Blog Post Tired of ‘sorry for the inconvenience’? Discover some powerful alternatives to this overused apology. Learn how to empathize with customers and offer genuine solutions.
Syed Hassan ZamanA business has to deal with many challenges every day. No matter how much you try, things can and will go wrong. It could be anything from delayed deliveries to technical issues or miscommunication with clients. In this situation, the last thing a customer would want to hear is 'Sorry for the inconvenience.'
While you may find it difficult to resist this 'comfort apology,' it doesn't sound more than a generic nd hollow statement to the customers. This sentence lacks a genuine connection and misses the opportunity to build trust with customers. On the other hand, a well-thought and empathetic apology can turn a heated situation into a positive experience and foster loyal relationships with customers.
Let's explore the art of apologizing and how you can handle difficult situations by sounding more natural, original, and sincere to your customers.
A client-business relationship is never a one-time event but rather a journey that goes through different stages. From greeting emails to post-purchasing feedback, brands use different communication methods to engage with customers. However, there are times when things mess up or don't go as planned. In these situations, 'sorry for the inconvenience' is usually the first and the most common response offered by businesses.
While you may be trying to convey an apology, this phrase doesn't resonate with customers anymore. The overuse of this sentence in customer service has made it a cliche statement. It doesn't acknowledge the specific issue faced by the customers and offers no concrete solution to their problems.
Customers reach out to your support staff because they are angry or frustrated with poor services. All a disappointed customer wants is to be heard and understood. They are more concerned with the loss, resentment, and impression that comes with unsatisfactory customer service than your overall performance.
Using sorry for the inconvenience can act as a trigger and add more fuel to their anger. It gives the impression that you are trying to get away with the situation instead of offering a listening ear. Customers often perceive this as a significant red flag, and it eventually impacts your business.
Here are four primary reasons why you should stop saying sorry for the inconvenience altogether.
When it comes to customer service, authenticity is all that matters. Customers today can easily sense if you are putting genuine effort into addressing their concerns or reading the same script to everyone. ‘Sorry for any inconvenience’ may sound polite, but it lacks the genuine concern or sentiment that connects you with your customers. Take time to craft a response that shows sincerity in your customer support.
One size doesn't fit all. Similarly, one apology can't satisfy hundreds of your customers with different problems. Excessively using the same template to resolve every issue is a lazy and impersonal approach. It shows that you do not understand the pain points or specific problems that are bothering your customers.
Dealing with all complaints in the same way hinders the progress of your customer support team. It affects their ability to form strong connections with new clients and maintain the existing ones.
Proactive customer support is essential for the success of any business. Customers want you to own the mistakes and provide a quick resolution. Sorry for the inconvenience could be used as an initial response, but it doesn't clarify how you are going to deal with the situation.
These responses can create doubt in customers' minds if you are actually serious about offering a solution or just giving them false hopes. Even if there is no quick solution, communicate with your customers that you are aware of their issues and will get back to them.
A customer can complain for different reasons. It could be anything from a broken item to a late delivery or issues with bills or pricing. These issues may be a minor inconvenience for you. But those who are paying for your services can get into serious trouble such as:
"A couple books a room at a resort for a weekend getaway. Upon their arrival at the destination, they find out that their reservation has been canceled due to an error in the system. The room requested has been allotted to another customer."
Statements such as sorry for the inconvenience can escalate the situation negatively and spoil your company's reputation. Acknowledge the customer's frustration through a proper apology and provide a suitable alternative ASAP.
Remember, a well-thought apology is a great chance to build positive connections with your customers. It can change their negative experience into a positive one and encourage them to continue business with you.
Customer service can be a hard nut to crack. However, it is not that difficult to satisfy your customers and provide them with a positive experience. A good start could be Leaving 'sorry for the inconvenience' and switching to better alternatives.
Here is a list of 20 more powerful and impactful sentences you can use at different stages of communication to express your regret. They will help you to make amends effectively without having to rely on cliches. Let's start!
The first stage of any complaint resolution is to acknowledge your mistake. Show your customers that you are willing to listen to their problems and appreciate their honest feedback. Using the above phrase instead of sorry for the inconvenience reflects the attentiveness and positive attitude of your customer support. E.g.
An empathetic attitude and a listening ear could immediately bring relief to angry customers. The above line is a good starting point to acknowledge a customer's frustration. No business could ever be error-free, and there will always be mishaps. However, it is important to take ownership of the situation and offer appropriate solutions to make things right.
Try to combine it with some specific actions to appease your customers and build rapport with them, such as:
Sometimes, you need to walk in your customer's shoes to fully understand their problem. Seeing things from others' perspectives helps you understand their anxiety and find common ground to discuss solutions. Using empathetic statements immediately creates a connection between the customer and the service representative.
Customers are more likely to share details about their issue when they feel that it is worth listening to and would have impacted the other person in the same way. Try to replace sorry for the inconvenience with a positive affirmation in your conversation:
Customer: "The internet has not been working for the past 6 hours, and I have a deadline to meet."
Customer service agent: "I completely understand your frustration. This would upset me, too."
It's normal for customers to not provide proper details about their complaints and forget things in the heat of the moment. However, a customer service agent should try to get a complete picture of the situation. It is important to identify the root cause of the issue to understand who is at fault.
This usually happens when there is a need for clarification about how the product or service should be utilized. For example, the customer complaining about the broken dining table did not read the assembly instructions carefully and misplaced some bolts during the process. Accurate information about a complaint helps you make a clear assessment and offer the best solution.
No matter how much you try, sometimes things will go South. There are incidents when a business completely fails to provide what it promises. This could result in severe damage to the customer's reputation and finances. Let's say:
"Stephen hired a famous catering service for an annual corporate dinner. The company failed to provide the required food and the promised taste. Due to some logistical issue, the delivery was not made on time."
