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Understanding Customers – An Introduction to Customer Empathy Mapping
Empathy Map to Connect with customers or consumers is a very useful tool since it is critical to have a clear grasp of our clients. If we want to market and sell our products and services efficiently, then it can be accomplished by:
Before attempting to comprehend our ideal clients’ experience with us, we must first learn how they see their surroundings.
How They See Their Surroundings:
The Customer Empathy Map, as we all know, was created by XPLANE. Which is very valuable tool for defining our right client, audience or customer. It can also be utilized during brainstorming meetings to determine how often and how much we genuinely know about our clients and to suggest areas where more research is needed. At around the same period of time, it may reveal, what we already know or suspect about the people to whom we sell to.
The tool is an excellent starting point in creating a customer profile. Which is assisting us in building significant effective communication channels and value propositions. That will help us to develop the relationships with customers. Which we require.
By examining the following characteristics, the Customer or consumer Empathy Map allows us to identify, empathies and interact with our consumers.
What do they believe and how do they feel, What is far most valuable and important to them, what are their goals, what would they see, what do their peers have, what is their workplace, surrounding and environment like, and what advertising strategies are they accustomed to? What was their past interaction with us like, What did they hear? Who was motivating them? What media do they consume, and what do their relatives, friends, family, coworkers, and managers have to say about it? What do they say, how do people interact socially, how do they seem, and how do they influence others?
Next we consider their pains and potential gains.
here need to consider is about their fears, problems, challenges or the frustrations that they have. What obstacles might be getting in their way, What do they hope to accomplish, how do they define and fulfilled success. And then what do they strive, desire and aspire to. And to attain their objectives, what else might they can do?
To use the Customer Empathy Map,
- First list your customer segments. Each segment should have a need that requires a distinct offer, different distribution channel or alternative customer. Select the one that you want to focus on.
- Next, give your customer a name and define their demographic status. List key characteristics such as their age, marital status, number of children, job type and income. Using a whiteboard, or sheet a flip chart paper, draw your Customer Empathy Map. Placing their key demographic characteristics in the center circle.
Then, build profile of the ideal customer for your chosen segment by exploring each of the areas in the map. And answering the questions that we outlined earlier. Put your responses on Post-it Notes and stick them to the map.
The Technique Works Best:
When you get input from a group of colleagues who ideally work in various parts of the business, each with different touch points in the customer experience. By collecting and collating the inputs from a range of individuals, we start to develop a rounded and balanced view of what our ideal customer looks like. One that goes beyond just the demographic characteristics. And that helps us to better understand their:
- Environment,
- Behavior,
- Concerns and
- Their aspirations.
However, if you do not have a team you can also get good results by working through the technique on your own. And then testing some of your assumptions through conversations with one or two of your best customers.
Ultimately, the Customer Empathy Map allows us to gain a better knowledge and insight picture of our clients or customers. And the ways in which we interact with them. It enables us to gain insight into prospective demands. That the customer may have but we are not actively and currently addressing and serving. As well as, by this, we can discover areas where our product offerings are likely to provide value.
Connecting With Customers through Empathy
We all know today’s customers are savvy armed with product and pricing information as well as ratings and reviews. Their expectations are higher than ever but they want something more. Something that’s harder to quantify but nonetheless vital to your bottom line.
They want connection, a relationship with your brand. When people trust you, they would like to purchase from you. like that, e stablishing and maintaining healthy, positive, meaningful, fulfilling relationships. In turn, necessitates going beyond the simple secure transactions and gracious, polite and respectful thank-you and gratitude.
So, every time you or your employees interact with customers. You have an opportunity to create human moments that matter to your business.
When people do business with you, you become a part of their personal experience. Try to get to know them, not as numbers in a database but as human beings. Start by gathering and sharing insights collected through social media, research surveys, calls and comments.
For Example:
Some financial services companies organizes customer comments by themes and topics and distributes them across the company. Thousands of associates including brand and call center team members read these great customer insights. Employees report having a better understanding of how to serve customers. then solve for their needs, leading to an improved customer experience.
Like that Charles Schwab business results point to the success of this strategy. Charles Schwab hallmark business connections, believes in listening to customers voices. Uncovering likes, dislikes and expectations in order to sincerely understand what we’re hearing. And we’ve developed an immersion program to help us feel, what our customers feel. To not only see what we’re doing right but to know where we can improve and develop departmental action plans.
Every person is not born with the ability to comprehend, accept, understand and share the sentiments of others. Particularly, when there is a disagreement. However, if you really want your staff to form bonds. you must provide them with opportunities to do so. Empathy is known as a must-have. It’s how we make bad situations good and good situations great.
It requires awareness and emotional intelligence. Employees can’t develop these skills if you hold them back. Empower your staff, especially those on the front lines. To deal with the circumstances at present, provide each customer with a great and unforgettable experience.
To put empathy into action:
Request that your front-line personnel, workers or employees to create, establish, keep oar maintain a checklist. It’s important for identifying customer’s emotions and reactions during an interaction. Were they angry, ambivalent, elated, encouraged role reversal? How would they react if they were built twice or received slower than expected service? With this heightened awareness employees develop a sensitivity. This can lead to positive encounters as well as interactions to the appropriate healthy emotional experiences.
Now it’s time to provide them the authority to create, develop and establish moments that will strengthen your customers’ strong and healthy emotional bonds with your company, brand or product.
Here’s an Example:
Traveling back from vacation. A family realized to their, that their son’s favorite stuffed animal “Joshy the giraffe” have been left in their hotel room at the Ritz-Carlton. The quick-thinking dad, told his distraught son, “the Joshy had just decided to stay and enjoy a few extra days” as soon as his son was out of earshot, he called the Ritz to see, if jaw she showed up in the lost and found and told them the story of his heartbroken son.
The average customer service person might have gone through the normal protocols of checking. But this one did something 10 times better. As soon as the staff heard about the lost toy, they immediately felt for the little boy and got creative with the idea of joshi’s extended vacation. They photographed the giraffe as he received his own Ritz Carlton staff card, signed himself on a lounge chair at the pool and chilled out in the spa. Upon the family’s return home they received a package with not only the stuffed animal but with photos and details of joshi’s fun.
Small Act of Kindness:
Not only did this small act of kindness make the boy feel good. But it turned their family into raving brand advocates and brought worldwide attention to the Ritz Carlton. Consumers already hold this hotel chain to high standards but this time employees exceeded everyone’s expectations. And set a new standard for customer engagement.
- Did it cost the Ritz Carlton much?
- Was it fun for the employees and made them love their job more? Oh yes.
- Was it putting empathy into action? Most definitely.
So bear in mind that when it comes to business success, the feel-good potential of empathy cannot be ignored or underestimated. It’s really the relationship that exists between businesses and their users, clients or consumers.
As every one of your interactions becomes a human-to-human moment rather than an employee to customer event. Just think of the impact to your customers and your company.
Thank you for reading, be sure to give your opinion because more incredible content is on the way. and if there is any trouble you may contact me.