Empathy in business is one of the 2021 trends that drive solopreneurial success. This is because the concept of creating and providing quality products and services is fairly common. It’s also easy to do.
That makes customers nowadays only wanting to do business with brands that connect with them personally. If you’re aiming to outperform your competitors by a huge margin this year, you need to show the empathetic side of your business. Here’s how.
1. Share customer insights through the web
You have a wealth of customer data easily accessible through social media, customer service emails, and product reviews. If there are no reviews on your business, conduct an online survey among your customers or start a discussion. Show them what you think and what others think.
It may not be direct like asking them questions in person, but it still shows them that you care, you’re ready to listen to how they feel, and you’re interested in understanding their dispositions.
2. Conduct customer research in person
Aside from conducting an online survey, it’s better to ask your customers through face-to-face one-on-one interviews. For example, if a customer visits your shop, even if they didn’t make a purchase, don’t hesitate to ask when they think about your store’s setup or what’s lacking in your inventory.
This will provide you insights into what you need to do to make your store a comfortable place for customers and what goods are needed to be added to help them get what they want and make their lives easier.
When you notice that your customers are frequently visiting, make friends with them. Share personal stories if they’re comfortable. Know who they all are. Physical and casual conversations build tight customer relationships so don’t undermine them.
3. Be creative
Now that you know who your customers are, it’s time to make adjustments to your brand that stands and at the same time appealing to their demographics. For example, if most of your customers are stay-at-home mothers and you’re selling produce, create ad campaigns that are appealing to mothers such as door-to-door delivery of clean, safe, fresh, and nutritious veggies for the family.
Other creative yet empathetic ad campaigns are modifying business logos that match current events. One good example of that is Chiquita Banana’s removal of Miss Chiquita. Customers were curious about the purpose of the rebrand until they read the Instagram caption saying, “I’m already home. Please do the same and protect yourself. 💛 #stayhome” The ad campaign was perfect for the current pandemic situation and Chiquita Bananas received a lot of positive feedback for it.
4. Be patient
The pandemic has been the cause of stress for everyone around the globe. So it’s unavoidable that some of your customers might show crankiness sometimes. It’s important that you as a business owner shouldn’t get irate as well.
If your customer starts to raise their voice, let them know that you understand their feelings because that’s also what you want to hear when you’re mad. Explain the cause of the problem you’re both facing and tell them it’s out of your control.
If you’re facing an angry customer over the line, present them with various options to calm down and assure them that you’ll call them back once the issue has been resolved because that’s exactly what they need.
Otherwise, offer them beverages such as tea or cold water to calm them down while they wait in your store until their problem is resolved. Whatever you do, always approach the situation in a calm manner. These actions of empathy drive customer loyalty because they know that you’re there ready to help them with their problems in the best way possible.
Empathy is essential in business because it promotes a harmonious relationship between the business owner and the customer. When a customer feels that they will be well taken care of by a brand, they will not hesitate to show support and will come back time and time again.
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