In this situation, it is fair for Stephen to show sheer disappointment with negative feedback. The best possible solution is to take complete accountability for your actions and offer a sincere apology in a similar way. However, it is equally important to provide them with suitable compensation.
After acknowledgment and accountability comes the solution. Your customer support should reflect the willingness to lead from the front and work with a customer-centric approach. Once you are done with listening to the complaint and getting all the details, it's time to assure the customer that you are willing and capable of providing them the best possible solution.
Positive statements like "let me make things better for you" demonstrate that you fully understand customers' complaints and have a solid backup plan to put things back on track. Try replacing sorry for the inconvenience with something that shows your expertise in providing immediate resolutions.
A huge part of customer service revolves around negotiating with customers. Using this thoughtful phrase and offering suitable choices can empower customers, build trust, and find a mutually satisfactory solution. It shifts the decision-making power to customers, respecting their preferences and needs.
Encourage customers to ask questions and express their concerns. Instead of saying sorry for the inconvenience, guide them towards the best possible solution for their complaint. Remember, the goal is to collaborate with customers to find the best option, not to present them with a fixed set of choices.
At times, Customers can make demands that are impossible to fulfill. This can happen due to a lack of understanding or miscommunication. The best way to handle this is to approach the situation with empathy, clear communication, and boundaries. Acknowledge the concerns of customers even if you disagree with them.
Politely convey that you might not be able to deliver what they want. However, you still offer an appropriate alternative and de-escalate the situation with effective communication, such as :
Unexpected situations and challenges are a regular part of every business. This could be a more common occurrence if you work in IT or telecommunication. In this situation, sorry for the inconvenience will only agitate a customer who needs access to their bank's app.
Reassure the customer that their complaint is being taken seriously. While you may be unable to fix it on the spot, setting a timeframe conveys a sense of urgency and commitment to resolve the issue. E.g.
"I will do everything to get things fixed by the end of the day. Sorry for any inconvenience this may cause."
There are specific problems or technical glitches that take time to settle down. You might also need to gather more information before getting back to the customer. In such a scenario, only give customers a fixed timeline if you are sure about it. Establish a clear communication channel by telling them the issue may take some time to resolve, but you are working on it.
Create a sense of proactivity and urgency through your communication, but avoid giving false timelines:
"Sorry for the inconvenience you have to go through. I will contact you as soon as I have an update."
The best way to say sorry is to own your mistakes and take responsibility for the damage. Admit that you have messed up, but you will make every possible effort to make up for the customer's loss. The above phrase shows that you are fully aware of the customer's inconvenience and take their concerns seriously.
Try to explain the root cause of the issue systematically. Ensure the customers that your company is taking all the necessary measures to prevent this from happening again:
"Due to system upgrades, our online delivery service will remain suspended for the next 6 hours. Sorry for this short notice; we are continuously working to fix it."
You can indeed propose a solution to every customer complaint. What truly matters is your attitude and commitment during the process. Good customer service goes beyond quick fixes and establishes a sense of partnership with the customers. While you are working on a solution, avoid leaving the customer hanging for a reply.
Develop a complaint resolution system that keeps the customer in the loop during the whole process. Outline a plan of action and send regular updates (SMS, emails) to the customer. So next time, you say_, "Sorry for the inconvenience; we will stay with you until it is completely fixed."_ The customer will know you are not over-promising but actually mean it.
Use this phrase when a customer has faced some major inconvenience that needs an apology or some sort of compensation. This could be anything from a service disruption, a faulty product, or poor customer experience. Communicate with the customer that you are genuinely sorry for their loss and want to offer compensation as a goodwill gesture:
If you want to regain your customers' trust, replace sorry for the inconvenience with compensation. You will be surprised by the results.
Customer feedback is as essential in customer service as complaint resolution. Always appreciate your customers for reaching out and sharing their honest opinions, especially:
This shows that complaint management is not a negative or hostile process at all. You are open to receiving criticism and using it to improve your services. However, it would be better to personalize it so it doesn't sound as generic as ‘ sorry for the inconvenience’. E.g.
"Dear Bill, thanks for sharing your honest feedback on late delivery. We understand how frustrating that was for you, and we will make sure it doesn’t happen in the future"
Customer service doesn't stop at resolving the complaint. In fact, it is equally important to check if your customers are happy with the solution or not. Once the issue is settled, ask customers for feedback. Clarify if they have any questions or ambiguity regarding your proposed resolution.
Post-resolution feedback strengthens your relations with customers. They know they are valued and understood and would love to come back for another purchase. Remember, the ultimate goal of all customer service is to ensure that customers are heard, understood, and fully satisfied.
Always remain mindful of formal and informal tone in customer service. This is extremely important if working in an industry that deals with higher management, executives, and professionals. Formal language is clear and less ambiguous; it ensures that customers understand your message carefully. It also helps to maintain professional boundaries and create a sense of trust in communication.
Instead of saying sorry for the inconvenience, try to come up with something that conveys respect for the customer and shows professionalism in your approach:
"We apologize for any inconvenience caused and are committed to making things right. Please allow us the opportunity to rectify the situation."
Depending upon the nature of your business, you can also opt for a less formal and friendly approach to communication. Using informal language creates an easy and relaxed atmosphere, making the customer feel comfortable. Sorry for the inconvenience is bland; however, it is also important to remain respectful in informal conversation and avoid going overboard with it.
Here are a few suitable situations where you can use the above or similar phrases:
Another way to say sorry for the inconvenience is with a pinch of humor. This could be used in certain situations where sorry for the inconvenience doesn't fit in well. It can set a lighthearted and playful tone of conversation if your target audience appreciates the humor. Here are some potential scenarios where you can use similar phrases:
