Role of Business Analyst in Developing Empathy with Customers
In a business environment, it is always critical to ensure that a business analyst is able to develop a good relationship with all the stakeholders, including the customers. Empathy in a business analyst’s work helps in creating an environment where there I trust and the openness that is needed for the stakeholders to exchange ideas as well as allow them to share their issues and challenges that may be affecting them. For business analysts, being empathetic means that being able to relate appropriately to the environment, having an open and candid discussion with the stakeholders, and being vulnerable in sharing issues. In this process, the business analysts are involved in sharing their thoughts and hardships with the stakeholders and coming up with solutions to the challenges that have been earmarked (Paul, 2018). They have to operate with the rule of openness and transparency in their operations. Empathy to a business analyst may seem to give an impression that they are losing control or they are letting go. However, it may result in a solution that the business analyst had not envisioned for the project, and therefore the business analyst must be ready for this shift. Therefore, a business analyst should be ready to embrace the uncertainty for the more significant benefit and outcomes of the project.
Empathy is a vital skill that is business analysts need in the course of their work. There is a lot of interaction that takes place in the course of the work of business analysts and therefore possessing the skills will be pivotal for them in sharing in the viewpoint of the other stakeholders in a business. Empathy means that a business analyst will be able to get the viewpoint of the stakeholders as well as make them aware of the challenges they are passing through form them to come up with a solution that will be acceptable by all. Through the relationship of trust and openness with the customers, the business analyst will be able to understand their views and invite them in developing solutions, which ultimately results in shared understanding and increases eth level of transparency among the people involved. The principles of openness and transparency are vital to guarantee that the customers get value form the project since they are aware of the progress of the project at each stage.
The process of developing empathy for business analysis is not always easy and often does not go well with the role of a business analyst. The work of the business analyst involves a lot of thinking and analysis, and it has been observed that when the brain is deeply involved, it interferes with the neurons that allow people to empathize (Paul, 2018). Therefore, a business analyst can’t empathize while at the same time, be analytical. A business analyst will have to choose one role if a business analyst has a strong analytical skill, this may impact negatively on their ability to being genuinely empathetic with others.
For a business analyst to guarantee empathy during the execution of the work, there should be an arrangement that will allow the empathy part of the work to precede the analysis part. After a business empathy part has ended, the business analyst should proceed to the analysis part (International Institute of Business Analysis, 2018). Therefore, the business analyst should be able to balance the two roles since the benefits can be huge for being able to embrace the two roles in the work.
The business analyst has to play a proactive role in developing empathy with the customers. The business analyst should ensure that they listen to the customers carefully with the sole aim of ensuring that thy understand and their point of view. By listening, the business analyst should be able to take note of the nonverbal cues that the customers use by observing the body language of the customers. The body language will be vital in understanding the message of the customers much deeper. Additionally, the business analyst can also excel in this role by guaranteeing thwart they understand the expectations of the customers, the concerns that have, and the vision they have about the project. This will guarantee that as the customers raise issues about the project, they will be dealing with the right problem that addresses their concerns. The business analyst should also foster empathy by treating the customers with respect (International Institute of Business Analysis, 2018). This is vital to guarantees that the relationship remains strong. The business analyst should also play a significant role in being concerned with the issues of the customers and, whether possible, try to address them in the right way.
Conclusion
Empathetic skills are vital for the business analyst as they engage with the customers. However, even if a Peron was not born with the skills, they can be learned, and they are crucial in helping to promote better outcomes for the project. Empathy helps the business analyst to understand the customers, their expectations, and skills, which enables them to address the crucial concerns of the customers. These steps are fundamental in developing empathy with the customers. The business analyst should also be listening generally so that they can understand the customers.
References
International Institute of Business Analysis. (2018, November). DIGITAL BUSINESS ANALYSIS – EMPATHIZE WITH REAL CUSTOMER. Retrieved June 23, 2020, from https://www.iiba.org/globalassets/standards-and-resources/whitepapers-and-studies/files/iiba-wp-empathize_with_real_customer-nov18-v3.pdf?_t_id=1B2M2Y8AsgTpgAmY7PhCfg==&_t_q=&_t_tags=language:en,siteid:c7e60dce-3a8b-46dd-b2f3-c9d379791c76&_t_ip=66.249.66.92&_t_hit.id=IIBA_Models_Media_AssetMedia/_83aa9911-0d4c-491f-a88a-d4219e3968f4&_t_hit.pos=233
Paul, D. (2018). Defining the role of the business analyst: the business analysis service framework (Doctoral dissertation, University of Reading). http://centaur.reading.ac.uk/80476/1/86223494_Paul_Thesis.pdf