# More you, less we: the power of empathetic writing.
Author:  Pal Sinha, Barnali 
Author URL: https://financedigest.com/author/pal-sinha-barnali
Published: 2021-10-04
Category: BANKING
Category URL: https://financedigest.com/category/banking
Meta Title: Empathy: The Secret to Better Customer Service in Banking
Meta Description: Discover how showing empathy in your bank's communication can significantly improve customer satisfaction and loyalty, based on our latest research
URL: https://financedigest.com/more-you-less-we-the-power-of-empathetic-writinghtml

![undefined](https://prod.superblogcdn.com/site_cuid_cm5qst7v3003gwirgwqtxn8i8/images/hand-of-writer-or-entrepreneur-with-pen-over-open-notebook-sbi-325331531-1736837718432-compressed.jpg)

_By_ **_Chris Lawes_** _, writer at_ [_Schwa_](https://schwa.consulting/) _._

Picture this: you’re a bank that wants people to sit up and notice you. It’s never been easier to switch accounts, while it’s not so easy to offer anything radically distinctive.

You decide to boost your customer service – something that can really make you stand out from the crowd.

So what are customers looking for?

Efficiency? Accessibility? 5G?!

Hands up if you went with something a little bit more human: empathy.

That might seem wildly old-fashioned, when everyone’s focus seems to be on the [latest whizz-bang technology](https://www.financedigest.com/nvidia-unveils-latest-chips-technology-to-speed-up-ai-computing.html "Nvidia unveils latest chips, technology to speed up AI computing"). But hold on to your apps and bots and memes –  according to our research, empathy is the [next big](https://www.financedigest.com/finance-is-the-next-big-sector-to-be-ubered.html "Finance is the next big sector to be Uber’ed") thing.

We analysed online comms from eight [banks in Which’s 2020 best banks for customer](https://www.financedigest.com/christmas-debt-hangovers-how-banks-can-help-customers.html "CHRISTMAS DEBT HANGOVERS: HOW BANKS CAN HELP CUSTOMERS") satisfaction list – half from the top, and the other half from the bottom. Guess what? The banks that were best at keeping [customers happy were also streets ahead when it came to communicating](https://www.financedigest.com/talk-to-me-the-changing-face-of-customer-communications.html "TALK TO ME :THE CHANGING FACE OF CUSTOMER COMMUNICATIONS") with empathy.

**More empathy, less apathy**

When [times are tough](https://www.financedigest.com/tough-times-and-risky-business-which-emerging-market-assets-are-a-bet-worth-taking.html "Tough times and risky business – which emerging market assets are a bet worth taking"), your customers really notice how empathetic you are.

Imagine: you’ve suddenly lost your job. You feel like the walls are closing in. You’ve panicking about how to pay the bills or [keep a roof over your head](https://www.financedigest.com/five-ways-to-keep-your-head-above-water-while-working-from-home.html "Five ways to keep your head above water while working from home"). And you’re trying to [speak to your bank about getting financial](https://www.financedigest.com/how-can-fintechs-better-engage-zillennials-with-their-financial-health-the-answer-lies-in-speaking-to-them-in-their-own-language.html "How can fintechs better engage Zillennials with their financial health? The answer lies in speaking to them in their own language") help to tide you over.

Or: a close family [member has just died](https://www.financedigest.com/former-astronaut-cunningham-member-of-first-crewed-apollo-flight-dies-at-age-90.html "Former astronaut Cunningham, member of first crewed Apollo flight, dies at age 90"). You’re in shock, but still need to [talk to a bank](https://www.financedigest.com/exclusive-allianz-in-talks-with-banks-for-china-asset-management-venture-sources.html "Exclusive-Allianz in talks with banks for China asset management venture -sources") to get all their financial affairs in order. But an advisor is going to ask you for some passwords first – passwords you [don’t know](https://www.financedigest.com/women-in-technology-that-you-should-know-but-probably-dont.html "Women In Technology That You Should Know (But Probably Don’t)").

