Customer empathy

Customer empathy as a metric for success

Organizations like Apple, Coca-Cola, Edward Jones, and USAA, to name a few, are picking up on the signals of empathy that can be measured through customer interactions. In other words, they’re connecting the dots between their business and their customers by using defined goals tied to key CX metrics in a consistent and thoughtful way.

These leading organizations aren’t just examining micro-interactions or a specific journey flow—though they’re focused on optimizing and measuring the effectiveness of each—but also customer lifetime value (CLV). They know that by projecting authentic empathy as an organization, they’ll drive trust and loyalty that will make customers think of them first when they want or need another product or service they offer.

Customer empathy in practice

So how does a business really measure empathy? To do this effectively, businesses may need to rethink what it means to be customer-centric. Not just in the products and services it provides, but at its core—what it really stands for.

Once that mission is established, teams can make certain customer-centered objectives a focus, driving innovation and change to achieve those customer-focused initiatives. By making human insight a critical part of your organization’s culture, your team is on the right track to consistently make the right decisions for your customers and ultimately your organization.

Customer empathy is based on insight

The key to great customer experience starts with putting human insight—which helps build meaningful connections with customers—into the hands of all teams. And the shift to a culture of empathy must happen in tandem, by connecting your organization’s mission to business goals and metrics (like the example above).