Use Empathy to Defuse Unhappy Customers

摘要

You always tell your counter staffers to be nice to customers. Sometimes they listen, sometimes they don't. Try another tact: tell them to be empathetic. Empathy is defined as "identification with an understanding of another's situation, feelings, and motives." So, empathy goes beyond being nice to customers. It asks one to try to step into their shoes, and understand their behavior from their point of view. It forces the staffer to look at a situation from a different perspective. While it might not seem like much of a difference, it prompts your counter staffers to think about their actions. That consideration could result in a whole new way of responding.