EPIC2024: Exploring Empathy Work in Customer Support
We are excited to announce that a team from Sutherland Labs will be delivering a Pecha Kucha presentation at EPIC2024 Conference! Join us for an engaging and thought-provoking session titled “How Can I Help You?” Exploring Empathy Work in Customer Support.
Date and Time: Tuesday, August 20, 4 – 5:30pm
Location: Broad Theater, Santa Monica College Performing Arts Center, Los Angeles
Our Labs speakers:
- Nicole Laborde, Senior Design Researcher and Ethnographer
- Jamie Taylor, Service Designer
With contributions from:
- Kellie Hodge, Senior Director, San Francisco Labs
- Marise Phillips, Senior Director, Service Design
- Jun Chan, Principal Researcher and Designer
In this talk, we will explore the challenges and opportunities within the customer support industry, particularly focusing on the role of empathy work in this sector. During the COVID pandemic, the shift to remote work revealed the fragile illusion of proximity. When sounds of everyday life broke through the phone lines, emotional distance increased between support agents and the customers seeking their help.
We propose that human-to-human support interactions should embrace difference and encourage reciprocity. Our goal is to discuss how ethnographers can help embed mutual empathy into corporate policies, ensuring that both agents and customers feel seen and understood.
The EPIC2024 Conference is a premier event for professionals in the field of ethnography and design, offering a platform to share insights and innovations. If you’re also LA bound, then let’s meet!
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The Labs Team
