Why “Sorry” seems to be the hardest word…
As a UX Writer, I look at how, when and why you should apologise online
It sounds simple: if you make a mistake you write ‘sorry’. But as in real life, it’s not that easy. There is a natural tendency to apologise to customers at every possible moment to alleviate any frustration when they cannot achieve the task they set out to do. This is true online as it is in store.
‘Sorry’ without sincerity means nothing
We’ve all experienced the frustration of a meaningless apology online — and usually it’s not just one. This makes the site or shop you’re in seem incompetent or disingenuous. After all, a ‘sorry’ without sincerity means nothing.
Too frequently, online or in a bricks and mortar store, we are told ‘sorry’ to compensate for someone or something not doing its job properly. And most people see through the apology.
Unfortunately, online is mostly still behind in-store when it comes to apologies, usually because human-to-human interaction is involved and a member of staff should see the frustration in a customer and naturally use an understanding tone and provide a useful solution. This is generally not possible online and often leads to greater levels of frustration.
So how do you say sorry?
When an apology is necessary, it’s vital to provide alternative helpful options for the user after you’ve apologised to try and alleviate the user’s frustration. By doing this you are showing the apology is authentic and that we do really care that the customer has been inconvenienced. This is exactly what good staff would do in a store and there needs to be more of it online.
And when?
As a UX writer, you also need to work with a good UX-er who is going to have an understanding of what the best customer journey is going to be before and after an error message. Options could include alternative products, other ways to shop or Frequently Asked Questions. Just as Partners help customer’s find what they’re looking for in-store, the aim online is to guide or help the customer to where they want to be. Where a message appears will usually have a big impact on the words used in an apology message. Take the following example:
‘Due to high demand, slots are extremely limited right now. If you can’t find a slot to suit, please try again tomorrow as new slots are released daily.’
This tells the user exactly what the issue is without an apology. A ‘Sorry’ at the start could be deemed appropriate, but you should consider whether the customer has seen the word ‘Sorry’ previously on their journey through the site in relation to slots? Quite possibly, in which case why keep repeating the apology? And if the issue is genuinely out of our hands or due to exceptional circumstances, I would tend to avoid the apology and simply get to the point.
As well as suggestions, it is also worth providing an explanation of what has gone wrong. Yes, there are times when ‘something has gone wrong’ is all you can put, but this should be the last resort. Each message should be as tailored as possible to the message it is delivering. And then there’s the language or tone you need to use with the apology. Take the following imaginary example:
‘Sorry, server error XYZ. Maintenance called.’
The apology is followed by technical jargon. The human element and sincerity of feeling is completely lost. It’s like you’re interacting with a robot. Of course that is true in a way (you’re on a computer or mobile device!) but the point of a ‘brand’ is it means something to you and you can relate to it. By introducing any technical jargon you are breaking an emotional understanding you have cultivated through the rest of the journey — and this is especially true of luxury brands where personal customer service is expected to be good, if not excellent.
So think before you write sorry. Often it’s a lazy way out — and can come across as an excuse rather than a genuine feeling of remorse. And if you want the ‘sorry’ message to really sound authentic, it should include an explanation of the issue with relevant and useful alternative actions for the customer.
