Are your customer service agents offering empathy during the Global Health Crisis?
Sympathy and empathy are behaviors that are often used interchangeably although they are quite different. While sympathy is feeling “for” a person, empathy is feeling “with” a person. This can make all the difference when trying to connect with a customer, especially during a global health crisis or any other difficult situation. We know that customers will become loyal to a company or product when they receive personalized service. Often, the first statement made to a customer by an agent becomes the basis for a personal connection that can make for an extraordinary customer experience that sets a company apart from competitors.
Once believed to be a hard-wired trait, empathy is truly a skill that can be learned and coached to. Over time, through call center coaching and role-playing, empathy becomes second nature to agents and makes interactions seem more conversational vs. transactional to customers. Expressing empathy requires the agent “to walk in the customer’s shoes” and is conveyed by both tone of voice and the words the agent chooses to use.
During the COVID-19 crisis, Northridge assisted a client in the Government sector with call center coaching and empathy training. After coaching its agents on how to respond during this difficult time, the client’s empathy behavior scores increased by 11.1%. Additionally, anecdotal feedback collected during this time provided actual empathetic quotes that could be captured and used during a coaching session or role-play with the client’s agents. Best call center practices entail building a library of customer recordings that can help identify the quotes and phrases that most successfully build connections.
Coaching and training to empathy, as well as to other behaviors that impact empathy, such as listening actively, maintaining composure, taking ownership, and expressing commitment, are not easy tasks. However, businesses that aim to receive high customer satisfaction scores, must stand out at a time when customers are facing difficult life situations globally or individually. In uncertain times, call center practices that necessitate coaching and training to empathy are more important than ever!
The Northridge Group is a leading pioneer in providing comprehensive and robust solutions in call center coaching and training objectives for businesses worldwide. Enable your business with the right practices and take the first step in improving your customer experience.
Interested in taking your call center to the next level? Contact Us today to learn more about how partnering with The Northridge Group can help solve your business challenges.
