Not the Answer You Were Hoping For

I received a great customer service response the other day that concluded with the line, "I’m sorry that this may not be the answer you were hoping for."

She could have ended with just "I'm sorry" or "I wish there was more I could do." But this particular person didn't need to apologize for doing something wrong, nor was there a reason for her to make up a story about wanting to do more.

In the context of the email, the sentence set a clear boundary that made it clear there was no room for me to negotiate. And yet, it did so while fully empathizing with my disappointment.

Clear boundaries and empathy — two qualities worth leaning into wherever we can.