Setting the Table: The Transforming Power of Hospitality in Business

by Danny Meyer

Why wait for a second or third letter from somebody who has now cc’d his report of your fallibility and culpability to the Chamber of Commerce, the restaurant critic of the New York Times, and the Zagat Survey? Instead, take the initiative: 1. Respond graciously, and do so at once. You know you’re going to resolve the mistake eventually. It’s always a lot less costly to resolve the matter at the outset. 2. Err on the side of generosity. Apologize and make sure the value of the redemption is worth more than the cost of the initial mistake. 3. Always write a great last chapter. People love to share stories of adversity. Use this powerful force to your advantage by writing the closing statement the way you want it told. Use all your imagination and creativity in thinking about your response. 4. Learn from the mistake. Use every new mistake as a teaching tool with your employees. Unless the mistake involved a lack of integrity, the person who made it has actually helped your team by providing you with new opportunities to improve. 5. Make new mistakes every day. Don’t waste time repeating the old ones.