Team Partners Telecommunications

Sympathy versus Empathy

Posted on Jan 24, 2023

One of several ways to look at the difference between sympathy and empathy is to see the one, sympathy, as being like sitting across a table from someone in distress, telling them how sorry you are for everything they are going through, and empathy as sitting alongside someone, sharing their sorrow. You could say that sympathy retains the higher ground, whilst empathy wishes to share what ground it has. 

Why, as we start this new year, do we mention this? Forgive us if we answer our own question with another, but how financially hopeful are you for 2023? We would suggest that for many, individually and corporately, this year will be one in which being able to successfully tread water until things change will be seen as a win. So how, as a business, do we do that best?

It could be by changing emphasis. Many businesses are run with their chief focus being on sales, with service and support being something we do out of necessity. In this season it’s going to be those who offer solid, supportive service who are going to be the winners. It’s that difference between sympathy and empathy. Which is more likely to win you loyal customers, is it the sympathetic, “We’re sorry things are hard and you’re struggling, but we do ned you to pay on time / buy in quantity to secure a discount / pay a 40% deposit / meet our deadline for returns / pay for postage”, or the empathetic “We’re sorry things are hard but what can we change in the way we do business with you that will help?”

Another approach would be to try asking yourself what would help you to remain a customer of your business, if you were one. Implementation of your (empathetic) answer will almost inevitably yield a better return in the long run.

Some many moons ago in this blog we talked about telephoning and how it was becoming a lost art. We asked the question, “When did you last receive a courtesy call from a manager of a important supplier to your company?” because it’s something that rarely happens and the impression we got was ‘seldom, if ever’. We’d suggest that now is the time to get on the ‘phone and talk to customers to see how they’re doing and whether there’s anything you can do to make life easier, because showing you care is being empathetic and will go a long way towards retaining customers and even creating new sales, if they’re in the right place.

Reading this, are you old enough to remember business lunches and entertaining customers? It’s something that lost favour and went out of fashion as most businesses become almost completely sales focused and results and profit driven. We’re not suggesting that a change wasn’t due and being sales focussed may well be the right approach in periods of economic growth, but no-one really wants a hard sell in a recession, or maybe at any time. Empathy, a willingness to help and a well-earned referral will always be the ultimate winner!