Best Practices – Customer Care – Incorporating Empathy into Customer Care – Ameren Illinois – 2017

In October 2016, Ameren Illinois’ Care Centers launched an initiative to incorporate empathy into all forms of customer communication. Aspiring to meet customers’ needs and preferences, the utility’s Quality Assurance, Customer Service leadership and Performance Management Training teams created classroom training, peer-to-peer coaching, visuals and supporting materials to ensure customer service representatives include empathy as part of all customer contacts. The empathy program has increased customer satisfaction, employee engagement and first call resolution. Ameren Illinois took home Chartwell’s 2017 Bronze Award in Customer Service for the effort.