CUSTOMER EMPATHY: YOUR SECRET WEAPON FOR WORLD-CLASS SERVICE

Customer empathy is the key word in the customer service industry .Why there is so much emphasis on empathy is a reason in itself .Today the customer has arrived in a big way in the industrial landscape .So what defines empathy? : as per Wikipedia Empathy is the capacity to understand or feel what another person is experiencing from within their frame of reference, that is, the capacity to place oneself in another’s position. So one can safely say that empathy is the ability to relate to other human being’s pain vicariously .Empathy happens to be one of the most important factors in any customer service platform .One of the first principles that is being stressed upon and taught in most of the training programmers .To say that term empathy can be described to define a wide range of emotions from ability to sense other people’s emotions coupled with what the other person might be going through at any particular situation .Now another definition says “customer empathy means completely an unfailingly rewriting the rules for each unique customer .Tailor made customized customer solutions as per customer’s need and demand is in vogue and that is exactly what is the paramount factor in making and marring a world class service .So customer empathy can easily be our secret weapon for world class service .It’s this factor which can distinguish a run of the mill customer service from a globally shining state of the art holistic world class customer service .We can’t forget that we are dealing with human being’s as customers and machines .Where there is a human being involved automatically the empathy factor comes into the picture .currently it’s the age of customer dominance .Earlier customer empathy was more of a buzzword or lip – service is currently toast of customer service .It’s definitely a competitive differentiator .

How one can turn customer service into a secret weapon .Here are few defining points:

Customer empathy is a two step – process .The first step would entail effective listening skills including understanding and feeling the pain or joy of a human being .Then offering appropriate reactions and solutions .Both with words and action .Customers always remember timely stitch up’s , a word of empathy and timely solutions .Something which is highly valued .The word of mouth canvassing starts here .

Never underestimate the power of customer’s recommendations .Surveys have been conducted and shared on how empathy can be a game changer in the overall customer experience and service .All things said and done its the timely reaching out to the customers and offering words of empathy ,that dash of personal touch to the whole customer experience can make a world of difference .

Empathy to the fullest 

The whole thing revolves around empathy .Nothing would impress customers if the interaction lacks empathy .That extra human emotional touch is what is required mostly to cinch the deal .Even if we look at C -SAT scores they invariably revolve around the empathy meter .we can gauze by the call where we are standing vis- a -via empathy .

Customer empathy the passport to great customer interaction 

The fact remains that amazing customer service can build customer loyalty ,advocacy and subsequent good business .Its an investment which can reap amazing results .All we need is good customer interaction based on customer empathy for us to deliver a great customer experience .The least we can do to make an interaction memorable is empathetic service .A sound ear . a few words of empathy can turn a not so great interaction into a memorable one for the customer .Hence investing in such training and skill enrichments can pay maximum dividends .Various surveys have concluded that the maximum number of customers want to deal with human beings and not machines .And what is that a human being can do that a machine can’t? Definitely that E word – Empathy.

Being human is good business

Why so much stress on being human? Fine so people definitely want a human being at the other end of the phone call. So human centric business is what is required in today’s competitive world of business .That cutting edge technology,latest fads , all are well and good but nothing without the human touch of empathetic service .When an interaction is human centric it says loud and clear that the interaction was human centric and states that the customer is being heard and understood and is not just a number in a series of interactions.

Customers can choose who to do the business with so we choose to be empathetic 

When customers are in the commanding position it definitely calls for more closer attention .What makes an interaction extra ordinary and a delight is the one that is empathetic .One can’t ignore this if one wants to do good business .Empathetic interaction can helping unrestrained interaction , and can open avenues for great interactions .A little warmth a feeling of belonging and value aided interactions are key to amazing sales and service .A little skills and trainings can help in providing tailor made solutions to the customers . A feeling of being treated special with a generous dose of warmth in the interaction can do the trick.

To summarize a personal approach with a dash of empathy .Remaining empathy even in a chaotic interaction being responsive using appropriate verbiage and indicating that we care can help an interaction become a one that can be a secret weapon to great customer service. Hence more and more call centers in India are focusing on empathy based trainings and skill enhancement programmers .Building a great interaction leading to an Amazing customer experience and subsequent business enhancement are all part of the same puzzle .One that needs to be nurtured and advanced.

To provide world class service one can’t isolate empathy from the customer interaction framework .Many regular interactions in customer service were

Transformed to world class customer interaction basis empathetic handling .Every business that aspires for long term prosperity is based on first class

Customer interaction .Every so often complaints crop up and empathetic handling of the same can make a world of difference to the whole experience .In nutshell

Empathy is that secret ingredient in the recipe of corporate success.