Mistakes happen. In the real world, some people are either very good at covering them up and moving on as if nothing happened, and most others are terrible liars about trying to cover it up. Knowing when and how to say “I’m sorry” — and meaning it — is a critical concept in building a trusting relationship, whether interpersonal or professional. It is also important in building relationships with customers and clients.

When using social media for advertising, you’re not only marketing your product, but also responding to any questions or concerns that your customers may have via these same social channels. While most incoming complaints will likely be routine, there may be an instance where someone alerts you to a crisis. While you should try to respond as quickly as possible, you should also be as open about the problem — and be so publicly. When BP experienced its catastrophic oil spill in 2010, it failed to respond in not only a timely matter, but in any honest, open fashion. Any response from BP was notably missing for days on its social media channels, and some may even say the company then tried to lie about the extent of the disaster when it did respond. Had BP been open and honest about the spill, the company may have prevented a major PR crisis.

While it may not be good enough for a catastrophe like an oil spill, sometimes acknowledging your mistake and saying “I’m sorry” is good enough to console a complaining customer. One of my first experiences on Twitter was a complaint I made on a Sunday evening a few years ago to a high-end fashion retailer about a poor in-store experience. Not only did I receive a public apology on Twitter within hours (on a Sunday night), but I received a phone call the next day from the corporate office profusely apologizing for my experience. Though it did go above and beyond and then sent me gift cards encouraging me to return the store, the apology would have been more than enough to bring me back. The company acknowledged its faults, both publicly and via a follow-up phone call. While you may not have the budget or manpower to treat every customer like this, simply publicly acknowledging your mistake may be all it takes to resolve a problem.

When faced with an incoming crisis via the social media channels you use for advertising, it is best to use an open, honest approach. While you may not be able to respond as quickly, having a plan for these unexpected situations will allow your brand to respond with grace and actually generate positive PR as a result.