Why Empathy Lies At The Foundation Of Superior Customer Service

Empathy plays a crucial role in the context of customer service. On a basic level, it enables support agents to build a genuine connection with customers, which in turn increases trust and brand loyalty. In business terms, an empathetic approach can help to resolve issues quickly and efficiently, all the while providing a positive customer experience and sending profit margins on an upward trajectory.

Essentially, to achieve superior customer service, a business will need superior support agents working in their corner; those with the ability to connect with customers on a more personal level and showcase genuine empathy. This is vital, given that empathy forms the foundation of superior customer service.

In this article, we discuss why this is the case and how you and your agents can apply empathy when handling customer issues and provide exceptional support that listens to the needs of the customer.

 

What is empathy in customer service?

 

To successfully utilise empathy as an essential customer service tool, it is important to first understand exactly what it is.

To put it simply, empathy involves putting yourself in someone else’s shoes and imagining how they feel or what they are going through. It is often described as the ability to feel with someone, rather than feeling for them.

In customer service terms, empathy enables agents to put themselves in the customer’s position and understand their perspective. It is the ability to listen and hear what the customer is saying without judgement or more importantly, defensiveness. It’s not sympathy or feeling sorry for the customer, but rather understanding their feelings and emotions and working to resolve their issue.

It’s a common belief that to be successful in business, your emotions should be left at the door. However, with research suggesting that the most empathetic companies can increase their earnings by 50% more than those that display the least empathy, this is one scenario where business and emotion should most definitely mix.

 

 

How can agents be supported in their use of empathy?

 

Listening to customer complaints daily will undoubtedly take its toll on even the most enthusiastic of agents. Continuous exposure to negative interactions can force agents to block out empathy for the customers they are dealing with, which can eventually harm their mental health, as well as the customer’s experience.

Providing internal support and training can alleviate this. Through effective coaching and advice, agents will be equipped with the emotional tools necessary to resolve situations with patience, understanding, and of course, empathy.

Integrating powerful customer engagement software is another way to support agents to perform at their best.

 

The role of technology in fostering an empathetic customer service experience

 

While there is continuous debate surrounding the use of technology in the customer service realm, employing digital customer engagement in a strategic and tailored way can yield amazing results for both the business and its customer base.

In fact, companies that extract the most from their digital tools when incorporating them into their customer service efforts have the potential to be 60% more profitable than non-customer-centric organisations, while they also boast an employee satisfaction rate that is 1.5 times higher than other businesses.

The trick is in knowing which tools to use and how to use them.

 

 

Create a personalised customer service experience across all channels

 

Digitalising a company’s customer service department can offer unique benefits, such as the ability to communicate with customers in a customised way using voice, video, chat, email and SMS. The key to success, however, lies in the personalisation of the experience.

When it comes to creating empathy through digital channels, the empathy statement must first and foremost be on point. This means tweaking all communications to make the customer feel heard and understood, rather than opting for a generic “We’ll be in touch” response.

This can be achieved by expressing regret over the issue experienced, acknowledging the customer’s frustration and dealing with the issue promptly.

 

Opt for a communication API that has proven results

 

When embarking on building a high-performing, empathetic customer service experience, Twilio is a powerful choice.

As a platform that enables businesses to communicate with customers through SMS, voice and video, Twilio allows support agents to connect with customers in real-time and on the customer’s preferred communication channel. Twilio Flex, in particular, provides a customisable platform for contact centres to build and manage customer engagement.

With Twilio Flex, support agents can access customer history, preferences and previous interactions, providing a truly personalised experience. They can also use features such as call recording, analytics and chatbots to enhance the overall customer journey.

 

Enlist the experts to ensure your contact centre platform is seamlessly deployed

 

Platforms such as Twilio offer endless possibilities and opportunities for improvement, but for the software to work to the best of its abilities, it should ideally be integrated by a team of expert coders.

At Kaptea, our team of experts are on hand to get Twilio up and running quickly so you can correctly configure it to suit your unique business needs. We also provide ongoing support and training to ensure you can continue to deliver outstanding experiences for your customers, on any channel.

Give your agents the tools they need to listen to customers and to action an empathetic response, bringing customers a faultless experience. Twilio enables just this – and we are here to help you make the most of it.

Get in touch with us today to see how we can seamlessly integrate Twilio into your existing CRM. Our team of experts will work with you to identify your needs and provide a customised solution that works for your business.

Also, make sure to check out our blog and knowledge centre for more information on Twilio integration, customer engagement and other related topics.