In these situations (both of which have sadly been pretty common over the last couple of years) you can [see how a lack of empathy would really ramp up your stress](https://www.financedigest.com/britains-metro-bank-returned-to-profit-in-september-sees-no-customer-stress.html "Britain’s Metro Bank returned to profit in September, sees no customer stress").

**Write words, in the right place**

At Schwa, we reckon the language you use has a [real impact](https://www.financedigest.com/the-real-impact-of-psd2.html "The Real Impact of PSD2 ") (but then, as a bunch of

writers and behavioural scientists, we would say that.)

That’s held up by the report: [banks who were most empathetic in their writing were also the ones with the happiest customers](https://www.financedigest.com/why-now-is-the-time-for-banks-to-use-their-data-to-support-customers.html "Why now is the time for banks to use their data to support customers"). The beauty of this is that you don’t [need to tear up your existing policies](https://www.financedigest.com/travel-insurance-small-print-what-you-need-to-know-loopholes-in-policies-that-could-cost-you-a-packet.html "Travel insurance small print – what you need to know Loopholes in policies that could cost you a packet") – giving your comms the attention they deserve will make a huge difference by itself.

So here are five categories that we looked at– five categories you can use to make a change:

**Clear structure**

Never underestimate the impact of quickly and easily finding what you’re looking for.

Break up long paragraphs into shorter ones, and throw in some subheadings for good measure. Add drop-down menus or [step-by-step guides](https://www.financedigest.com/how-to-start-blogging-a-simple-step-by-step-guide.html "How to Start Blogging – A Simple Step-By-Step Guide") to help users through your site. Last but not least – don’t [put the most important thing](https://www.financedigest.com/techie-turn-offs-top-7-things-that-put-talent-off-applying-for-tech-roles.html "Techie turn-offs: Top 7 things that put talent off applying for tech roles") last! If you know what’s likely to be important to your reader, lead with that.

**Focus on ‘you’ more than ‘we’**

It’s only natural to want to appear sympathetic when you’re writing to someone going through [tough times](https://www.financedigest.com/building-economic-resilience-in-tough-times.html "Building Economic Resilience in Tough Times"). But, somewhat counterintuitively, this can actually make things worse. It can make messages longer – a [lot longer](https://www.financedigest.com/why-fundraising-no-longer-means-kissing-a-lot-of-frogs.html "Why fundraising no longer means kissing a lot of frogs").

Readers want to get to what’s important to them, rather than wading through how much their bank appreciates what they’re going through. Keep things friendly but brief – focusing on ‘you’ more than ‘we’.

**No obvious cut-and-paste**

You can have the best writing in the world, but there’s no better way to ruin it than by copy and pasting it everywhere. Most of us can spot templates a mile off, especially on [social media:](https://www.financedigest.com/yoono-discuss-the-importance-of-social-media-checks.html "Yoono discuss The Importance of Social Media Checks") how many times have you read “ _hi_ \[user name\], thanks for getting in touch about \[issue\] – can you DM us so we can look into it?”

It hardly feels heartfelt. The message is very clear: we don’t care enough about you to [give an individual](https://www.financedigest.com/new-finance-app-gives-control-back-to-individuals.html "New Finance App Gives Control Back To Individuals") response. So if you are going to use templates, proceed with caution: use them sparingly, and with enough wiggle room for people to add personality.

**Simple process**

With the possible exception of the pooches at Crufts, no one appreciates jumping through hoops. So now is the time to look at all the steps a reader has to navigate. Do you absolutely need all of them? And if you do, could they be simpler and easier to use and understand?

**High readability**

In other (shorter, simpler) words: can you quickly skim through sentences? Or are you getting bogged down in endless blocks of unbroken text?

Chop up long sentences and dense paragraphs, and use the active voice more than the passive. Of course, as with all of these points, what you’re writing about matters as well– but shorter and simpler is always better in our book (or website).

Most people are naturally empathetic. It’s [processes and procedures that get in the way](https://www.financedigest.com/three-ways-that-female-entrepreneurs-can-supercharge-their-hiring-process.html "Three ways that female entrepreneurs can supercharge their hiring process") – but these principles should help plug the empathy gap. That way, you can put the emphasis back on what actually matters: the customers themselves.


---
This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more.
---