Do you "get it" when it comes to acknowledging mistakes?

I recently had a rather unpleasant conversation with a bank’s call center representative. About three weeks ago, they called me to alert me that I had made an error. I asked the rep how I could remedy the problem so that it wouldn’t happen again, she gave me several tips, and I applied them immediately to my standard practice. Today, I received another call from the bank, saying that I had not fixed the problem. I explained that after speaking to the last rep I was assured that my actions would correct the error. The new rep responded that I must not “get it” because there was still an error.

Telling your customer they don’t “get it” isn’t going to promote friendly dialogue. In reality, I did understand the issue, the problem was that the first representative had simply given me incorrect information. I simply wanted the second rep to acknowledge the misinformation by another representative of his company and apologize for the mistake. After several instances of him saying that I didn’t “get it” and re-explaining what I needed to do, I simply hung up. (I know, real mature, right?)

At the company where I work, we would apologize immediately for incorrect information given to clients or candidates by ourselves OR any other individual in our company. We consider it accountability, ownership and service. First, we would apologize, then we would offer assistance in fixing the problem. In the case of my phone call (if I were the rep), I would’ve delivered an apology, issued a credit for the fee and then confirmed that we both understood each other and were happy with the resolution.

After my call, I took the necessary steps to resolve the issue immediately on my side, but the company’s representative had already missed their opportunity. I am already reviewing options for transferring and/or closing my accounts. This is unfortunate.

How do you and your company manage miscommunication or errors? Are you listening for ways you may have contributed to missteps along the way? Perhaps this is an opportunity for process improvement! Do you look for ways to be proactive in turning unhappy customers into happy customers? Some companies are using social media sites like Twitter to look for and respond quickly to customer complaints! I think most people would consider this above-and-beyond their typical expectations, but it does show their commitment to service and on-going, proactive dialogue with their customers.