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When to use empathy in complaints handlingFor those who want to read some of the people skills that lie behind good complaint handling from a UK expert in the field. 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 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 Complaints training people to handle complaints well is our business so we are not short of material to help the complaint handler. Happy complaints handling Gordon Miles Article Tags: Complaints Handling Source: Free Articles from ArticlesFactory.com
ABOUT THE AUTHORGordon Miles of Reduce Complaints has had a thread throughout his career on complaints handling. With NatWest in the 1980’s and 1990’s he led his teams to champion customer service and handle complaints well. After leaving NatWest he has held a number of senior Director and Chief Executive posts. He led the Dental Practice Board team that won the Customer Service Excellence Award. He has worked with organisations to achieve International Complaints Handling Standard. He set up and ran the Dental Complaints Service. 
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