How to Use Sympathy and Empathy in Customer Service
- Tim Jordan
- Apr 1
- 9 min read
Updated: Apr 4
Customer service is about making customers feel heard, valued, and respected. At the heart of this is empathy.
How you make a customer feel is just as important as the solution you provide?
Let’s explore what empathy in customer service truly means, the types of empathy in customer service, and how you can use it to create a stellar support experience.
What Is Empathy in Customer Service?
Empathy in customer service is the ability to understand and share the feelings of your customers. It goes beyond simply acknowledging their issues.
When a customer reaches out with frustration, concern, or a request, they’re looking for more than just a fix. They want to feel like they matter.
Why Is Empathy Important in Customer Service?
Empathy means being present in the conversation, recognizing the emotions behind a customer’s words, and responding in a way that reassures them.
Whether they’re frustrated about a delayed order, confused about a policy, or upset about a technical issue, your ability to empathize determines how the interaction will unfold. When done well, it leads to a stronger customer connection and higher customer satisfaction.
Empathy is the key to building trust and loyalty. Here’s why it’s crucial:
Empathy creates positive customer experiences.
When customers feel understood, they’re more likely to leave a support interaction satisfied, even if the solution isn’t exactly what they hoped for.
A simple “I completely understand how you feel” can change the tone of an interaction and create a much better experience.
Empathy reduces customer frustration.
Empathetic responses defuse tension and can turn a negative experience into a positive customer experience.
An angry customer may leave the conversation feeling heard and respected simply because the customer service representative took the time to acknowledge their feelings.
Empathy builds brand loyalty.
Customers are more likely to return to a company that makes them feel valued and cared for. People don’t just remember the outcome—they remember how they were treated throughout the process.
Empathy enhances problem-solving.
Understanding a customer’s emotions helps customer service agents offer better, more personalized solutions, something customers want in spades. When you truly grasp their perspective, you can tailor your response to meet their needs more effectively.
Empathy transforms customer interactions from being purely transactional to truly relational.
When companies and support teams prioritize empathy, customers experience an emotional connection that goes beyond the issue at hand, creating long-term brand loyalty and advocacy.
15 Ways to Show Empathy in Customer Service
Empathy isn’t just about what you say—it’s how you say it.
Here are some practical ways to show empathy in your customer interactions. Incorporate these into daily interactions to make your customers feel valued and understood.
1. Validate your customers' feelings
Acknowledge their emotions with statements like "I understand why this would be frustrating." Validating their feelings helps de-escalate situations and reassures them that they are being heard.
2. Use a warm and friendly tone
Your tone matters just as much as your words. Even in written communication, a kind tone makes a difference.
Avoid overly formal or robotic language and aim for a conversational, understanding tone. Display empathy in your tone as you would a friend who just had a setback.
3. Personalize the interaction
Address customers by name and reference specific details they’ve shared by paraphrasing their issue. This makes the conversation feel more human and less like a scripted response.
Tailor responses to create a more genuine connection. Bonus points if they’re a repeat caller and you check in on how everything is going since the last conversation.
4. Follow up when necessary
A quick follow-up email or call shows that you genuinely care about their experience. Even if an issue has been resolved, check in to ensure they’re satisfied to add a personal touch that customers will appreciate.
5. Make it simple to get help
Make it simple for customers to contact you through multiple channels, such as phone, chat, email, and social media. Accessibility itself is a sign of care, so your support channels should be readily available and easy to find.
6. Resolve issues fast
It goes without saying, but customers want their issues resolved fast. Quick and efficient resolution shows customers that their time and concerns matter.
Faster resolution leads to loyal customers, with Forrester showing that customers are 2.4 times more likely to stick around when you solve their problems quickly.
7. Understand your customer base
Support has an advantage with customer knowledge because they get to talk to customers every day.
Use this advantage to learn about your customers’ needs, preferences, and common pain points so you can anticipate their concerns and proactively look for ways to address them.
8. Act on customer feedback
Show empathy by listening to feedback and making meaningful changes based on it. And when changes are made, take it a step further to notify anyone who recommended the change.
9. Prioritize listening
Give customers your full attention, avoid interruptions, and respond thoughtfully. Avoid multitasking, interrupting, or jumping to conclusions before they’ve fully explained their issue.
Respond with phrases like, “I hear you” or “That makes sense,” and paraphrase their issue to demonstrate you’ve understood it.
10. Identify bias
Be aware of personal biases affecting how you respond to different customers and strive for fairness.
For example, if a customer is frustrated when they call in, you may unconsciously push back and get defensive. Allowing the customer to air their frustration and showing empathy will calm the customer down.
11. Promote mental health with support agents
Support agents should take care of their well-being and maintain patience and empathy in customer interactions. Learning to manage stress, remain positive, and not overwork themselves will help customer service representatives communicate empathy effectively.
12. Train customer empathy
Regularly train customer service teams on empathetic communication and active listening skills. An empathy training teaches them what customer service empathy statements are, how and when to use them, what they mean, and why they’re important.
You can also use videos like this to teach your team how to show customer empathy.
13. Support causes your customers care about
Aligning with social causes that matter to your customers strengthens brand loyalty and emotional connection. This helps your customers feel like they are important as people and not just as customers.
14. Focus on the human touch
Keep the human touch in your support department by avoiding overly scripted responses and engaging in natural, caring conversations. Make it easy to reach a human, even if you’re using AI to help with support.
Sometimes, humans just want to speak to humans. Be as transparent as possible and go the extra mile for your customers.
15. Consider improving the employee experience
Happy and supported employees are more likely to extend empathy to customers.
One of the key takeaways from Salesforce’s 2022 The Experience Advantage report shows that connecting the employee experience to the customer experience can lead to revenue growth of up to 50%.
