When to use empathy in complaints handling

If you have read any books on complaints handling you will at some point have heard about the need to establish empathy with the customer. Some corporate procedures encourage this too.  Most writers on the subject focus on the need to approach the customer who is complaining with empathy.

What is empathy?

It is a word often used but is it understood? We find that on our complaints training courses when we ask this question that the answer is not always straightforward. Basically sympathy and empathy are often confused.

The dictionary definitions of empathy are varied but seem to centre on showing an understanding of another’s situation and feelings.  This is different to sympathy which is more about feelings of pity, compassion or sorrow for the distress of another. 

We need to avoid sympathy in complaints handling.  It sounds good in principle to sympathize but what this does is to encourage the customer to “wallow” in the complaint.  

Instead we should show empathy to show understanding. This means we identify with the needs of the customer. How do you do that? You could try using phrases such as “I understand that must be difficult for you when…”

Give it a try and let me know how you get on.  At Reduce Complaintstraining people to handle complaintswell is our business so we are not short of material to help the complaint handler.

Happy complaints handling

Gordon Miles