How And When To Say 'My Sincerest Apologies'

The phrase ‘my sincerest apologies’ is often used for poorly delivered services, especially after a delayed response. It is now regarded as a phrase that customer support reps have overused. Whether you are in customer support, sales, or marketing, if you talk to customers often, there are better ways of saying this phrase.

In this blog post, we’ll tell you when it’s ok to use these words and when it is not, and what to say instead.

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Why Not to Say ‘My Sincerest Apologies’

Phrases like ‘my sincerest apologies’ or ‘my deepest apologies’ have been used so much that they are now perceived as clichés. It’s become a standard response for every mistake, and lost its impact as a genuine apology message because it’s said so casually and frequently.

Just using phrases like ‘sincerest apology’ can make the recipient feel that the apology is insincere because of how cliché they are.

What To Do Instead

Decide if you’re going to present a written apology or a spoken apology. Based on the formality of your relationship, you can write an apology letter or a professional apology email. Whatever the case, it’s better to clearly outline why the mistake happened in your apology message to the concerned individual or company.

Your professional apology should wrap up by outlining the steps you will take to improve the situation. Including any deadlines shows that you’re serious about fixing the issues and not just saying sorry for the sake of it. This shows that you take responsibility for your mistake and is especially important for an effective apology email.

An effective apology is about expressing your sincere feelings, making things right, and showing genuine effort to resolve the problem.

Is It ‘My Apology’ or ‘My Apologies’?

“My apology” and “my apologies” are both correct, but there are subtle differences in their usage. “My apologies” is usually used to say you’re sorry in general, but “My apology” is more about referring to a specific apology you’ve made.

You can also use “my apologies” to express regret when you can’t solve a problem.

When Should An Apology Be Communicated?

The act of saying sorry or apologizing takes a lot of courage and maturity. It should not be considered a weakness. In fact, knowing how to apologize correctly is a valued social skill.

Examine what led to the problematic situation. Were there certain pressures, apprehensions, and concerns that influenced your actions, or was there a sense of dejection and disconsolation?

Could a short temper be the cause? Perhaps you struggled to empathize with others in that moment, or you misread the circumstances or had an oversight that caused this fault.

Anyone can experience the above conditions and act annoyed and let down. However, none of these situations justify acting inappropriately towards others. There can be no justification for hurting someone personally or damaging a business or personal relationship. But since the mistake has already been made, the next step should be to rectify it and apologize.

It’s important to choose the appropriate way to convey your apologies. Depending on the situation, you can send a formal apology email, a card, a letter, or even apologize in person.

How to Write PS in Email: A Guide For Good Writing

Some mistakes that require a sincere apology

Here are some examples of what may have caused distress:

Someone has been simply inconsiderate and has expressed as such.
An event occurred through dereliction of duty or inaction. It resulted in undesirable or even catastrophic outcomes.
A pact or someone’s word could not be kept or a promise broken.
A rumor was acted on without due investigation. Heresy hurts other people and eats away at your self-respect.
There has been a misunderstanding because the facts were not known. Or the situation was misunderstood. This resulted in some presumptions being made that were not verified.
Someone close, such as your spouse, mate, colleague, or anyone else, was knowingly hurt. This individual now requires a genuine and heartfelt apology.
The sentiment of anger was so great that someone completely lost it. Such vocabulary was babbled out, which caused discomfort or even injury to others.
Someone was so discourteous that regret and remorse must be expressed. This should be done without consideration of the events that led to such a communication.

When you do not need to apologize

Careful consideration must be given as to when apologies should be forthcoming or to quit and retire from the situation. The following are some examples:

At work, when constant criticism is being doled out
When a mate or the better half, without understanding the reason, blames everything on you
When somebody relentlessly finds fault
When it is genuinely thought that no one was out of order, feed your courage and say so confidently
When it becomes habitual to offer apologies for everything and to everyone

Benefits Of a Sincere Apology

Kevin Hancock quote on apologies — *Source*

An admission of guilt may have undesired consequences, but a genuine apology is often perceived positively and provides reassurance. It keeps the relationships from breaking down. With time and genuine sincerity, the chances of saving the relationship go up a lot.

A good apology can also do away with the embarrassment and awkwardness between concerned individuals or organizations.

3 Real-Life Apology Examples from Top Brands

1. Zocdoc

Zocdoc is an intermediary platform that connects patients to doctors. But sometimes, doctors forget to update their schedules, leading to missed appointments. This is exactly what happened to Amanda. Although it was technically not Zocdoc’s fault, their customer service took complete responsibility for the incident and even provided an Amazon gift card to make amends.

2. KFC

KFC was in a pickle in 2018 when it ran out of chicken across its outlets in the UK, which caused it to shut down several of its stores. They handled this situation by issuing this public apology with a touch of humor, featuring a clever reordering of their logo to “FCK” to acknowledge the frustration caused to their customers.

3. Skittles

In 2013, Skittles replaced its lime flavor with green apple. People were outraged, but it took them eight years to bring back the lime flavor. But they brought it back with a bang. They launched a whole ‘apology tour,’ put up a billboard in Times Square, and even hosted a Twitch live stream to announce the lime flavor’s comeback.

To Sum Up

In all circumstances, avoid the awkwardness of not knowing what to say. Don’t take the easy way out by avoiding the person you need to apologize to.

Use this opportunity to learn a valuable life lesson. Make sure your apology is genuine and communicated clearly.

An apology should never lead to an argument. You can avoid this by not trying to predict or control how the other person will react. Take responsibility for the situation, and don’t shift the blame to someone else.

Content updated for freshness and SEO by Swastik Sahu.

How And When To Say ‘My Sincerest Apologies’