Apology Loop


Everyone’s familiar with apologies that are not sincere or don’t sound sincere. But have you run into a situation where the sincere apology itself offended others? If not, check out what happened to Starbucks in Argentina.

Some time back, Starbucks ran out of the imported cups with the Starbucks logo in Argentina. So the company decided to use blank cups made locally. They also decided to proactively apologize via Facebook and Twitter:
“We apologize, as due to a temporary supply shortage, some shops are using national cups and sleeves. Salutations.”

The choice of wording couldn’t have been worse, could it? It sounds as if they are apologizing for using Argentine cups, doesn’t it? No wonder the reaction was angry and, unsurprisingly, went viral on Twitter. And so Starbucks ended up apologizing for the apology.

Starbucks was trying to be upfront and transparent about the situation; instead it just got into more trouble. I guess that’s why they say that no good deed goes unpunished!

Comments

  1. KumarAugust 1, 2012 at 12:33 PM

    We can say of course: "Starbucks was trying to be upfront and transparent about the situation." But surely there is enough in the wording of their apology that would go amiss and it did too.

    Starbucks didn't get into "more trouble" but only "a trouble occurring due to careless word of their first apology". I can sympathize they tried to state it somewhat wittily or a with a touch of humor, without foreseeing that not everyone takes things casually or kindly. Thus, there is nothing wrong with an apology for the not-well-considered choice of words in the original apology.

    Having said that I would admit your highlight is well taken of course: "apologizing for apologizing!" Sound funny surely.

    Lastly, if it is believed, "they say that no good deed goes unpunished!", I am keen to know who is this "they"? Can't believe it was Confucius and Socrates and the Buddha put together! Or, any worthy group of later times such as Immanuel Kant, Charles Darwin and Albert Einstein! :-)I feel a different finish line by you would have been more suited. (Fortunately no one is going to demand an apology from you!!)

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