{"id":29080,"date":"2022-03-03T20:12:52","date_gmt":"2022-03-03T20:12:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/simplify360.com\/blog\/2022\/03\/03\/empathy-in-customer-service\/"},"modified":"2023-09-28T09:28:26","modified_gmt":"2023-09-28T09:28:26","slug":"empathy-in-customer-service","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/simplify360.com\/blog\/empathy-in-customer-service\/","title":{"rendered":"Empathy in Customer Service – Everything You Need to Know"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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Empathy in customer service – this is what most businesses lack today! Good customer service is great! Fast responses, appropriate solutions, it\u2019s all good. But how many times have you felt that something is missing in a support interaction even after you have got the solution?<\/p>

Right? There is something missing and it\u2019s called EMPATHY!<\/p>

Today, 64% of consumers<\/a> in the U.S. and 59% of all consumers feel that companies have lost touch with the human element of customer experience.<\/p>

Exhibiting even the slightest empathy can make your customers feel happy, excited and they genuinely would enjoy speaking with you.<\/p>

In this guide, we\u2019ve put together everything you need to know to be more empathetic towards customers. Right from the importance of empathy in customer service to a couple of empathy statements for customer service, there\u2019s everything here for you!<\/p>

What Is Empathy In Customer Service?<\/h2>

Here\u2019s a quick conversation between a customer and a support agent to help you understand what empathy is in customer service.<\/p>

John:<\/strong> Hi, I have been facing login issues for some time now. Am not able to use the app at all!<\/em><\/p>

Support Agent:<\/strong> Hi John, Thanks so much for bringing this to our attention. I can understand what you\u2019re going through and I\u2019m so sorry. Here\u2019s what I will be doing to help you out\u2026.<\/em><\/p>

Now, that\u2019s a perfect example of showing empathy in customer service – we\u2019ll explain why below.<\/p>

\"Empathy\"<\/p>

Empathy in customer service is the support agent putting themself in the situation of the customer and thinking from their perspective or point of view. This helps the agent connect with the customer, get a better understanding of the issue and offer them the most appropriate solution.<\/p>

In the above example, the agent could have simply said, \u201cHi John. I\u2019ve noted down your issue and I\u2019ll forward it to the concerned department!\u201d<\/em><\/p>

The issue at hand gets solved but there\u2019s no empathy which will only lead to further frustration. But in the example, the agent shows empathy by saying that the issue has been understood, apologizes for the same and charts the action that is going to be taken.<\/p>

This results in a great customer experience and the customer will probably be happy even if the issue takes some time to be resolved. And that\u2019s how powerful empathy in customer service can be!<\/p>

Being empathetic is one of the most important traits customer support agents lack today. And if you\u2019re someone responsible for delivering great experiences, you\u2019re taking the right step by trying to induce empathy into your customer service culture.<\/p>

Now that we\u2019ve discussed what empathy in customer service means, let\u2019s look at how important it is.<\/p>

Importance of Empathy In Customer Service<\/h2>

Empathy in customer service is not only about great customer experiences. It\u2019s about showing how much you care for your customers as a business. Put short, it\u2019s about making your customers happy.<\/p>

Here are three important benefits of showing empathy in customer service.<\/p>

1. Helps In Better Understanding of Customers<\/h4>

When you show empathy towards your customers, the opportunity for a better connection is imminent. And when customers feel a connection, you can provide them with better service. Being empathetic helps you understand things that are even unsaid. By observing the customer\u2019s situation, voice and tone, you can understand why they had to contact you in the first place (but make sure never to arrive at a conclusion on your own)<\/em>.<\/p>

It\u2019s simple.<\/p>

Better Understanding of Customers = Better Customer Service<\/strong><\/p>

And being empathetic is the way to achieve this.<\/p>

2. Helps Resolve Difficult Situations With Ease<\/h4>

The one thing that frustrates a customer next to an issue they are facing is poor support. Your customers might immediately snap when they come across an agent who does not listen to what is being said or try to understand them.<\/p>

On other hand, being empathetic makes customers feel listened to and calms them down. This can help in diffusing difficult situations with ease.<\/p>

Like we said, you can understand your customers and serve them proactively. This could as well be the starting point for deploying a chatbot<\/a> and promoting a self-service approach.<\/p>

3. Stronger Customer Relationships Down the Lane<\/h4>

Empathy makes your customers form an emotional bond which leads to stronger customer-brand relationships. This results in increased purchases and a loyal customer base. And as a business, those are things you need to thrive in the long run.<\/p>

Those are some of the many benefits of empathy in customer service. Let\u2019s get down to look and how you can inculcate empathy in customer service.<\/p>

8 Ways to Practice Empathy In Customer Service<\/h2>

In this section, we\u2019ll be looking at the ways that\u2019ll help you be more empathetic towards customers and the factors that stop you from being so in the first place (the second point talks about this)<\/em>.<\/p>

That said, let\u2019s look at the 8 ways that\u2019ll help you become more empathetic towards customers.<\/p>

1. Understanding the Difference Between Empathy and Sympathy<\/h4>

Often, there\u2019s a confusion between empathy and sympathy – this applies to support agents and normal people as well. It\u2019s because the difference between empathy and sympathy is very subtle but important!<\/p>

What Is Sympathy?<\/h5>

Sympathy is when you understand a person\u2019s situation and feel sorry for them. You maintain a certain level of distance while doing so and you don\u2019t put yourself in their shoes to understand what they are going through.<\/p>

\"Empathy\"
Image Source: GIPHY<\/figcaption><\/figure>
What Is Empathy?<\/h5>

Empathy is when you put yourself in the shoes of another person and understand what they are going through from their point of view. Empathy requires understanding, and the ability to share the feeling of another.<\/p>

When it comes to customer service, it\u2019s empathy that you should exhibit. Not sympathy. When empathized, your customers feel like they are understood, listened to and you\u2019re doing everything you can to help them out.<\/p>

P.S. We\u2019ll be looking at a couple of empathetic statements you or your support team should use in the later sections of the article.<\/em><\/p>

2. Get The Basics Right<\/h4>

Mentioned below are the general characteristics a support agent should have to show empathy in customer service.<\/p>