Today\u2019s consumers are more empowered than ever before. They know what they\u2019re looking for. They have the capacity to conduct exhaustive research in order to determine where they want to buy from. And they\u2019re not afraid to take their business elsewhere if they have a negative experience with a company or when a brand generates negative reviews.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In a survey, it was found that 71 percent of customers<\/a> are willing to terminate their relationship with a brand if they feel they\u2019ve experienced poor customer service. They\u2019re also likely to tell other people about their negative feelings. In an another survey<\/a>, it was observed that unhappy customers share their experiences with approximately nine to 15 people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In simple words, it means delivering a positive customer experience is more critical than it\u2019s ever been.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Companies are aware of this. Hence, they hire UI\/UX designers and customer service representatives in an effort to breed good will among the clients. But ticking these boxes isn\u2019t sufficient if you\u2019re trying to deliver truly exceptional customer service.<\/p>\n\n\n\n To really elevate your customers\u2019 experience with your brand, it\u2019s critical to train your team so that they focus on empathy. Here\u2019s why empathy matters to both your customer service and company\u2019s bottom line.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Many people confuse empathy with sympathy, but in reality, these are two different approaches to relating with other people. Let\u2019s take a look at an example. Say a customer has called the support team of an antivirus company and is upset because their antivirus software has abruptly stopped working. A sympathetic response would be something like, \u201cI\u2019m sorry the software has stopped working.\u201d An empathetic response can follow this tone: \u201cI\u2019m sorry this is happening to you. I know how frustrating it can be to take time out of your day to deal with a computer issue, especially when you weren\u2019t expecting it. I\u2019m going to help you resolve this issue as quickly as possible so that you can get on with your day.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Now, put yourself in the shoes of the customers and think which response will make you feel more favorable towards the company?<\/p>\n\n\n\n I can bet most people would prefer the empathetic response because it addresses the person\u2019s feelings and not just the specifics of the situation. Globally acclaimed author & Poet, Maya Angelou summed this up by saying, \u201cI’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.<\/i><\/em>\u201d While this is true for a relationship between two people, it is equally relevant for business keen to maintain good relations with their customers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n What it really comes down to is treating your customers like human beings and with respect. And, to do that it requires empathy. In fact, there are surveys and reports that prove the point correct that customers desire empathetic treatment. In a survey, it was stated that 40 percent of consumers<\/a> want \u201cbetter human service\u201d from brands. Another report found that customers are willing to pay more for empathetic services. Yet another study found that 80 percent of customers<\/a> who experience humanized service are willing to talk about the brand with their connections.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Hence, it would be appropriate to say that empathy is crucial for a company\u2019s bottom line.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Once you understand the value of empathy, it\u2019s time to train your customer service team in empathetic skills. To get started, work on instilling the following habits:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Practicing empathy in interactions with clients elevates your customer service and helps ensure customers have a positive experience with your company. These positive experience breed positive feelings\u2014and those feeling breed loyal customers and brand advocates who help sustain your company\u2019s bottom line.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Today\u2019s consumers are more empowered than ever before. They know what they\u2019re looking for. They have the capacity to conduct exhaustive research in order to determine where they want to buy from. And they\u2019re not afraid to take their business elsewhere if they have a negative experience with a company or when a brand generates…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":11,"featured_media":34486,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[223],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-9255","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-customer-support"],"yoast_head":"\n<\/span>Defining the Value of Empathy<\/b><\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
While sympathy involves feeling pity for another person, empathy takes things a step further by working to (non-judgmentally) understand the other person\u2019s experience and how it\u2019s making them feel. In other words, empathy is all about putting yourself in the other person\u2019s shoes and understanding the emotions generated by a certain experience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And therein lies the rub: At its heart, a customer\u2019s relationship with a brand involves their feelings. If a consumer feels satisfied and good whenever they interact with the brand, they\u2019re more likely to maintain their loyalty. If interacting with a brand leaves a bad taste in their mouth, they\u2019re most likely to take their business elsewhere.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/span>Training Your Team to Deliver Empathy<\/b><\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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The parting words<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n