Here is the flabbergasting event that came to the attention of the real "General Manager" at the Flatwater Grill in Chicago. One of his staff had fielded a customer complaint acting as if he were the "General Manager". Despite the request of the customer to extend an apology, the imposter indicated to the customer that he did not need to do that.
An apology is an important first line extension of compassion to the customer from the company. It indicates that the company has a virtue most of us title, humility.
In the beginning and the end, a business is an exchange. The greater part of the population extends a level of admiration to business, as a service to humanity. To the ordinary person the business person is a risk taker who reaps the rewards of service, that is, monetary profits. The customer spends cash and receives in return a service. For those in the service industries the commodity is the 'perception' of the quality of service. Whether you believe it or not, your customers can mis-perceive you when you do not seek to please them.
Service is a fragile commodity. 'Perception' is a product of how the customers 'decodes' your actions. Whether you justify your actions as appropriate or inappropriate does not matter.
What matters is what the customer thinks of you. Therefore, an apology is always an important tool for customer service representatives and all staff members. It does not matter who is wrong or who is right.
The Flatwater Grill let one of its employees betray its trust and refuse to apologize.
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