Customers
Empathy vs. Communication in Business: Which Drives Success?
Photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash
What truly drives business success? Is it the ability to empathize with customers, team members, and vendor partners? Or is it transparent communication that holds the key? It’s a worthy debate, so let’s weigh the pros and cons of each to determine which is more crucial in running a business.
Empathy, by definition, refers to understanding and sharing the feelings of another. In a business context, it’s about stepping into your customers’ shoes, feeling their pain points, and crafting solutions that resonate with their needs. When business leaders display empathy, it fosters a culture of trust and loyalty, which can translate into higher customer retention rates and long-term relationships. But can a business survive on empathy alone?
Enter communication and transparency. The information-driven age allows consumers to know more than ever. They demand clarity about the products they purchase, the values of the companies they support, and the integrity of their business interactions. Transparent communication builds trust, bridges gaps, and lays the foundation for collaboration. When transparent about their operations, practices, and challenges, companies engage authentically with their stakeholders; they go a long way in building their brand’s reputation.
So, which is more important?
While empathy allows a company to connect deeply with its audience emotionally, communication and transparency act as the framework that supports and manifests that connection in tangible ways. A business may understand its customers deeply, but if it cannot communicate its values, intentions, and solutions effectively, that understanding can become lost in translation.
Conversely, a business focusing solely on transparent communication without grounding its actions in empathy might come off as robotic or insincere. The sweet spot, it seems, lies in marrying the two.
Perception
Photo by Bradley Pisney on Unsplash
Perception is a powerful thing. It shapes the way we see the world and, in turn, shapes our reality. In a way, our perception is our reality. And when it comes to business, this is especially true.
As a business, it’s important to understand how your customers perceive your brand and products is their reality. If they positively perceive your brand, they will be more likely to do business with you and recommend you to others. On the other hand, if their perception is negative, they may choose to avoid your business altogether.
One way to ensure that your customers positively perceive your brand is by consistently providing high-quality products and excellent customer service. This will help build trust and loyalty with your customers, making them more likely to perceive your brand positively.
Another important aspect of perception is branding. How your brand is presented to the world can hugely impact its perception. A powerful and consistent brand message and visual identity can help to create a positive perception of your brand in the minds of your customers.
Paying attention to how your brand is perceived digitally is also important. With the rise of social media, customers have more access to information about your business than ever before. This means it’s important to have a solid online presence and be active on social media platforms where your customers are likely to engage with your brand.
In conclusion, perception is powerful, and it shapes how customers see your brand and products. As a business, it’s important to understand that how your customers perceive your brand is their reality. By providing high-quality products and excellent customer service, having a solid brand message and visual identity, and maintaining a robust online presence, you can help to ensure that your customers have a positive perception of your brand and, ultimately, a positive reality.
Episode 3 |ApartmentHacker | Disrupters are Disrupting
In episode 3 of ApartmentHacker I talk about disrupters like: Uber and Airbnb disrupting our definition of the customer experience.
It’s fascinating stuff and if you’re not paying attention; your property can/will suffer.
Your constantly looking at the world and how it impacts our space Apartment Hacker,
M
Change Your Rote
A quick shout out to all you unbelievably over-the-top amazing leasing professionals in the Multifamily world – You guys and gals rock!
I have a question for you
Are the people who take time out of their busy days to tour your respective communities getting the absolute best experience that you have to offer? Or, are they getting a rote experience? In other words is the presentation a routine fixed by habits that are in place because of repetition over time.
Be remembered
Get your personalization act together. I don’t mean that in a disrespectful sense. I mean it in the sense that you must customize your routine to create a very positive and memorable experience. You’re asking yourself, how do I do that? I have a simple one for you. Look up, smile and say hello when people walk through the front door.
I can’t tell you how many times I walk into apartment communities and get the cold shoulder. The looking down, I am busy and I don’t have time for you routine. Or the can’t you see that I’m on my device routine. Or the sign that says – out to lunch until 1:15p when in fact it’s 2:30p routine.
It’s so bad out there, that you don’t have to try really hard to come up with something amazing. You can get back to the basics of service and be in the top 5% of superstars. You know – all those things you learned in kindergarten kind of stuff. Like looking people in the eyes, saying hello and please and thank you. It’s the small things that get remembered most.
You’re getting my personalization act together Multifamily Maniac,
M
Rented an Apartment Lately?
When was the last time you went out and secured a lease on a new apartment?
How Do They Feel?
I think it should be standard issue that every single person that works for your company goes out and leases an apartment, soup to nuts – President to Porter. Not a secret shop – call is a secret rent an apartment experience or what you will. This is real-time. Lease one from your very own portfolio and lease one from your closest comp. I am talking the whole nine yards. Go through the process of searching online, pick up a magazine, drive by or ask a friend. Choose a community or two to visit, walk in and go through the process. Have your checkbook or money order in hand and lay down a deposit. That is if you like how you feel.
Who is They?
So to answer the question above – they is the people who are walking through your door every day of the week. And, understanding how they feel should be top of mind, tip of tongue and everything you think about, dream about and are about. And what better time to get that feeling than now. The only way you can truly serve the people who serve you (monthly rent checks) is to really get in their shoes. Really understand the process they go through. Really understand how they feel. Now that sounds like a challenge.
First One is on Me
If you work with me at Mills and you are reading this post – I will pay the deposit and the app fee for your first secret rent an apartment experience in exchange for the lessons you learn. That is to imply that you have to come back and do a guest post for me detailing what you liked, disliked and what you will change about your business as a result of the experience.
Hit me with a comment below and we will make the arrangements.
Your looking forward to how you make them feel multifamily maniac,
M
