The Devil’s Advocate Series – Embracing empathy for business success in the new world

Embracing empathy for business success in the new world
Weaving empathy in the various aspects of businesscan be altering in various ways.

It humanizes relationships. Staying connected with consumers during a pandemic without being insensitive has been very tricky. Few brands, however, navigated this challenge by putting empathy at the centre of their outreach programs.

Cadbury won over a million hearts with its limited edition ‘Thank You’ chocolate bars to show gratitude towards the corona warriors. It went the extra mile by localising the campaign in 8 different languages. The public response was tremendous, and the brand won great admiration from everyone.

It shows you truly care. Unprecedented challenges need innovative solutions by marketers and business leaders. Being empathetic has not only enabled brands to earn consumer love, but also their respect.

In Germany, furniture giant IKEA exhibited a strong sense of empathy by handing over its car park to a local mosque for mass Eid prayers with social distancing. This simple act of kindness and compassion touched hearts of millions, earning Ikea immense respect from the global community.

It directly impacts the bottom-line. It pays to be nice.
Ryan Air saw a massive increase in profits after the campaign demonstrated that the airline was aware of the issues its customers faced.

CEO Michael O’Leary had remarked, “If I’d only known being nice to customers was going to work so well, I’d have started many years ago.”
Customers will trust you over the competition if you are honest and empathic in dealing with them.

Empathetic communication has opened doors to a new reality for building and protecting reputation.

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