Thoughts about the future of customer service and experience published by Brian Solis in Forbes, was recently included in CO by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, “5 Customer Service Trends That Are Here to Stay.” Author, Sean Ludwig.

During the pandemic, businesses changed their customer experience. Here are the changes that will be around long after COVID-19 is a thing of the past.

Building brand loyalty with empathy

One way customer service has notably changed during the pandemic that brands embrace empathy and human connections. This can be as simple as asking how customers are doing or as complex as slowing down complicated interactions to walk customers through step-by-step instructions. Basically, brands try to make customers feel like they are a part of the family, so they stay loyal.

“A positive customer experience comes down to making a customer feel valued in the moment,” Brian Solis, Global Innovation Evangelist at Salesforce, writes in Forbes. “Empathy has always been a key skill for customer service, but it’s become even more essential during an uncharted moment. Seventy-one percent of consumers say businesses that have shown empathy during the pandemic have earned their loyalty. … Now, service isn’t just about solving problems. It’s about enhancing relationships and enchanting customers.”