Have CX practitioners become helpless empathizers?
Have we focused on empathy because it costs less?
Empathy Feels. Compassion Solves.
I was recently introduced to Neal Woodson and read his new book 𝘎𝘐𝘝𝘐𝘕𝘎 𝘈 $#!+. It is an 𝗲𝗮𝘀𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝗶𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝗳𝘂𝗹 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱 – I recommend it!
“Service. It’s not fancy. It’s not complicated. It’s just helping people. That’s it. Look it up. ‘The action of helping someone.’” – Neal Woodson
Neal’s insightfulness on empathy, compassion and service got me thinking about the 𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝗳𝗼𝗰𝘂𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝗲𝗺𝗽𝗮𝘁𝗵𝘆 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 for employees and the 𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗱𝗲𝗰𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝗰𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗿 𝘀𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘀𝗳𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻.
Is there a connection? 🤷
There may be!
Is it more cost-effective to be empathetic than compassionate? 🤔
𝗘𝗺𝗽𝗮𝘁𝗵𝘆 is the ability to understand and share customers’ emotions, but it falls short of providing actual help or solutions. 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻, on the other hand, encourages you to ask, “How can I help?” and take action to alleviate the customer’s issue.
Once you ask, “How can I help?” does the cost to serve increase? 🤷
Most likely, yes!
Most 𝗲𝗺𝗽𝗮𝘁𝗵𝘆 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝗳𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝗹𝗮𝗰𝗸𝘀 𝗱𝗲𝗽𝘁𝗵 and 𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗽𝗵𝗮𝘀𝗶𝘇𝗲𝘀 𝘀𝗼𝗳𝘁 𝘀𝗸𝗶𝗹𝗹𝘀 𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗻 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗯𝗹𝗲𝗺-𝘀𝗼𝗹𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴. Additionally, most trainings exist as a 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗮𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗶𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 rather than being integrated into a broader company culture of genuine care and service excellence. Have you ever tried measuring the direct impact of soft skills? It’s very difficult—it’s easier to do a one-and-done training and check the box, instead of investing in the culture and tools employees need to be empowered to take action.
If the broader organizational policies do not support action and empower employees, they cannot truly be compassionate. If employees are not empowered and lack the authority to make decisions or address customer concerns directly, their ability to show genuine care and understanding is hindered.
𝗪𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲…? 🤔
𝗘𝗺𝗽𝗮𝘁𝗵𝘆 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼n (have an employee tune into your emotions without taking any action or even feeling motivated to act kindly or supportively).
OR
𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗲𝗺𝗽𝗮𝘁𝗵𝘆 (have an 𝗲𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗼𝘆𝗲𝗲 address your issue with emotional awareness but no connection).
Empathy…feeling with someone is free…compassion…caring and taking action may increase costs as well as value. Genuinely understanding the drivers of a customer’s emotions and addressing them can promote loyalty!
Is lower overall customer satisfaction a sign that the balance has tilted too far towards empathy without enough emphasis on action and resolution?
I think so! How about you? 🤔 Share your point of view. ⬇️
💡Let’s focus more on compassionate responses that integrate empathy with proactive problem-solving. 𝗜𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗼𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀, 𝗹𝗲𝘁’𝘀 𝘁𝗮𝗹𝗸! ☎️
