“Sorry” Can Erode Trust in Your Trade Show

Recent research suggests that apologizing can actually damage customer satisfaction instead of improving it. The takeaway: Empathy matters, but the use of “sorry” should be purposeful, not automatic. 

A Simple Test Before You Say “Sorry”

Before you say “sorry,” ask yourself two questions: Has a real failure occurred? Has anyone expressed concern or disappointment? When the answer to either of these questions is yes, then apologize. When the answer is no, neutral updates usually protect trust far better than another sorry.

How Apologies Can Backfire and erode trade show trust

Certainly, in the event industry, virtually every dimension of a trade show offers chances for us to apologize. Tardy bus shuttles, inbound and outbound decorator services, registration hassles, unexpected room changes, and long catering lines can all give reason to say sorry.

Some issues are obvious failures; others are minor, predictable, or go unnoticed. But the research is clear. When people plainly experience a problem, a timely apology plus a concrete remedy builds trust. When they have not noticed an issue, mass apologies can backfire.

A Harvard Business Review article examined a large food‑delivery platform that tested proactive apologies when an order might be delayed. When the company apologized before customers had noticed any problem, satisfaction and repeat purchases dropped, even when nothing actually went wrong. The apology highlighted a potential failure and implied fault.

Trade Shows Are Full of Imagined Failures

Trade shows are full of similar moments that could lead to unnecessary apologies. For example, a program manager might be tempted to apologize to attendees who might not get a seat at a panel before the panel is even full anticipates an issue that hasn’t even occurred. An exhibitor who sends apologies to attendees because they've received a notice that their booth materials might be late to arrive before they're actually late can create dissatisfaction where there was none. An event app that pre-apologizes for long queues before there really are any does the same.  

By framing a hypothetical issue as a failure, a well‑intentioned apology can erode confidence in the show design and make exhibitors more sensitive to minor imperfections that they might otherwise have ignored. Save apologies for moments when they might really be necessary to avoid eroding trust.