Alan and Ed talk about the concept of having “empathy” for your customers and why it is so important to delivering outstanding customer service.  Empathy is explained through the idea of “knowing the customer’s story”… understanding where they are coming from and what is driving their needs or requests can help to better serve the customer. Alan and Ed also talk about “Customer Service Story of the Month” where they share an experience they each had since the last episode and use it as an example of how to get customer service right (or wrong, in some situations).   About the hosts: Ed Gagnon is the President of Customer Service Solutions, helping organizations develop long-term relationships with their clients and partnering with them to meet their core customer service needs. Learn more about Customer Service Solutions at www.cssamerica.com. Alan Jackson is President of The Jackson Group, a survey and consulting firm specializing in employee engagement surveys, patient satisfaction surveys, market research studies and leadership development. Learn more about The Jackson Group at www.thejacksongroup.com.