To begin with lets start by refreshing our minds on the definition of empathy, what it really means. Empathy goes way beyond sympathy which is to merely “feel for someone”. Most commonly people confuse the two. Empathy rather, when we talk of it we mean being able to “feel with someone” putting ourselves in their shoes and understanding their problems as if they are our own. In customer service this ability is vital in enabling success and standing for what drives us which is ensuring that our customers get value from our services and protecting the image generated by our brand to the general public.
For us to be able to act more empathetically, we need these four key elements:
1.Having knowledge of what the customer actually wants.
On a daily basis people have different needs and wants and because of that diverse customer services are given to help and aid hundreds of those people to lessen their burden. Each one of these customers is peculiar and unique, they are not the same. Some are calm and reserved and are easily satisfied. Some maintain silence even when they have not been served to their satisfaction. Some, however, easily get frustrated and often protest against services rendered and are most likely to vent out their anger on the service provider for poor service. But regardless, above the high tone of dissatisfaction, anger or reproach, we need to understand that the customer in that moment is upset with the service and not us. If we pay attention, their anger often conceal their real concern. It is crucial at this time that we try to think like our customer and analyse their situation and figure out what it is that led them to feel the way they are feeling. When we do we will start having ideas on how best we can resolve the problem and help make up for the inconvenience caused.
2. Determining what the customer knows and what they do not.
We must guard against falling in the danger of assuming that our customers know and understand every procedure, process or product because in most cases they do not. It helps to take time to assess how much they know and then find the best approach that helps them according to the knowledge they have. It in turn helps us as well for we know or rather start to understand where their problem is based on the knowledge that they have.
3. Making it known we want to help
It is important to ensure that the customer sees our deep desire to help them and this starts from simply listening. When we listen attentively to detail we gather necessary information. The customer will see how much we care and how much they are important. They will start trusting that we are the means by which their problems are solved and that alone, gives the customer logic power. In order for us to achieve this, we need to feel what our customer is feeling.
4. Practising empathy in any form
We dwelt much on knowing, listening to and understanding the customer. But however, this should not restrict us to only expressing our care and concern face to face. We can empathize through emails and letters too. Our choice of words in our emails can be able to calm our customers as if we are sitting with them and they will come to a realisation of how we are there to serve them.
We must always remember what moves us, what we stand for and what drives us, in that moment we forget we have no cause and purpose. For we are defined by how our customers perceive us. Let us prioritise showing empathy with our individual customers and see if our success will not improve for if they are happy, we are also happy.