by Pete Lauria
When it comes to delivering a standout customer experience, empathy can’t be overlooked as a core factor. In my experience working with both enterprise and mid-market companies, empathy is either completely ignored or treated as just a nice-to-have. You can have the most advanced tech, the fastest shipping, the slickest website, but if your people don’t know how to relate to customers on a human level, none of that matters.
Empathy is what turns a transaction into a connection. It’s what transforms an annoyed customer into a loyal one. And it’s not just an element restricted to customer support. Salespeople, retail clerks, delivery drivers, social media managers, anyone and everyone who touches the customer journey needs to get this right.
I was always surprised to see that many businesses associate empathy with agreeing with the customer or bending to every demand. Not even close. It’s about making people feel heard, seen, and respected. You can say “no” to a request and still make someone feel good about the interaction. That’s the power of empathy.
In customer support, empathy is the difference between
“We can’t do that”
versus
“I totally understand why you’d want that. Here’s what I can do for you.”
One shuts the door. The other opens it.
Salespeople who lead with empathy don’t just push products (an all-too-common perception). They listen. They ask better questions. They understand what the customer actually needs, not just what they think they want or what some quota demands they sell. That builds trust, and trust is what converts.
Retail workers? Same story. That high-school kid hired at minimum wage is on the front line of representing your business, but doesn’t care how a customer feels about the experience unless you teach them how as part of basic training. They’re quite capable of delivering an amazing experience but in many cases are never shown. The best retail workers don’t just ring up items. They notice when someone looks confused. They pick up on non-verbal cues. They offer help before being asked, not because it’s required, but because they care.
And don’t forget the post-purchase experience. I’ve often said in my keynote speeches that people don’t contact support because they’re happy, they contact support because some situation or problem prompted them to do so. Empathy plays a huge role in a customer’s time of need when something goes wrong. A delayed shipment or damaged product is frustrating, but the way a company responds can make or break the relationship. A well-trained, empathetic support team can flip a negative into a win. And I’ve often suggested that the support agents who do this well should be rewarded, not only for a job well done, but as inspiration to others.
In fact, a 2023 report from PwC found that 73% of customers say experience is an important factor in their purchasing decisions, and 43% would pay more for a greater experience.
That experience is much more than just speed or convenience, an easy metric to measure. What matters most is how people feel during and after interacting with your brand, a much more complex metric to capture.
66% of customers expect companies to understand their unique needs and expectations, and notice when companies do.
Salesforce’s State of the Connected Customer report
Empathy is what bridges the gap between what customers expect and what companies deliver. When you meet people where they are emotionally, you gain a competitive edge.
Here are a few ways to bake empathy into the customer experience at every level:
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- Train for it. Empathy isn’t always innate. Role-playing exercises, real call reviews, and feedback loops help employees build emotional intelligence.
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- Hire for it. Don’t just hire for experience. Hire for attitude. A kind, curious mindset is often more valuable than a long resume.
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- Empower people. Let frontline employees make judgment calls. Trust them to do what’s right, not just what’s scripted.
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- Listen up. Use surveys, support tickets, and social media to actively listen to customer pain points. Then act on them.
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- Model it from the top. Leadership has to live it. If empathy isn’t modeled internally, it won’t show up externally.
Empathy isn’t soft or a sign of weakness. It’s strategic and shows strength. It’s what helps companies stand out in a noisy, choice-saturated market. It’s what keeps customers coming back when they have a dozen alternatives.
So no, you don’t have to hug every customer who walks through the door. But you should show up with respect. Take the time. Pay attention. Give a damn.
That’s what extraordinary experiences are built on. And that’s what your customers remember.