Expressing Customer Service Empathy

Feb 8, 2023 | News & Events | 4,573 comments

How can a busy customer service representative wow every customer? By showing empathy. But what is empathy? Empathy is the ability to sense other people’s emotions, combined with the ability to imagine how someone else might be thinking or feeling. This is useful in any human interaction, not only in customer service interactions. Showing empathy is how your customer service team can make your customers feel special and valued. This can be done in 7 very simple ways:

  • Listen to your customer’s problem carefully
  • Express genuine empathy by putting yourself in the caller’s situation- fake empathy won’t fool anyone
  • Be respectful
  • Talk to your customers in a common language – never talk down to them or talk over them
  • Be polite even when your customer isn’t
  • Understand your customer’s priorities
  • Avoid making assumptions about what your customer is telling you

It’s important to note that customer service can’t always deliver solutions, but it can always deliver empathy. Powerful empathy phrases use personal pronouns such as “I” and You”. When customer service representatives use empathy, they are actively building a relationship with their caller. You can use empathy to portray how serious you are taking their matter. You acknowledge that they are currently in a difficult or stressful situation, and that you will do everything in your power to help them solve their issue.

Phrases to assure your customer that you’re taking their issue seriously:

I can understand how frustrating it is when…

I realize how complicated it is to…

I can imagine how upsetting it is…

I’m sorry to hear that…

I appreciate your patience…

If I am understanding you correctly…

Let’s work on this together…

You definitely called the right place…

I am happy to help you with this…

Thank you very much for your patience…

We will help you get this resolved…

I’d love to understand more about…

What I’m currently doing to help you is…

Remember – sometimes the best thing to say is nothing as you listen to the customer’s needs! What empathy phrases do you find most impactful in your customer service interactions? Share your thoughts in the comments below! ↓

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