Best Business Apology I've Ever Received

I had a few problems recently with my mortgage refinance. See, I began the process after the sub prime mortgage meltdown. By the time my application was begun, banks had started to look at all applicants pretty much like criminals. They required a bazillion more times the evidence of income, net worth, liabilities, and blood type than before. Jumping through hoops is not one of my favorite things anyway, particularly when someone tells me "that's the last one," and there is then presented one more, and another, and one more. You get the picture.

Then there were a few errors made my my broker, who happens to be a client and a friend. He'd missed some important information and that, too, contributed to the delays and collective frustration.

Eventually, I shared the business and personal impacts of my experience with my client and friend. He was really surprised about it all, which got me to thinking, How often are we really unaware of what is going on with the people right in our midsts, even as we are supposedly serving them really well? Employees, coworkers, bosses, friends, family, clients, prospects? It seems to me we very often really don't know what's going on with them. That we should and how to do more to know is a bigger subject than I want to tackle here. This post is more to be a big ol' BRAVO to my friend and client.

His apology letter was more than "good;" it really moved me. And, I believed that he had understood me, had really felt and gotten what I had told him about my experience. I found this letter to demonstrate empathy, contrition without feigning to self-flagellate, warmth without being syrupy, and determination to learn from his mistakes without over-promising. And so, here is his apology letter:

Dear David,

I wanted to send this letter in regards to our last meeting. I am so sorry for how everything turned out and how oblivious I was to what you went (are going) through. I realize there were some things I should have done differently and some things that were out of my control. But, the underlying fact is that I could have better prepared you and been more involved in what you were going through.

I also apologize for my cavalier attitude in the weeks after, but I really didn't know the extent of what you experienced. In all honesty, I'm glad this happened to you (if it was going to happen to anyone) as it may have never been brought to my attention had it been another client.

I hope you take this as a sincere apology as this isn't a letter to my coach or mentor, it's a letter to my friend. I felt sick to my stomach after our talk last week to think that I gave a friend that level of service and never thought to do my due diligence. I realize I have a lot to change in my process and approach and hope you will help me open my eyes to what needs to be done and accounted for.

Like I said, I was moved. Now we go forward with a stronger relationship, which is the whole point, isn't it?