Outside our office there is a carpark for another business owner. This carpark is “named” with his business name. The Business owner has paid for this carpark.
There is a dentist very close to this carpark and often people will park in this carpark, if it is empty, when they go to visit the dentist. Of course when the business owner arrives to find his carpark taken, he is quite fairly frustrated. So he parks in behind the offending car, and heads off to his place of business.
Often we will get an irate person whose car is blocked in demanding from us, to know whose car has blocked them in. We let them know where the owner’s business is, and let them know his name and phone number is on the carpark.
They leave our premises without a thank you or an apology for interrupting us.
Moreso, when they find the business owner whose carpark they have taken, they demand he remove his car immediately, because he is blocking them!!. There is no apology to him. This means the buisness owner takes his time to remove his vehicle from behind the offending vehicle.
I noticed once, that one driver apologised immediately for blocking his carpark. Immediately the Business owner came down to shift his car and the offending driver also said thank you.
The Power of an Apology has the effect that all issues were rectified pretty much straight away.
Those people that don’t apologise for the inconvenience, find they spend more time waiting and becoming more frustrated.
A small courtesy goes a long way, so don’t be afraid to be a little humble and apologise if you have made a mistake or are in the wrong.