Emotional Empathy Skills to Share Hearts with Customers



Emotional Empathy Skills
to Share Hearts with Customers

Empathy refers to “the ability to understand the emotion of another person by seeing things from that person’s point of view, although you may have a different situation or thought.” When sincerity is added, the customers will feel better understood. The important thing is to understand their feelings, even though not agreeing with everything. That is how you should connect with your customers.
Article: Editor’s Office/ Cartoon by Lee Su-Jung

Now we need “Yes, and…” conversations


For a long time, “yes, but…” skills were known to be helpful in persuading others in a conversation. Communication expert Douglas Stone, in his book, Getting to YES with Yourself suggested the “Yes, and…” conversation. The “Yes, but….” method that agrees first then presents a different opinion is suspiciously a yes for opposition ultimately, and it can give offense. However, the “Yes, and….” method that agrees and continues to empathize with the person’s viewpoint enables the speaker to talk with the other person genuinely. This is the emotional empathy skill.

There can be different responses for the other person’s situation using this emotional empathy skill. For example, when a customer expresses a good emotion, you would act happy as well to show empathy. When you cannot understand the customer’s feelings in a conversation, you can ask a question to ascertain if the other person understands the situation, to show empathy with his/her confusion.

You can also empathize with negative expressions


The trickiest thing is when the other person made a negative expression. The “Yes, and” conversation method used in this case plays its role. You need to first acknowledge the customer’s negative feelings, empathize with it, and then suggest alternatives. In this case, first acknowledge the customer’s negative feeling, empathize with it, and then suggest alternatives. For instance, when an angry customer is yelling, saying “Calm down” or “I understand you’re upset, but” can provoke the person. Here, you should say “You must be really upset” or “I would have felt bad too if it were me” to show empathy. Do it not once, but several times until the customer feels better.

Again, there are many ways to respond depending on the situation. For example, you could express the person’s feelings for him/her by saying “You must have been frustrated by waiting for a long time. From now on, we will take care of it quickly” to a customer who has been waiting for a long time. To a customer who is angry because of a misunderstanding, an appropriate response would be, “I understand why you would think that way, and…..” For problems that cannot be solved, you can say “Of course it must be done, but I cannot do it. I will transfer you to the relevant department.”

The reason most people are hesitant to empathize is because they are worried that they will be asked to do things that they first agree to. However, customers who have relented tend to accept the opposing view since their feelings are understood. Therefore, don’t worry and empathize with the customers’ feelings.





GLOVIS CS cartoon


This cartoon shows the content on emotional empathy skill. Think about a good way of talking that should be in the balloon.


2021.12.01

Empathy refers to “the ability to understand the emotion of another person by seeing things from that person’s point of view, although you may have a different situation or thought.” When sincerity is added, the customers will feel better understood. The important thing is to understand their feelings, even though not agreeing with everything. That is how you should connect with your customers.
Article: Editor’s Office/ Cartoon by Lee Su-Jung

Now we need “Yes, and…” conversations

For a long time, “yes, but…” skills were known to be helpful in persuading others in a conversation. Communication expert Douglas Stone, in his book, Getting to YES with Yourself suggested the “Yes, and…” conversation. The “Yes, but….” method that agrees first then presents a different opinion is suspiciously a yes for opposition ultimately, and it can give offense. However, the “Yes, and….” method that agrees and continues to empathize with the person’s viewpoint enables the speaker to talk with the other person genuinely. This is the emotional empathy skill.

There can be different responses for the other person’s situation using this emotional empathy skill. For example, when a customer expresses a good emotion, you would act happy as well to show empathy. When you cannot understand the customer’s feelings in a conversation, you can ask a question to ascertain if the other person understands the situation, to show empathy with his/her confusion.

You can also empathize with negative expressions

The trickiest thing is when the other person made a negative expression. The “Yes, and” conversation method used in this case plays its role. You need to first acknowledge the customer’s negative feelings, empathize with it, and then suggest alternatives. In this case, first acknowledge the customer’s negative feeling, empathize with it, and then suggest alternatives. For instance, when an angry customer is yelling, saying “Calm down” or “I understand you’re upset, but” can provoke the person. Here, you should say “You must be really upset” or “I would have felt bad too if it were me” to show empathy. Do it not once, but several times until the customer feels better.

Again, there are many ways to respond depending on the situation. For example, you could express the person’s feelings for him/her by saying “You must have been frustrated by waiting for a long time. From now on, we will take care of it quickly” to a customer who has been waiting for a long time. To a customer who is angry because of a misunderstanding, an appropriate response would be, “I understand why you would think that way, and…..” For problems that cannot be solved, you can say “Of course it must be done, but I cannot do it. I will transfer you to the relevant department.”

The reason most people are hesitant to empathize is because they are worried that they will be asked to do things that they first agree to. However, customers who have relented tend to accept the opposing view since their feelings are understood. Therefore, don’t worry and empathize with the customers’ feelings.

GLOVIS CS cartoon

This cartoon shows the content on emotional empathy skill. Think about a good way of talking that should be in the balloon.