe I caught her during a busy moment (I called, as I was not able to go see her face to face) and she took it in stride and just told me no problem.

    I was initally planning to go all-out with an apology card, but from her response that she gave me, I don't think that's necessary, and she may think I'm going a tad bit overboard?

    But, thanks all, once again. I took notes from what everyone of you said, and put it into my playbook, so next time I make a mistake, I'll be able to handle it quickly and efficiently.
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