The New York Bakery Co (?!) just released results of a survey revealing Brits say "sorry" on average 8 times a day or about 3000 times a year. What it doesn't say is that customer service here is miserable. You go into a shop with a complaint, and the shop assistants (doesn't all this sound very British?) NEVER say "I'm sorry" for your troubles, or for bad merchandise, or for poor service. They NEVER take responsibility and acknowledge that something is wrong. Politicians NEVER say "I'm sorry" either, living a philosophy never to admit your mistakes. It's all a very disconcerting aspect of "Living in England". I'm sorry, but the bakery's plans to offer 'brashness classes' is missing the point. The retail industry here needs complete retraining how to deal with customer complaints and admit they're sorry – because if they don't, they will be when they lose our business.
And anyway, how does this sorry business compare with other countries? I guess in New York (where the bakery, perhaps, is based?), lips are sealed, or do they say something else less printable? In Japan, it is de rigueur to apologize at once, whether or not you're involved, whether or not you're responsible or to blame. The apology smooths the way for lenient treatment; if one refuses to apologize, life can be very tough.
See http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2036719/Britons-say-sorry-8-times-day--233-000-times-lives.html?ito=feeds-newsxml
PS Wow, David Cameron apologized. But of course he wants the votes of half the population:
http://uk.news.yahoo.com/pm-sorry-sexist-comments-women-mps-173758504.html
Great post thhanks
ReplyDelete