20 effective empathy statements for chat support
We can all agree that offering customer service on chat can significantly shorten wait times and allow easy personalization.
Conveying empathy—a deep understanding of the customer’s problem and frustration, over chat is challenging. When you speak face-to-face or on a phone call, filler words that convey that you’re listening, such as ‘I understand’ and ‘I see’ can help you participate in the conversation while noting down customer needs.
Over chat, your sincerity and genuineness still need to be expressed using the right words. Here’s where empathy statements or phrases come to an agent’s rescue. Empathy statements are sentences that agents can use to address a person’s feelings and establish a connection. They help agents build rapport, offer great customer service, and improve customer experience.
Empathy is a crucial customer service skill that every customer service agent needs to have. To help you convey empathy over chat and deliver the best chat support, we’ve shared six tips and twenty empathy statements you can use while engaging with the customer.
But first, what are the different types of empathy?
Empathy is more than a mere feeling. It can be divided into three types: understanding, sharing, and taking action to enrich the condition of the person you empathize with. Below are the three kinds of empathy, with examples of how to use them in chat support and better navigate difficult situations.
Cognitive empathy: The ability to understand how a person feels in a given situation.
Cognitive empathy comes from practicing active listening and acknowledging what customers have to say. Paraphrasing a customer’s complaint to them once they are finished helps both the agent and customer ensure they’re on the same page.
Emotional empathy: The ability to share feelings and connect a customer’s emotions. Here’s where you put yourself in your customer’s shoes and relate to their feelings.
For example, understanding customer frustration and stating that you would also be frustrated if you were in the customer’s situation validate their discomfort with the issue. Moving forward, the customer would be more accepting of the solution offered.
Compassionate empathy: When you take action to soothe and comfort a person in distress.
This is where you ask yourself what solution you would need in this situation and present your customers with options. Explain to your customers why you’re recommending features, packages, or products and why it would work best for them.
Combining these three qualities helps customer support representatives understand and take the necessary action needed. This, in turn, helps increase customer satisfaction and build a loyal customer base. Use this with the tips and examples of empathy statements given below to win your customers over.
6 ways to express empathy better [With sample empathy statements]
#1 Make customers feel heard
A customer service representative’s positive tone greatly influences how the conversation unfolds. While dealing with an irate customer, empathy phrases like “I can help you with that!” and “I’m sorry you went through this” can instantly lift the whole mood of the chat.
But it’s important to choose your words carefully based on the severity of the customer’s problem and the tone of the conversation. For instance, you can say “That’s awesome” to a customer when their issue has been resolved to share their happiness or relief. However, you can’t say this to a customer who went from pillar to post to get a solution.
In the above example, you can see that the customer’s tone is almost neutral, so the agent thanked the customer for raising the complaint before asking for further details to look into the issue. If the customer seemed furious or accusatory, the right approach would have been to apologize first, de-escalate the situation, and then follow up with questions.
You can use the empathetic statements given below with your best judgment to make customers feel heard:
“Thank you for bringing this to our attention” “Thank you for taking the time to drop us a line” “I’m sorry you went through this” “I’m sorry you’re facing this issue”
Such phrases also encourage customers to address any additional issues they face. This also gives you scope to rectify their error while being empathetic to the customer.
#2 Validate customers’ feelings
The key to making or breaking a difficult conversation lies in the validation of a customer’s feelings. Showing the customer that their anger, frustration, and concerns are justifiable can help soothe their emotions. It’s also the first step toward building trust and deeper customer relationships.
The best way to move forward is to think about a time when you encountered a similar experience and remember how you felt then.
Alternatively, putting yourself in the customer’s shoes is another textbook method of empathizing and understanding a customer’s pain points. Would you feel just as angry or annoyed if you were in your customer’s position?
If you agree that the customer’s reaction is warranted, you can use the following phrases to show your support.
“I understand how you feel” “I would do the same if I were in your position too” “Your anger/frustration is completely justified”
#3 Thoroughly understand your customer’s problems
Being part of a customer support team gives you expertise on the product you work with. Over time, customers' doubts and concerns might start to seem too simple to need assistance. It is important to understand that customers are not experts in your product and might have doubts about the most basic of things.
Realizing our prejudices and unlearning them is of utmost importance in customer support. For example, if someone who is not fluent in English contacts you for assistance, the terms they use might differ entirely. Here’s where you need to use empathy statements to avoid misunderstandings.
For example, Canyon is a sports cycle e-commerce site with a target market across Europe. To support its wide customer base, Canyon uses multilingual live chat to connect with its customers.
While multilingual support may not be possible for every brand, you can still help out a non-English speaking customer using auto-translate to assist them better. This kind of empathetic service would instantly earn you a loyal customer.
The best way to ensure that you and your customers are on the same page is to repeat or paraphrase their issue. This ensures that you’ve entirely understood the customer’s problem. Your customer will also feel confident and comfortable sharing more information if necessary.
Here are a few questions that you can ask:
“If I’ve understood what you’re saying correctly, you’re facing/having trouble with <customer’s issue>” “Please let me know if my understanding of your problem is accurate – <customer’s issue>” “To sum up, <customer’s issue>”
Once you’ve completely understood your customer’s problem, you can move on to recommending the right solution.
#4 Keep your customer updated on what’s happening
A customer reaches out to a contact center and gets connected with reps, hoping to get an immediate solution. While your team members might be working hard to clear the issue, implementing the solution might take longer than usual.
Instead of leaving the customer in the dark, communicate every step of progress from your side. Being proactive and sharing updates shows empathy—it shows you have the forethought to know that they might be worried.
In the above example, the agent communicated the customer’s mistake and how long it would take for the new option to process and directed the customer to the knowledge base for any further information.
