My old boss told me I was 'too polite' on client calls and it completely changed how I handle sales

I used to always say 'sorry' before asking a question or pointing out a mistake in an order. After my boss at the hardware store in Springfield called me out on it, I realized I was making myself look weak and unsure. I started just stating facts without apologizing first, like 'the delivery date on this invoice is wrong' instead of 'sorry but this date is wrong.' That small shift over the last 6 months has actually made customers respect me more and take my recommendations seriously.

3 comments

3 Comments

seth_shah14d agoMost Upvoted

Honestly, I gotta push back on this a little. Saying "sorry" too much can be a problem, but completely dropping it sounds like you're just being rude now, not confident. My boss used to say the opposite, that you gotta soften the blow so you don't come off as a jerk. If you just state facts without any cushion, clients might think you're cold and don't care about their side of things. Tbh, "the delivery date on this invoice is wrong" without a "sorry" or "hey just checking" feels like you're attacking them before you've even started talking.

lee84714d ago

Yeah but if you never throw in a "my bad" people think you skipped empathy class.

hannah40014d ago

Curious if you've found a middle ground that actually works? I'm asking because in my experience, a quick "hey, quick heads up" does the job without the full apology but still shows you're human. Seems like the tone police in corporate settings want some kind of buffer, but maybe just a different one. What's your go-to phrase when you gotta correct something without sounding like a robot or a pushover?