Empathy

[daqaman]

I need good information on why EMPATHY is important & how to use it. I have not been able to get our techs to Empathize with customers calling in that have problems with our service. Any direction would be appreciated.

[cindy.szpanelewski]

I have found that role playing is a very valuable tool in teaching people to express empathy. We took a team of people and sat them across a table from each other. We then took a box of problems and had each team member on one side of the table pick a question. They were the customer and the person across from them became the call center agent. We then have the two people interact and role play. This allowed everyone in the room to hear how to handle problems and gave people the idea of what is was like to be the customer. I was there to provide coaching. Once we completed the role play the two sides of the table switched roles and the opposite side became the customer. This worked very well as the "customer" side really became active participants in the role play and challenged their counterparts.

[djdaley]

Firstly, ensure you distinguish between empathy and sympathy. This allows for your agents buy in, and acceptance that the required behaviour is appropriate. Often there is a lack of "willingness" to display empathy, as it is seen as a sympathetic approach to something which is either outside the control of your agents, or innapropriate (ie - feeling sorry for a caller because you cannott disclose privy information etc.).

Empathy is the output of specific, measurable behaviours. It is these behaviours that you should be driving with your agents.

Dominantly, they are listening skills, or rather ACTIVE listening skills. Restating, or paraphrasing is common, (and expected in any good service environment). Reflecting, or simply acknowledging a callers feelings is the skill whioch shows empathy. I have found through my own agents, these behaviours are easy to measure (and coach), and avoid many of the "drag downs" associated with attempting to enforce "empathy". Concentrating on listening skills will have the same results plus.

Role plays are always good, and a much needed part in these is effective feedback steps. Call recording can be used as well.

Important that you continually reward the appropriate behaviour - ideally through shared success stories with your team.,

Best of luck!

[DIAGIRL001]

Either you have it or you don't. :p

[djdaley]

It is not so much "either you have it or you dont", it is more a case of either you choose to use it or you don't.

Wiilingness versus ability should not be questioned with a learned behaviour.