Putting your hands up and admitting fault is one of the hardest things anyone has to do because from a young age we’re conditioned to want to get things right and behave well. But everyone makes mistakes from time to time and owning up and expressing a heartfelt apology can not only put the mind at rest, it can actually strengthen relationships too.
Brits are renowned for their overuse of apologies, with the word “sorry” firmly established as a staple of English phraseology, but which sex says “sorry” the most? New research says women are the biggest apologisers.
A survey of 1,004 adults carried out by SerenataFlowers.com, the UK’s leading online florist, has revealed that the average Brit now says “sorry” as many as 9 times per day, but whilst a typical male apologises 8 times in a day, women exceed this saying “sorry” an average of 10 times every day.
When quizzed on the things Brits say “sorry” for most, 60% said they apologise for being late, 54% said sorry for missing a call, and 52% said they apologise after accidentally bumping into someone.
The habit of apologising is so ingrained into British culture that almost 1 in 3 people claim to have previously apologised to an inanimate object, after mistakenly bumping into it.
The survey asked respondents what things they felt couldn’t be forgiven simply by saying “sorry” and found that stealing topped the list. Cheating on a partner and forgetting a birthday were also considered among the worst mistakes. Completing the top 5 were standing someone up on a date and telling lies.
Due to the overuse of everyday apologies in the UK, a huge 87% of Brits feel the word “sorry” carries little value, and as such we need to work harder to communicate a sincere apology when it’s due! Considering how often Brits use the word “sorry”, it’s amazing how many people struggle to communicate a genuine apology where it counts.
Almost all of those surveyed said receiving a bouquet of flowers with an apology would help it feel more genuine. 65% said a hand-written card would add more weight to the apology and a further 1 in 2 said that gifting chocolates was a great way of conveying sincerity.
Lucia Polla, Marketing Manager at SerenataFlowers.com, comments: “Gifting flowers is a great way of going the extra mile to show someone you care and want to right a wrong. Apology flowers are so popular that we actually have a section of the website dedicated to them, and it’s no surprise that a dozen red roses are the bestseller.”
SerenataFlowers.com has launched the Ultimate Apology Bouquet which is made up of 65 of the finest white blooms including Zantedeschias, Roses, Lilies and more – for when you really mess up, and a sorry card from the local petrol station just isn’t going to cut it.
To find out more about Serenata Flowers or the Ultimate Apology Bouquet, please visit:
