I love Tire Discounters. How can that be? It’s simple — Tire Discounters has empathy for me:
- They greet me with respect and have a comfortable waiting room. Often they provide immediate service, even without an appointment.
- They know that I only want the best tires and don’t try to sell me off-brands; they do help me time my purchase to get best deals.
- There is very little turnover so they know me despite the long purchase cycle.
- They go above and beyond, like staying late to fix my tire on a cold, rainy evening.
- Even the weekly humor on their signs makes me smile.
Like other Brands that show consumer empathy, Tire Discounters is rapidly growing. Building empathy requires leaving a business executives’ comfort zone and stepping into the lives of the people they serve. Simple tips for building empathy:
Path to Empathy |
Your Stance |
| Reframe your view from research mode (“target”) to human mode (person) | Watch your language. If you focus on targets, you will spend energy aiming arrows at them. |
| Focus on a few people & really get to know them; be open to listening to “extremes” of your potential user base | Enter into her life versus expecting her to enter your brand’s world |
| Understand her hopes and dreams in the broader context of her life | Be curious, without judging |
| Imagine her story and what looks like help to her | For now, don’t consider feasibility issues |
Each time we move out of research mode into human mode, we build empathy for our consumers and something magical happens. It’s not easy, but it is a great way to achieve business goals and personal fulfillment by making a difference in consumers lives. Hey, if a tire store can do it, so can you.
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