Here are a few phrases that you can use to share updates:
“Hey <customer name>, I’m afraid this is taking longer than expected. The good news is that you can expect to hear from us by <date>” “Hey <customer name>, just wanted to let you know that we’ve begun implementing the solution for this issue.” “The <team name> has added this to their queue, and you can expect a solution by <date>”
#5 Prompt empathy in customers
You will often find yourself in a situation that requires you to say no to a customer. For instance, you might have to inform the customer that the product they’re requesting is not in stock or turn down their request for free shipping.
In such situations, understanding a customer’s point of view enables you to foresee if they are becoming skepticism. Try to give them an empathetic response to regain their trust.
Rephrase the part of the chat that made them doubt your intentions. In some cases, paraphrasing the chat can help you better understand the situation and ensure that your understanding is correct. This also helps you clear any misunderstanding on the customer’s side.
In the above chat, the agent paraphrased the entire situation for the customer when the chat went in the wrong direction. This explanation cleared the customer’s scepticism while also providing further choices.
These short phrases can help with eliminating misunderstandings:
“Just to be clear, <customer concern>” “I’m sorry but I can’t help you with this since our policy does not allow for it” “This isn’t a part of our customer service/company policy, so I’m afraid I can’t process this request”
#6 Work towards finding the right solution
Customer care is about how fast you arrive at the right solution. The more effort you put into finding a solution, the faster your customer can return to their everyday life.
But it’s important not to jump the gun. As we’ve said before, ensure you get the complete picture first. For instance, before asking the customer to refresh or restart a page, question them if they have already done it.
All these elements collectively contribute to finding a solution and creating a positive experience.
Here are two things to remember while offering a solution: – Use shorter sentences and avoid technical terms unless it’s absolutely necessary – Use a casual tone to chat. Get creative and use emojis/gifs if appropriate. This helps the customers to ease any discomfort on their side and communicate better.
The above chat not only initiated a conversation but also informed the customer about an eye-catching offer the customer might have missed otherwise.
Given below are a few empathy statements you can use while recommending a solution:
“Here’s what you can do –” “We’re going to <solution>” “Have you tried – <solution>” “This help guide has step-by-step instructions can help you fix your issue”
20 empathy statements for customer service
Here’s a list of customer service empathy statements that you can use during customer service conversations.
"I understand how frustrating that must be." Acknowledges the customer's feelings and validates their experience.
"I'm so sorry you're going through this." Expresses genuine sympathy and takes ownership of the problem.
"Thank you for bringing this to our attention." Shows appreciation for the customer's feedback and willingness to help improve things.
"I appreciate your patience while we work on resolving this." Acknowledges the inconvenience and values the customer's time.
"I'm here to help in any way I can." Assures the customer that you're committed to finding a solution.
"Let's work together to find the best solution for you." Creates a collaborative approach and puts the customer's needs first.
"I'm happy to look into that for you." Demonstrates willingness to go the extra mile to assist the customer.
"I want to make sure you're completely satisfied with the resolution." Reinforces the commitment to customer satisfaction.
"Is there anything else I can help you with today?" Shows a genuine interest in addressing any other concerns the customer may have.
"Thank you for choosing our company. We value your business." Expresses gratitude for the customer's loyalty and support.
“Thank you for bringing this to our attention.” This shows appreciation for customer feedback.
“Thank you for taking the time to drop us a line.” This expresses gratitude for the customer's communication.
“I’m sorry you went through this.” Apologizes for the customer's negative experience.
“I’m sorry you’re facing this issue.” Acknowledges the problem the customer is experiencing.
“I understand how you feel.” Shows empathy and validates the customer's emotions.
“I would do the same if I were in your position too.” Further emphasizes understanding and relatability.
“Your anger/frustration is completely justified.” Validates the customer's feelings and reactions.
“If I’ve understood what you’re saying correctly, you’re facing/having trouble with {customer’s issue}.” Confirms understanding of the problem.
“Please let me know if my understanding of your problem is accurate: {customer’s issue}.” Ensures both parties are on the same page.
“To sum up, {customer’s issue}.” Summarizes the problem for clarity.
“Just to be clear, {customer concern}.” - Seeks further clarification on a specific point.
“I’m sorry but I can’t help you with this since our policy does not allow for it.” Politely declines a request while explaining the reason.
“This isn’t a part of our customer service/company policy, so I’m afraid I can’t process this request.” Another way to decline a request due to policy restrictions.
“Hey {customer name}, I’m afraid this is taking longer than expected. The good news is that you can expect to hear from us by {date}.” - Provides an update on a delayed issue with a timeline.
“Hey {customer name}, just wanted to let you know that we’ve begun implementing the solution for this issue.” Informs the customer that action is being taken.
“The {team name} has added this to their queue, and you can expect a solution by {date}.” Gives further details on the progress and expected resolution time.
“Here’s what you can do—” Offers a potential solution or workaround.
“We’re going to {solution}.” Explains the action that will be taken to resolve the issue.
“Have you tried – {solution}.” - Suggests a possible fix the customer might not have considered.
“This help guide has step-by-step instructions can help you fix your issue.” Provides a resource for self-service troubleshooting.
Final thoughts
Customers prefer contacting businesses through live chat because it is easy for them to resolve their issues—there’s a relatively shorter wait time and more room for personalized assistance. However, your customer service team is responsible for rendering quality support and ensuring that chat conversation remains empathetic, especially for difficult or angry customers.
How else do you think empathy has the power to impact customer relations through chat? Let us know in the comments below.
Start using Freshdesk today!
Scale faster with a unified, intelligent customer support platform.