Correction please
USUALLY in some corner at any big retail outlet is the “complaints desk” where one can lodge grievances like wrong-sized pants to be replaced or report discourteous sales personnel. The goal (or hope) is that the matter is attended to to ensure a happy, or at least satisfied, customer base.
Readers can call attention to media mistakes like the wrong middle initial of a subject, or a lower title than the one recently attained by a featured corporate executive. (He is now senior manager.) The publication is required to print its correction as an “erratum,” a word to designate errors overlooked by the reporter or editor. The word is derived from the past participle of the Latin verb errare, to err.
The correction can be erudite and appealing only to a small minority in the know. In a past edition of the much-respected magazine, The Economist, the book review section acknowledged an erratum in a piece on Hadrian ascribing to that Roman emperor the construction of the Parthenon (Greek) rather than the correct Pantheon (Roman). The article, naturally in small font, cites 43 alert readers who caught the error which the publication termed a “howler.” This gracious admission of a mistake endears the magazine to its readers.
Bloggers post all sorts of opinions, including fake news. The “comments” can be swift. (Clearly you were misinformed about the functions of the ICC.) There is always a diversion instead of a reply — Have you ever been to the Hague?
It is often the news subject, or his proxy PR operative, who protests some erroneous characterization of his achievement or personality featured in a news item. And if such a story contains an inaccuracy, the pa-per prints an apology of sorts under erratum — Mr. Q does not lack any formal schooling and cannot therefore be described as “illiterate.” He can read and follow traffic signs.
Accusations of hostile treatment or biased reporting are defended by tabloids as coming from a reliable source. Business reporting has already attracted tabloid treatment and financial incentives. (A bank account number is even supplied for online transfers.) An offer is made to get the subject’s side of the story over dinner. Here, the tip does not just refer to a news tidbit.
Does the corporate world, outside of retail operations, employ a complaints department to correct errors? Corporate culture seems to discourage any admission of correctible faults, as this attitude can lead to future litiga-tion or union problems. (So sorry if the IPO price suddenly dropped by 50%. It’s time to buy more shares.)
Companies have “Customer Service” which also handles complaints. These frontliners are trained to handle irate customers with a detached demeanor, no different from a zookeeper managing to feed lions and elephants. They have a set of ready excuses following variations of “the check is in the mail.”
Of course, nowadays complaints or matters needing corrections, like an ATM debiting one’s account for cash that did not spew out, are handled by a phone center. These are handled by robots (press “6” if you are fuming). They are programmed to say: “Please hold and listen to Rachmaninov’s Piano concerto #2.”
Admitting a mistake or correcting an error is not a natural human trait. The reaction to a complaint is usually defensive, and not even apologetic. The tendency is to shift the blame — you should have confirmed the ap-pointment the day before.
The ready admission of a mistake (mea culpa) is almost a religious experience. Isn’t that what confession is all about?
Making mistakes is seldom acknowledged. The reaction to fault-finding by others is usually hostile and unrepentant. Excuses or shifting the blame to others are so easily resorted to. What went wrong is not our fault but al-ways somebody else’s. (I was having lunch when it happened.)
There are excuses beyond anyone’s control, like the economy. Even unrelated macroeconomic trends are invoked. (Property prices have been dropping and the take-up of the overhang in condos are affecting car sales.) And just to drive home the point of being faultless, there is always some corporate insider to blame — HR did not give me any support and sent me recruits who can’t even find the toilet.
Getting away with excuses for failure is a short-term strategy. The needed correction is often made at the top — Next, please.
Tony Samson is chairman and CEO of TOUCH xda ar.samson@yahoo.com
