Reviewed by Divine Zape for Readers' Favorite

Empathy in Action: How to Deliver Great Customer Experiences at Scale by Tony Bates and Dr. Natalie Petouhoff redefines empathy while showing how companies can use it to grow loyalty and build long-term relationships with customers and employees. The authors describe empathy in this context as the act of a company putting itself in the shoes of its customers and employees to reorient the way they make decisions and conduct business. In an age where the human touch can easily lose its power in a techno-driven culture, this book reminds readers, especially business owners, that it can never be business as usual if they want to be competitive and grow their customer base while building a sense of loyalty in both customers and employees. This book shows readers how technology can become a tool that enables a more empathetic world and how to build a customer and employee-focused culture that drives loyalty.

While this is a business book, it contains wonderful lessons for authentic and successful leadership, giving readers effective tools to not only manage businesses but human relationships. The authors outline a strategy that gives a personalized approach to customers and employees, a tenet that has often been missing in businesses that are focused on company branding and profits. Empathy in Action will be an eye-opener to many business owners and is a must-read for anyone considering starting their own business. Tony Bates and Dr. Natalie Petouhoff come across as powerful coaches on business strategy and the art of building loyalty, which is something any company will want. The book is written in language that is accessible, with diagrams and illustrations that capture the key ideas with clarity. This book will help readers understand the power of empathy, know how to use it in both business and life, and find the tools to create strategies in business that put customers at the center.