Which is the first step in the five steps to great service recovery?

• A. apologize
• B. record
• C. listen
• D. solve

Answer: (C)

Listening first in service recovery is essential because understanding exactly what happened and what the customer needs relies on hearing them out fully. When you listen actively—paying attention, asking clarifying questions, and restating what you heard—you validate the customer’s feelings and gather precise facts. This empathy and information shape a sincere apology that reflects the real impact and guides the proper next steps to fix the issue. Jumping ahead to apologies, recording, or solving without listening can miss important details or lead to a generic response that doesn’t address the root problem. The sequence matters because accurate understanding informs the rest of the recovery actions.