Improving your knowledge base will also improve the employee experience by allowing customer service agents the ability to find answers quickly so they can focus on providing empathy.
Sympathy and Empathy in Customer Service Examples
Understanding the difference between sympathy and empathy is crucial for delivering exceptional and empathetic customer service.
Think of it this way: sympathy is standing on the sidelines, recognizing someone’s struggle, while empathy is stepping into their shoes and walking alongside them. In customer service, the latter makes all the difference.
Here are a few examples to illustrate the difference.
Scenario: product issue
Sympathy Example (Less Effective): “I’m sorry your product isn’t working. I’ll help you with that.”
Empathy Example (More Effective): “I know it’s disappointing when something you’ve paid for doesn’t work as expected. I’ll make sure this gets fixed for you.”
The difference between sympathy and empathy here is that empathy isn’t just taking ownership of the issue. It acknowledges the pain felt by the customer when the product they’ve spent money on isn’t working properly.
Scenario: high-resolution time
Sympathy Example (Less Effective): “Sorry for the wait. I appreciate your patience.”
Empathy Example (More Effective): “I know waiting can be really frustrating, and I appreciate your patience. I’m working on getting this resolved for you as quickly as possible.”
Here, empathy acknowledges the frustration of waiting for an issue to be resolved rather than simply appreciating the customer’s patience.
Scenario: Technical Support Issue
Sympathy Example (Less Effective): “I’m sorry you’re experiencing technical issues. I’ll troubleshoot this for you.”
Empathy Example (More Effective): “I know how frustrating it can be when technology doesn’t work as expected. I’ve been in the same spot before. I’m going to work with you to get this fixed.”
This empathy statement goes beyond acknowledging the technical issue and reflects a genuine understanding of the customer’s feelings.
The subtle shift in language over each scenarios can dramatically improve the customer experience, leading to stronger relationships, higher customer satisfaction, and long-term loyalty.
9 Empathy Statements for Customer Support and When to Use Them
Using the right words can make all the difference. Here are some empathy-driven statements and when to use them:
Any time you speak to a customer
“Hi (customer’s name).” People love to hear their own name, and it creates an instant connection.
When a customer is frustrated
“I can see how this situation would be upsetting. Let’s work together to find a solution.” Acknowledging their feelings can instantly calm a situation down.
When a customer is confused
“I totally get how this could be confusing. Let me walk you through it step by step.” Bonus points for taking it a step further and updating what the customer is confused about.
When an issue is taking longer than expected
“I really appreciate your patience. I know waiting isn’t ideal, and I’m doing everything I can to resolve this as quickly as possible.” This shows respect for the customer’s time and reassures them they’re not forgotten.
When a mistake has been made
“I sincerely apologize for the error. This shouldn’t have happened. I understand how this impacted you, and I’m committed to making it right.” Owning up to mistakes is a sign of integrity in a company and displays an understanding of how it affected the customer.
When a customer is providing feedback
“That’s a great point. I appreciate you sharing your thoughts, and I’ll make sure to pass this along to the right team.” Taking feedback, and more importantly, acting on it when you can, shows you value how your customers feel.
When a customer has spoken to several people and still isn’t getting a resolution
“I’m sorry we haven’t gotten you what you need. I’ll take ownership of this issue and resolve it completely for you.” Owning up to the mistake, as well as one person taking ownership of the issue, helps the customer feel heard.
When you’re closing out a phone call
“Is there anything else I can help you with today?” This simple phrase allows the customer to bring up anything else they need so they don’t have to call in again.
To set clear expectations with a customer
“This will be resolved in X days.” or “You can expect me to follow up with you in X days.” This statement shows that you respect your customer’s time because they know what comes next.
Add these examples to your internal help center as well. These statements help customers feel understood, validated and reassured. Knowing when and how to use them effectively can turn a potentially negative customer experience into a positive one.
How Customer Service Empathy Drives Loyalty and Retention
Empathy isn't just about resolving an issue in the moment — it's about creating a long-lasting positive impression that keeps customers coming back.
When customers feel understood, they’re far more likely to develop an emotional connection with your brand. This connection is what drives the loyal customers.
Here’s how empathy impacts customer loyalty:
Increased customer satisfaction: When customers feel genuinely cared for, their satisfaction levels soar. Even if the outcome isn't perfect, being heard and valued leaves a lasting impression. What happens if they’re not heard and valued? Emplifi says that 86 percent of customers leave a brand they were once loyal to after only two to three bad customer service experiences.
Higher customer retention: Empathy heightens the quality of customer service, making customers feel emotionally connected to a brand and more likely to stick around. According to Salesforce, 88% of customers say good customer service makes them more likely to purchase again.
Positive word-of-mouth: Happy customers become brand advocates. When someone feels truly supported, they’re more inclined to recommend your company to friends, family, and colleagues. Salesforce found that 75% of customers have recommended a company based on excellent customer service.
Higher spend per customer. Happy customers not only stick around longer, but they spend more, too. Zendesk reports that 75% of customers will spend more with businesses that provide a good customer experience.
Empathy in Customer Support
Empathy builds connections with your customers by creating a customer experience that feels human, fostering trust, building strong relationships, and turning one-time customers into lifelong advocates. It has become an essential part of customer service.
When you approach every interaction with care, understanding, and a human touch, you create experiences that customers remember and appreciate. Start with empathy, and you’ll be on the path to stellar support.
With Swifteq's Help Center Apps, your customer education and customer support teams can do what they do best by leading with empathy and putting your customers first.
Book a demo today!
Written by Tim Jordan
Tim is a Manager of Customer Support at Cars.com and a writer for Supported Content. When he’s not busy leading his team, you’ll find him spending time with his wife and two daughters, usually on some Disney-related activity. He also blogs about personal finance at Atypical Finance.