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Empathy in Customer Service: Why It Matters More Than Ever

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We all understand how empathy in customer service can transform a customer's experience. Yet many customers aren't feeling the love. Discover why.


It will come as no surprise that anxiety levels in North America, particularly in the U.S., have seen significant increases over the last few years. For this reason and many others, empathy continues to be vital in our human-to-human interactions and the cornerstone of exceptional customer service and lasting brand loyalty. Empathy in customer service is no longer just about resolving issues—it’s about (re)building trust and inspiring loyalty. Understanding and connecting with customers on a deeply human level has evolved from being a desirable skill to an absolute business necessity.


Why Empathy Matters Today

In today’s business environment, we have come to appreciate that customers are firmly in control of an organization’s success. When customers feel genuinely valued and heard, they become loyal “Promoters,” eager to recommend your company to others. Conversely, when they feel dismissed or neglected, they can quickly become “Detractors,” discouraging others from engaging with your brand.


A 2018 survey revealed a critical insight: 59% of global consumers believe companies have lost touch with the human element of customer experience (PWC). Since that time, although customer care has become a strategic focus for many companies, only 8% of customers report that companies exceed their expectations (McKinsey). This gap creates a unique opportunity for businesses to set themselves apart by differentiating themselves through their customer service and embracing empathy at every touchpoint.


So, what is empathy in customer service? It’s the ability to not only understand a customer’s situation but also to connect with their feelings about it. Whether alleviating frustration or sharing in their joy, empathy elevates customer interactions into meaningful human connections. It’s no surprise that brands prioritizing empathy and a customer-centric approach consistently outperform their competitors.

“I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel." — Maya Angelou

 How to Express Empathy in Customer Service

At its heart, empathy is about “walking a mile in someone else’s shoes.” It involves acknowledging a customer’s situation and emotions—whether positive or negative—and responding authentically.


Here’s how to acknowledge and respond with empathy in a customer service environment:


  1. Listen for Emotional Clues: Not all emotions are explicitly expressed. Routine issues like password resets or billing errors often involve hidden frustration. Proactively addressing these feelings shows customers you’re genuinely prioritizing their experience.

  2. Recognize when to express empathy:  When it comes to leveraging empathy, timing is everything. If the customer expresses an emotion at the beginning of the call, but the agent doesn't acknowledge it until the end of the call, empathy will has lost its super-power. It is important to express empathy, within seconds of the customer's emotional clue.

  3. Acknowledge Emotions: When customers are upset, phrases like, “I can understand how frustrating that must be,” validate their feelings and help diffuse tension. Similarly, celebrating positive emotions—“That’s wonderful news about your promotion!”—strengthens rapport and leaves a lasting impression.

  4. Go Beyond Scripts: Customers can recognize disingenuous empathy from a mile away. Avoid overused phrases like, “I apologize for the inconvenience,”or “I’m sorry you feel that way”  which have lost their meaning and often invalidate the customer’s feelings. Instead, personalize your response to reflect the customer’s specific situation, such as: “I hear you’ve been waiting for a callback, and I understand how frustrating that must be.”

  5. Apologize with Empathy: A heartfelt apology—“I’m truly sorry this happened”—goes a long way. However, if you want to deepen trust and humanize the interaction, pair it with empathetic understanding: “I’m truly sorry this happened. I can imagine how inconvenient this must have been for you.”

96% of consumers view empathy as important in customer support interactions." – Radius Global Solutions

When to Avoid Expressing Empathy

While empathy is a cornerstone of excellent customer service, there are situations where it may not be appropriate or beneficial to express empathy. Here are some examples:


  1. Scenario:  The customer is making unreasonable demands or exhibiting aggressive behavior.  Empathizing with their frustration may embolden their unreasonable behavior. Instead, focus on maintaining professionalism and redirecting the conversation to a constructive resolution.

  2. Scenario: A critical safety issue or situation that requires immediate action. Customers want immediate action, not emotional acknowledgment. For example, saying, “I understand this is frustrating” may feel like a delay when the customer wants reassurance the issue is being addressed.

  3. Scenario: The customer is inquiring about a routine, straightforward or transactional issue.  Offering empathy for a non-emotional scenario can feel excessive or insincere and may detract from the efficiency of the interaction.

