> Things looked much better in the morning. Surprisingly to me, I only lost two customers in the debacle, and one of them resubscribed after seeing how I handled it.
The occasional screw up is not the issue in most cases. It's how you deal with it that matters. In my experience, a screw up can even have a net positive effect if your response is so great that it induces your customer in a state of admiration and renewed respect for your company.
Apologizing and behaving well in case of screw ups is surprisingly effective, people are so used to dealing companies who try to hide their mistakes under the rug, that it feels like a breath of fresh air to them.
It's the first and most valuable lesson I've discovered as a consultant. That and admitting you don't know when you don't know something (it's a amazing the number of people who'll bullshit an answer instead of just saying: "Sorry, I don't know, I'll get back to you on that")...
The occasional screw up is not the issue in most cases. It's how you deal with it that matters. In my experience, a screw up can even have a net positive effect if your response is so great that it induces your customer in a state of admiration and renewed respect for your company.