empathy in customer service: importance, examples and statements that work

In today’s competitive landscape, most people will agree that the quality of customer service has the potential to directly impact the organisation’s bottom line. But how do you ensure that you deliver exceptional customer service at all times? The secret ingredient that influences how your consumers perceive your brand and turns a satisfactory customer service experience into an extraordinary one is “empathy”.

What is empathy in customer service?

Empathy in customer service is the ability to put oneself in the consumer’s shoes. It entails not just understanding the customer’s concern but also acknowledging and validating their emotions and experiences. When customer service representatives demonstrate empathy, they are not just solving a problem; they are actually attempting to connect with clients personally and emotionally.

The more empathetic your customer service team is, the better your chances of resolving customer problems, influencing their purchase decisions, retaining them for life, and, more importantly, turning them into advocates of your brand, which in turn will lead to an increase in revenue.

Why is empathy important in customer service?

The importance of empathy in customer service shouldn’t be underestimated. Here are three reasons empathy needs to be a standard for customer service:

Fosters trust and loyalty

Customers want to feel valued, respected, understood, and cared for. When they perceive empathy in their interactions, they are more likely to develop a strong bond with the brand and remain loyal over the long term.

Defuses tense situations

Customer service, by default, deals with problems and conflicts. An empathetic approach helps pacify agitated customers and de-escalate tensions. Making customers feel heard and respected can turn a potentially negative encounter into a positive one.

Transforms unhappy customers into brand advocates

When customers experience empathy, they receive a sense of being taken seriously along with the solution to their problem. This will lead to not only customer loyalty but also customers recommending the brand to friends and family.

Examples of empathy in customer service

In a competitive marketplace, empathy sets a brand apart. Imagine a customer receives a damaged product and calls the helpline. Many customer service executives will offer a hasty replacement. However, an agent trained to display empathy would take the time to:

• Apologise sincerely for the inconvenience
• Acknowledge the customer’s frustration and disappointment
• Express  genuine concern for the customer’s experience
• If they are authorised, they will offer some additional benefits like a gift voucher or discount on the next purchase

The customer not only receives a resolution but also feels valued and appreciated, highlighting the transformative power of empathy. Customers tend to choose a company that consistently provides empathetic customer service over one that doesn’t. The empathetic response is far more likely to turn a disappointed customer into a loyal advocate.

Empathetic responses are also vital in some other scenarios like:

• Billing errors
• Service interruptions or delays
• Product quality issues
• Cancellation or returns
• Tech support
• Complaint escalations

Empathising with customers in these situations can help ease their negative emotions and pave the way for effective problem resolution.

Empathy vs sympathy in customer service

Sympathy and empathy are often used interchangeably, but they lead to different conversations. Sympathy is feeling sorry for the customer; empathy is understanding the situation from their side and acting on it. Sympathy can sound scripted or distant, while empathy keeps the focus on the customer and moves the conversation towards a fix. Here is how the two sound in practice:

How to show empathy in customer service

Empathy can be built into a service team with focused effort, starting with how agents are trained and rewarded:

Training

Empathy training for customer service agents should emphasise educating employees on how to identify and comprehend emotions as well as how to react empathetically.

Role-play

Agents can practice empathy in a safe setting by using role-playing games and real-world situations.

Create a conducive environment

It is essential to foster an atmosphere that supports the expression of empathy without fear of reprimand.

Reward empathetic behaviour

Recognising and rewarding empathetic behaviours can motivate the team to consistently exhibit empathy.

What agents can do in every conversation

To effectively show empathy, customer service agents should:

• Maintain a calm and attentive tone
• Practise active listening
• Use the customer’s name to personalise the interaction
• Avoid interrupting the customer
• Exhibit patience, as some customers may need more time to express their concerns
• Avoid assumptions

You could opt for outsourcing and get exceptional customer care that fosters positive word-of-mouth, strengthens brand reputation, and ultimately helps businesses outshine their competitors. In a world where products and services can be similar, empathy becomes a unique selling proposition.

Empathy statements for customer service

Empathy statements are short phrases that acknowledge how a customer feels before moving to a solution. Many contact centres train agents on a simple pattern: acknowledge the feeling, empathise with the situation, then reassure the customer about what happens next. The examples below can be adapted for phone, chat and email.

To acknowledge feelings

• "That must have been frustrating."
• "I can hear how important this is to you."
• "Thank you for explaining that so clearly."

To apologise sincerely

• I'm sorry you're going through this."
• "I'm sorry we let you down on this order."
• "I apologise for the extra time this has taken you."

To reassure and take ownership

• "I'm here to help."
• "I'll stay on this until it's fixed."
• "Here's exactly what I'm going to do next."
• "I'll update you by the end of today, even if it isn't fully resolved yet."

For angry or upset customers in a call centre

• "You have every right to be upset, and I want to put this right."
• "Let me make sure I've understood everything before I suggest a fix."
• "I'd feel the same way in your position."

For chat and email support

• "Thanks for your patience while I look into this."
• "I've read your earlier messages, so you won't need to repeat anything."
• "I know this isn't the answer you hoped for, so here's what I can do instead."

Statements work best when they reflect the customer’s actual situation and are followed by action. Generic lines such as “I understand how you feel” can sound scripted if nothing changes afterwards. For a deeper look at building empathy across service teams, read Why empathy unlocks great customer service.

How can Infosys BPM help?

Empathy is the cornerstone of building authentic connections with customers in customer service. It fosters trust, defuses tense situations, and turns dissatisfied customers into advocates. We can help your business stand out in the competitive landscape and create lasting relationships with customers based on trust, understanding, and genuine care.

Infosys BPM builds empathy into customer care at scale through brand-aligned agent training, calibrated quality coaching and real-time agent assist with sentiment analytics, powered by Infosys Topaz. Our customer care services cover voice, email, chat, social and messaging channels, drawing on two decades of CX delivery.