There’s no question that Covid-19 forced fundamental changes to the way we run as a society. After nearly two years, some of these changes will likely be permanent. One fundamental change businesses are making is how they relate to their customers. Rather than customer engagement and convenience being the main focus, it’s now shifting to essential needs, like safety and security.
According to Forbes, displaying this level of acknowledgment to customers makes them feel like the company is concerned about them and looking for tangible solutions to their current problems. If this sort of empathy is to be extended to the customer, it first starts within.
Chief Experience Officers (CXO) Are the Empathetic Leaders You Need
Rather than the entire C-Suite focusing on finances and numbers, having someone in the room advocating for the customer at the turn of every major business decision is the best way to close the customer experience gap and keep it closed.
CXOs not only look at every step of the customer experience to ensure every touchpoint is dedicated to the customer’s needs, but they serve as that empathetic advocate for the rest of the company. They can effectively inspire the company to want to focus on the customer and each department delivering their “line of sight” in full dedication to the customer experience.
Different Ways Customer-Facing Companies Can Empathize During the Pandemic
Customers are humans first, who may have had trouble paying their bills and meeting necessities since the onset of the pandemic.
How does a business empathize with this while still making money?
Here are a few key ideas:
- Rather than focusing on upselling, showcase how you can provide them with the essentials they need, including safety and security. Customers are likely to upsell on their own if you appeal to these needs.
- Remain at the forefront of their hearts while implementing contactless business.
- Rebranding certain products to tailor to customer needs.
- Be a light in your customers’ day at a time when depression and anxiety are on the rise.
- Focus on your web presence as this is the epicenter for customer experience right now.
There is something to be said for empathetic business. Empathy has always been a keynote in the customer experience but is now more than ever. Customers crave that security and trust in a brand. In order to create such a framework, empathy has to be encoded in the DNA of the company. Finding an empathetic leader that inspires the company to focus on empathy for the customer above all else is the core that will set you apart.
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