Empathy is a popular trend, but is it worth investing in as a company training?
I’ve worked with companies for twenty-five years teaching emotional intelligence, and empathy is the number one missing EQ skill. Its lack is detrimental to customer service results and without it, damages a company culture.
Empathy stands head over heels over any other training because of its transformative abilities. Not only does it enhance a business culture, but empathy cultivates remarkable unity in teams and makes supporting a company’s customer base effortless.
Estimated reading: 7 minutes
Empathy in customer service is a guarantee for 5-star service!
It's implementation is vital because it helps create a stronger connection between the customer and the company. When customers feel heard, understood, and valued from their perspective, they are more likely to remain loyal and recommend the business to others.
An empathetic approach can transform a negative experience into a positive one, as customers appreciate when their issues are met with genuine concern and quick resolution. Understanding the customer's problem is essential to providing practical solutions.
Empathy is now a critical skill in the business world.
Empathy is the cornerstone of any productive workplace and foundational for today’s customer service complexities.
Customers are spoiled with unlimited choices and shopping convenience.
Therefore, obtaining and nurturing loyal customers for companies is much more difficult. Without empathy, customer service agents may overlook the well-being of their customers, seeking to minimize their feelings and reactively assert policies and logic. And don't get me started on AI!
If you want to stand out, use AI sparingly for greater efficiency, but keep the human touchpoints for your customers.
Empathy is not just a soft people skill; it’s a critical business imperative. It needs to be a common thread woven into every customer service interaction, creating genuine connections that boost customer satisfaction and loyalty.
To achieve business success, build an empathetic culture.
Empathizing with customers by stepping into the customer's shoes allows agents to see situations from the customer’s viewpoint, leading to better service and solutions. It builds trust when customers feel that the company values their well-being rather than just making a sale.
This trust is foundational for long-term customer relationships and can significantly impact customer retention rates, especially in such a competitive market.
Empathy in customer service involves understanding and sharing customers’ feelings, which is crucial for building strong, lasting relationships. Successful customer service professionals recognize that empathy is the most important skill for achieving this.
Here are five effective ways to show empathy:
Pay close attention to what the customer is saying. Identify key words that will help you decipher their concern. When attentively listening you can actually tune in to the nonverbal cues of communication over the phone! Look underneath the words for helpful information, such as additional issues not being stated upfront. Many times, customers test the waters before talking about their primary issue.
It's a common misstep whenever a customer service agent interrupts a customer. It might feel justified, especially if they are stating things that are exaggerated or false. However, it is disrespectful and often intensifies the emotional upset. Listen and allow the customer to empty—it's to your advantage.
Addressing a customer's problem or dealing with a frustrated customer gives you a unique opportunity. Remember, you are support agents. When a customer service agent shows they value their concerns and are committed to understanding their needs, it shows up as 5-star reviews.
Use the customer’s name and refer to their specific issues. Generic responses can make customers feel unimportant. To better demonstrate empathy, put yourself in the customer's shoes. Use empathetic statements preceded by their name. What would you want to hear, given their circumstances?
A name is precious to most people and it's a blunder to mispronounce someone's name, particularly a customer. Customers expect you to "remember" them, to make them feel special. If you're not sure, ask if you've pronounced their name correctly. This small gesture indicates you care and sometimes, the person will elaborate on the roots of their name, which enhances the sense of importance for them. Making them feel valued is key.
To truly empathize and improve customer service interactions, it is essential to look at things from the customer’s perspective. Imagine the frustrations and challenges they might be facing and how you would want to be treated in their situation.
This mindset shift can help customer service representatives approach interactions with more compassion and understanding, leading to more effective problem-solving and customer satisfaction.
Recognize and validate the customer’s feelings. Use phrases like “It sounds like this mix-up was very frustrating to you” or “You have every right to expect accurate and timely deliveries.” When you accurately mirror customers’ emotions, solutions are expedited quickly.
A customer may have a high standard or complaint that seems ridiculous to you. It's not a time to be right; no matter how crazy their request, address the feelings behind what they're saying. If you do, they'll usually self-correct.
For example, we ate at a restaurant one time and I ordered soup as an appetizer. When it arrived, I was shocked at it's tiny size (literally 3 spoonfuls!) Instead of helping me feel heard, the waiter launched into a dissertation on how the soup size was an industry standard. Needless to say, I did not feel heard or valued. It would have cost him nothing to acknowledge me.
For a deep dive into empathy: "The Three Kinds of Empathy: Emotional, Cognitive, and Compassionate."
It's not enough to only acknowledge the feelings of a customer. Especially for highly charged emotions, the person needs to know you have their back, that you are their advocate. Too many times, agents try to talk customers out of what they feel or stay too calm, which is a mismatch to feeling understood. Match the intensity of the emotions rather than ask them to calm down. For instance, "Wow! I can see that this issue is really important to you and it might feel like you aren't a valued customer."
