CEO Andrew Cohen of Graza wrote an email saying he was sorry and sent it to 35,000 customers - he didn’t proofread it or have anyone else review it. It worked! Graza is a startup that makes squeezable bottles of Olive Oil - it is a hot product, and the company messed up many orders right before Christmas due to the deluge of requests.
The email:
It was 834 words long
Sent it to ALL customers - some customers that never had an issue were given an apology and a coupon
contained misspellings and typos
entertaining and charming
explained what went wrong and why
offered a strange discount; $4.34 instead of rounding it up to $5 - said that was all the company could afford.
Didn’t include a link to the company webpage; marketing wasn’t happy about this, but the CEO said it was intentional - this was an apology and not meant to drive traffic.
Customers loved it! One wrote that he would be ordering again and wouldn’t use the coupon.
So what makes a good apology? Marjorie Ingall, co-author of the new book “Sorry, Sorry, Sorry,” says the rules are the same for adults, children, airlines, and olive-oil startups:
1. Say you’re sorry. 2. For what you did. 3. Show you understand why it was bad. 4. Only explain if you need to; don’t make excuses. 5. Say why it won’t happen again. 6. Offer to make up for it.
How about this new year we all get better at saying we are sorry.
Wow, I needent apologize for typos, been saying that for years. english teaches lamente
What a marketing idea!! Is it available in the local markets? BTW, I just checked the meaning of Litmus ... interesting choice, Lee.
Loved this story. We bought the sizzle and drizzle duo. Turns out a local supermarket sells this.