  4. Scenario: The customer expresses personal grief or shares deeply emotional information unrelated to the business interaction. It’s important to be supportive without crossing into territory that could make the customer uncomfortable. Instead, focus on professionalism and respectful acknowledgment, such as, “I’m sorry to hear that. How can I assist you today?”

  5. Scenario: A customer has called multiple times about the same unresolved issue and has likely heard a lot of empathy on previous calls.  Reiterating, “I understand how frustrating this is” might feel hollow. Focus on accountability and providing a clear, actionable resolution instead.


Empathy is a powerful tool, but its effectiveness depends on the context surrounding the situation and the customer’s preferences. In situations where empathy might escalate, delay, or seem unnecessary, focusing on professionalism, clarity, and first contact resolution is often the better approach.


Overcoming Barriers to Empathy in Customer Service

Despite its importance and universal agreement that empathy is important, demonstrating empathy consistently can be challenging. Here are some common barriers and how to address them:


  1. Training Gaps: Many agents are not adequately trained to identify emotional cues or differentiate between sympathy and empathy. While they may know empathy is important, they struggle with when and how to express empathy.

  2. Emotional Exhaustion: Frontline agents face a barrage of frustrated or anxious customers daily. Regular coaching and access to mental health resources are vital to sustaining their capacity for empathy.

  3. Cultural Comfort Zones: Offshore agents may find empathy unfamiliar or emotionally taxing. Tailored training and coaching can help overcome these cultural barriers and build confidence.

  4. Metrics-Driven Focus: Empathy must be a key performance indicator in your quality monitoring program. Without this prioritization, it may take a backseat to efficiency or other ‘hard’ metrics.

Don't have training specifically related to how to express empathy in Customer Service? Check out our customizable e-learning library and then get in touch for a no-obligation review.

5 Strategies to Foster Empathy in Your Customer Service Culture


  1. Make Empathy Part of Your Coaching Priorities: Schedule regular feedback sessions focused on empathy, particularly for remote teams. Frequent touchpoints keep empathy top of mind and reinforce its importance.

  2. Invest in Empathy Training: Offer e-learning programs featuring realistic, company and industry-specific scenarios that allows agents to learn when and how to express empathy.

  3. Roleplay Real-Life Scenarios: Create a safe environment for agents to roleplay common and challenging situations. This helps them gain confidence and prepares them for real-world customer interactions.

  4. Monitor and Reward Empathy: Incorporate empathy into your quality assurance metrics and reward agents who consistently demonstrate it. Sharing best-practice examples within your team can inspire and motivate others.

  5. Lead by Example: Empathy starts at the top. Managers and leaders who model empathetic behavior in their interactions with their team and customers alike set the tone for the entire organization.


Empathy: The Competitive Advantage 

Empathy isn’t just a “nice-to-have” in customer service—it’s the competitive advantage businesses need to thrive. As we continue to face global challenges and economic uncertainty, empathy in customer service remains the cornerstone of exceptional experiences. By embedding genuine empathy into every customer interaction, your company can build stronger connections, foster unwavering loyalty, and turn even difficult situations into opportunities to strengthen your brand. In this human-driven era, empathy is not optional—it’s essential.


Are you ready to transform your customer service experience with empathy? Let’s talk!
 
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VEREQUEST is dedicated to helping organizations keep the promises they make to customers and employees alike. Our third-party, quality monitoring service pairs VereQuest’s highly skilled Coaches with our proprietary quality monitoring software VQ Online™. This system provides detailed insights into customer interactions across all communication channels — including calls, email, chat, video, etc. The outcome? Precise, actionable coaching insights that elevate and maintain agent performance. For teams preferring to manage contact center QA internally, VQ Online™ is also available in a hosted SaaS model.


Additionally, our Check-Up™ e-learning program is customizable for service, sales, and chat/email agents, as well as the coaches who support them. These SCORM-compliant e-learning modules can be hosted on your own LMS or ours, with the advantage of no per-learner fees.


Get in touch with us today for a no-obligation demonstration and to experience our top-rated quality monitoring and e-learning firsthand. Reach out at info@verequest.com for more details.  

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