How do you balance empathy and brevity in customer text communications to drive engagement?

When we’re creating automated text campaigns to communicate with customers, we want them to be clear and to the point. But we also want these interactions to come off as human and empathetic. My questions are:

  1. What techniques do you use to show empathy to a customer in a text while still being concise?

  2. How do you find this balance of brevity and empathy impacts customer engagement?

I think the prerequisite for high engagement is Trust (to engage on text, email, social etc.) and to earn that, a holistic approach is required towards customer engagements all the way from acquisition. Once you got that, even the simplest proactive notifications will do the trick for you.

3 Likes

When offering text as a means of engaging, don’t miss the opportunity to authentically (but succinctly) answer the likely customer question of WIIFM? Will the interaction be simple? Can they start and come back later to finish, at their convenience? Time is valuable, and I agree with an industry analyst who recently wrote, “there is implicit empathy in any process that is respecting our time.”

3 Likes

I believe for something to qualify as engagement, the instance/interaction must have/create some value for both the party involved.

Bigger challenge comes after qualifying the engagement - Communicating the value.

The real challenge for text campaign is to communicate (within the limited real estate available) the trigger/transaction linked value:
Why?
Why now?
What if I don’t?

As economics has to say, Incentives and penalties are 2 levers to solicit any behavior. Ability to communicate precisely “what’s the incentive or penalty” becomes the key to success in any such campaign.

1 Like

Ontology and semantic data analysis may be useful here. Could we possibly detect loss or words with negative connotations and respond with sorry to hear that etc?

Alot of great answers from everyone.

At Tower, @Sam Miur has been working on a sentament analysis for automated customer text communications to be able to get feedback from our customers. This way way we can stay more in tune with our customers.

1 Like

I think the technique to be used here is to create a space/demand for the need of these campaigns. Once this demand is created, the consumer would allow themselves to consume the content much differently. For example, the campaign could highlight something ‘not so important’ but if done in the correct manner, the consumer will see it as something they should willingly jump into.

I think these days customers prefer a quick solution over an empathetic human one. People (or end users) have accepted the use of chatbots and scripts to solve their issues. What matters more now is the efficiency and speed of solution.

Text campaigns with short and sweeter communication and Fascinated text message will attract the customers to read. On top Quality is biggest concern. Timely progress and updates.

When creating automated text campaigns to communicate with customers during a traumatic or personal event, it can be challenging to find the balance between being concise and showing empathy. Here are a few techniques that can help:

  1. Use empathetic language: Words like “sorry,” “sympathize,” and “understand” can help to convey empathy and show that you are sensitive to the customer’s situation.
  2. Be specific and personalize the message: Instead of using generic phrases, try to personalize the message and make it specific to the customer’s situation. This can help make the message more relatable and empathetic.
  3. Offer support and resources: If appropriate, offer support and resources that the customer can use to help them through their situation. This can include links to helpful websites, phone numbers for support hotlines, or information about local resources.

Overall, the key is to be genuine and sincere in your messaging. By using empathetic language, personalizing the message, and offering support and resources, you can show empathy and be concise at the same time. As for the impact on customer engagement, being empathetic and concise can help build trust and improve the customer’s overall experience.

I think these customers always prefer to get a faster solution and they also expect a friendly service. Therefore, what is more important now is the speed and humanity of the solution.

1 Like

Less questions, be empathic about the situation if possible over text, mail or any other mode of communication and quick resolution. Easy way to crack.

1 Like

Love the discussion here! I’ve found that one of things that gives me the biggest sigh of relief is “I’m here to help you.”

The Amazon LEARN rule is a customer service approach employed by Amazon to ensure exceptional support and satisfaction. It consists of five key principles:

  1. Listen: This principle emphasizes the importance of actively listening to customers’ concerns, inquiries, or feedback. Amazon encourages its employees to attentively listen to customers to fully understand their needs and issues, laying the foundation for effective problem-solving.
  2. Empathy: Amazon places a strong emphasis on empathy towards customers. Employees are encouraged to put themselves in the customer’s position, acknowledging their feelings and demonstrating genuine understanding and compassion for their situation.
  3. Apologize: When appropriate, Amazon encourages its employees to apologize to customers for any inconvenience or dissatisfaction they may have experienced. This demonstrates accountability and a commitment to acknowledging and addressing customer concerns.
  4. Resolution: The ultimate goal of the LEARN rule is to resolve customer issues promptly and effectively. Amazon empowers its employees to take ownership of problems and work towards finding satisfactory solutions, whether it involves offering refunds, replacements, troubleshooting assistance, or other necessary actions.
  5. Notify: After resolving the issue, Amazon emphasizes the importance of notifying the customer about the resolution. This ensures transparency and keeps the customer informed about the steps taken to address their concerns, maintaining open communication and building trust.

Overall, the Amazon LEARN rule serves as a comprehensive framework for delivering exceptional customer service by promoting active listening, empathy, accountability, effective problem resolution, and transparent communication throughout the customer support process.

Use empathetic language such as “sorry,” “understand,” and “we’re here to help.” Personalize messages to the customer’s situation and offer relevant support or resources. This ensures messages are both compassionate and to the point.

Balancing brevity and empathy builds trust and enhances the customer experience. Concise yet empathetic messages show respect for the customer’s time and needs, leading to higher engagement and satisfaction​.

1 Like