Empathy, the ability to “walk a mile in someone’s shoes,” is a core component of Human-Centered Design, which is popular as a creative problem-solving approach. Though often spoken of in the context of product design, Human-Centered Design is also effective in designing services so that needs, preferences, and pain points are identified at every stage of the service process and every client touch point with the service provider.  

Excellent client service organizations, though, don’t wait until a formal process review or design initiative to practice empathy; they do so at every step when engaging with a client from initial contact through service delivery and problem resolution, to post service delivery feedback.  

How to be an empathetic service provider

Being an empathetic service provider can vary somewhat depending on context, client and service, but generally involves: 

• Setting individual personal challenges and preoccupations aside and giving all available attention to the client 

• Listening carefully to what is said, and what is not said 

• Asking good questions to get a full understanding of client context and service needs, both expressed and implied 

• Adjusting communication style to the client’s 

• Communicating using terms and terminology that will be easily understandable to the client  

• Providing services in the most client friendly and consumable way possible 

• Checking in regularly and asking for frank feedback throughout and at the end of the service delivery as appropriate 

How we use empathy at Gravity Union 

Empathy is a fundamental element in Gravity Union’s approach to working with clients.

It enables us to clearly understand priority requirements, context, and constraints from our clients’ perspectives, and implement practical, sustainable solutions. We believe in equipping and enabling our clients to have a say in the solution design, and to be independent and self-sufficient after the project is complete.

We are also empathetic to our clients' fiscal constraints and do not re-invent the wheel. Instead, we deliver quickly and with high quality by using and adapting our existing scripts, reports, tools and methodologies.   Empathy is an element of every step of Gravity Union’s delivery approach.

As an award-winning place to work, empathy is also an important element of Gravity Union’s work environment.  It helps us build strong relationships with our colleagues, bring together teams that collaborate effectively, and grow an organization that is agile and flexible to deal with rapid technological and other global changes.

By practicing empathy, Gravity Union is a trusted advisor and award-winning solution provider for Microsoft 365, SharePoint and records management.
Reach out to learn more about our process and how to infuse empathy in your IT and information management services.

Sources and reading

The ‘Moment of Truth” in Client Service (2006) McKinsey & Company. Retrieved October 24 2022 from https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/people-and-organizational-performance/our-insights/the-moment-of-truth-in-client-service

What Is Human-Centered Design? | HBS Online. (2020). Retrieved 24 October 2022, from https://online.hbs.edu/blog/post/what-is-human-centered-design

What is Human-centered Design?. (2022). Retrieved 19 October 2022, from https://vimeo.com/106505300