IF THE MTA IS SHOWING EMPATHY, SHOULDN’T YOU?

What’s free and makes everyone feel good? Other than oxygen, it’s empathy. And every brand can use it to make their audiences feel better, even when they DON’T have an actual solution to their problems.

Mass transit “countdown clocks” are perfect examples: they don’t make the buses and trains come any quicker, but passengers feel less anxious when they know how long they have to wait.

Now New York’s MTA is taking empathy a step further with conductor announcements that address subway riders’ frustrations - warning about slippery conditions on soggy days or offering explanations for delays in service. They will even suggest landmarks near stations for tourists who might be disoriented while traveling underground. The MTA is using empathy as a strategy in recognition of T.S. Eliot’s insight about travel: “The journey not the arrival matters.” If the MTA is showing empathy, shouldn’t you?

From the New York Times: http://nyti.ms/2yNALau
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