Unfortunately, customers can be irrational and it is sometimes difficult to respond when their complaints or requests are unreasonable. The more upset a person is, the more irrational. Regardless, do not say things like, "If I was in your shoes, I'd be grateful." or "You don't need to get so upset; it's not that big of a deal." or "You're blowing this out of perspective; please calm down."
Respond to queries and complaints promptly. Quick responses demonstrate respect for the customer’s time and concerns. And use supportive phrases, such as “Let’s turn this around for you quickly!”
Providing fast resolutions to customer issues is a practical way to show empathy. When customers face problems, they want quick solutions. Efficiently addressing their concerns not only shows that you understand the urgency of their situation but also respect their time, enhancing their overall experience with your company. This approach can help in creating loyal customers.
It's natural to be eager to solve a problem for a customer. However, jumping straight to problem-solving or offering advice without fully understanding the person's feelings can feel dismissive. It suggests that their emotions are less important than the solution, which can invalidate their experience.
True empathy involves being present and supportive, allowing the person to express themselves fully before exploring solutions together.
After resolving an issue, check back with the customer to ensure satisfaction—a wow factor—with the resolution and that any problems have been resolved. This attentiveness shows continued care and commitment. It can also help cultivate trust and build loyal customers.
Ensuring regular and proactive communication demonstrates a genuine commitment to resolving their concerns and valuing their business.
Forgetting to follow-up once promised is a big no-no. It's better to not say anything and surprise the customer with a note or phone call. A lack of follow-up or not keeping our word can signal to the customer that their issue is not a priority. This neglect can make a customer feel undervalued and neglected.
A lack of timely and consistent follow-up can also prolong their frustration and dissatisfaction, potentially driving them to seek better service elsewhere.
Related reading: “Create Success and Happier Customers with Empathy Statements in Customer Service.”
Understanding the customer's perspective is crucial for providing empathetic customer service. Building customer empathy involves training and practice. Here are some tips to get you started:
Engage your team in role-playing scenarios to practice empathy when responding to various customer issues. Then, have each person tweak the responses until authentic and helpful.
Coach them and give suggestions to fine-tune their approach. When they use feeling stuffers, point them out and help your agents to pursue understanding by stepping into the customer's shoes. Or better yet, hire an emotional intelligence specialist to train your customer service team.
Collect and analyze customer feedback regularly to understand their pain points and expectations better. Develop programs and initiatives to convert that information to actionable steps that improve your customer service.
Promote customer loyalty by asking for their input and ways you can improve. Everyone likes to be helpful and feel like their opinion matters. Respond by saying things like, “I can certainly see how that could be useful.” Or “That’s a great suggestion! I’ll pass it on to the team.”
Angry customers are the most difficult to handle, and often the ones that are more likely to write negative reviews. Empathy is vital to diffuse intense emotions and provide great customer service. Whatever a customer expresses, no matter how inappropriate it may seem, is a clue to something your company can improve. Understanding the customer’s problem is key to making meaningful improvements.
Create empathy maps to visualize and comprehend what customers might be thinking, feeling, and experiencing during interactions with your company. Having these posted next to the phones and computers will assist your customer service representative to remember their empathy objectives.
Share customer stories with your team to highlight the impact of empathy and motivate employees to adopt an empathetic approach. Celebrate successes, such as an irate customer leaving a call happy or a customer sharing how quickly their issue was resolved.
These are reminders of the power of empathy and encourage employees to use more empathy statements when solving a customer's problem. Success leads to more success.
Encourage continuous learning about emotional intelligence and communication skills to enhance empathy in customer service. These skills only improve with practice.
Additionally, viewing situations from the customer’s perspective is crucial to providing more empathetic customer service. Doing brainstorming during meetings of ways to improve can keep your attention on your objectives.
Developing your team’s empathy for customers and emotional intelligence are crucial because it dramatically improves the quality of customer interactions. When a rep is attuned to the customers’ needs and can view situations from the their perspective, it personalizes the customer service interaction, solves problems quickly, and helps your customers feel valued.
A team that empathizes authentically can de-escalate tense situations, provide more personalized service, and create a much more positive overall customer experience. Training your team in empathy can also lead to higher job satisfaction among employees, as they feel more competent in their work and all exchanges with fellow employees and customers.
Empathy in customer service catapults you by creating a unique and memorable customer experience. While many companies may offer similar products or services, how you make your customers feel can set you apart.
It’s well documented that the majority of purchases are emotional. Creating a loyal customer through empathetic interactions can significantly boost your business giving your business a competitive edge. Turn satisfied customers into brand advocates and raving fans!
For customized training for teams in empathy or individual coaching, contact Jennifer at jennifer@heartmanity.com.