Is there ever a time to apologize to a customer? According to a study at the Carey School of Business at Arizona State University, 37% of customers were satisfied with service recovery when they were offered something of monetary value—for example, a refund or credit. But when the business added an apology on top of the compensation, satisfaction doubled to 74%.

Now let me point out that apologies are not always about taking the blame, but rather, they are about showing empathy. Simply showing that you understand how the customer feels, or being genuinely sorry for the trouble they have experienced regardless of who caused it, goes a long way. The word “Sorry” has power, but only when it is backed up by sincerity.

In his book, “The One Minute Apology,” Ken Blanchard basically says three things: 

1) Admit your mistake and apologize. 

2) Take full responsibility for any harm you did.

3) Make amends by committing to change your behavior.

Basically Ken is telling us to begin with surrender and honesty which is simply admitting that you and your company made a mistake. Sometimes this solves the problem. People typically don’t see apologies as a weakness but rather as a strength. They will actually admire your honesty and vulnerability. And remember that the longer you wait to apologize for the problem the quicker a customer will perceive it as a wickedness. Apologizing quickly makes them see it more as a mistake.

The other key issue in an apology is maintaining your integrity. Always attempt to make things right. Align what your company says it does with what it actually does. Your actions need to back up your promises.