Empathy Isn’t Just Kindness, It’s Good Business
Estimated reading time: 9 minutes
Empathy is often confused with sympathy or kindness, but in reality, it is much more than that. Empathy is the ability to put yourself in someone else’s shoes and understand their feelings, needs, and perspectives. In the business world, empathy is often seen as a “soft” skill, but it is actually one of the most important skills you can have.
My Experience: How PTSD Shapes My Fear of the Dentist
Dental procedures trigger my PTSD, and I cry (sometimes uncontrollably) even during routine cleanings. But I have a dentist who understands this and who trusts that I will tell her when I am uncomfortable. Instead of telling me not to be afraid, she recognizes that my fear is real and that my PTSD is not something that can be rationalized away.
The Importance of Empathy: How My Dentist Reacted to My PTSD
This dentist understands that my reaction isn’t about her, and it’s not a choice I am making. It’s a physiological response to a past traumatic event. Because of her empathy and patience, I continue to see her and gladly pay out of pocket for her services.
Dr. Pritts and her staff understand my fear, and by reacting to me, not my reaction, she has created a comfortable environment that eases my anxiety.
The Lie of Facing Fear: Logic Doesn’t Conquer PTSD
Do the Thing You Fear the Most and the Death of Fear is Certain – That’s what they say, but it’s not always true. I’ve experienced this firsthand with PTSD from a dental procedure that doing the thing you fear does not in fact make the death of fear certain.
Every time I sit in the dentist’s chair, tears stream down my face. It’s not that the procedure hurts necessarily; it’s the PTSD causing an involuntary physiological reaction.
In the past, I had a terrible experience with a dentist who became upset with my reaction, telling me that my response was not commensurate with the pain he was causing me. But, my reaction was not my choice. PTSD is a physiological reaction that can happen even after the initial stimulus has passed. That’s why it’s called POST Traumatic stress disorder. The trauma is over but the stress is not.
The Importance of Empathy: How My Dentist Reacted to My PTSD
However, I am fortunate enough to have found a dentist who understands that my reaction isn’t about her. She is an Army veteran and knows the importance of empathy and patience with PTSD. Instead of telling me not to be afraid, she recognizes that I am afraid and that my PTSD does not require a logical explanation. She reacts to me, not my reaction.
Choosing Empathy: How My Experience Shaped My Business Decisions
This empathetic approach is what sets her apart from the rest. Even though she does not take my insurance, I happily pay out of pocket to see her. This experience proves that empathy is not just about being kind but can also be good for business.
The Power of Patience: Why Empathy is Good Business
Let’s dive deeper into the importance of empathy and how it can revolutionize the status quo in business:
Empathy Builds Trust and Loyalty When a business takes an empathetic approach with its customers, it can build trust and loyalty. By understanding your customers’ pain points and taking steps to address them, you show that you care about their needs. This builds trust, and customers are more likely to stick around.
We have come to understand this in our hotel photography business.
Empathy Enhances the Customer Experience By being empathetic to your customers’ needs, you can enhance their experience with your business. For example, my dentist understands my fear, and by reacting to me, not my reaction, she has created a comfortable environment that eases my anxiety. In the same way, businesses can create experiences that cater to their customers’ needs, enhancing their experience with the brand.
Empathy Creates Better Products and Services By understanding your customers’ pain points and needs, you can create better products and services that meet their needs. For example, a company that understands the struggles of its customers can create products that solve those problems, providing value and meeting their needs.
One way we have done this recently is by offering a Hotel Photo Shoot Preparation Package. We understand that many hotels are short staffed and overworked. We get that preparing for a hotel photo shoot may not be an option so we now offer to do it for them.
But again, Empathy is not about kindness alone. It’s also good business.
Empathy is Good for Your Bottom Line Businesses that take an empathetic approach can see financial benefits. By building trust and loyalty, enhancing the customer experience, and creating better products and services, businesses can attract and retain more customers, increasing their revenue.
Our Hotel Prep Package is an add-on. It’s not our job to prepare the hotel but we understand that these days hotels are stretched thin. We combined compassion with common sense.
You see, brands won’t approve photos that aren’t up to the brand photography standards. Our contract states that we are responsible for the technical photography standards but the hotel is responsible for meeting the brand’s photography standards as well. By offering the hotel an option to hire us to prep the hotel rooms based on their standards, the hotel not only gets a better photo, they also save money from having to pay for a reshoot if the photos weren’t approved.
The Bottom Line – Empathy is good for business.
In conclusion, empathy is not just about being kind; it’s good for business. By understanding your customers’ needs and pain points and taking steps to address them, you can build trust and loyalty, enhance the customer experience, create better products and services, and increase your bottom line. So, take a step back and “Get to No” your customers’ needs and how you can address them with empathy.
Healthcare Photography for Quincy Dental Center
