The Human Touch: Why Emotional Intelligence is Key to Improving Customer Interactions

Here’s a short story for you. A customer was on the verge of losing their temper after being asked to wait on hold by a contact centre agent who was dealing with their query. Sensing that the customer was in a bad mood or having a bad day, the representative kept the customer engaged in conversation while they actioned the request, negating the need to put them on hold. The result? A satisfied customer and a request that didn’t take any more time to fulfil.

Research shows that emotional intelligence (EI) is the strongest predictor of performance – accounting for 58% of success across all job types – and in this article, we’ll look at its importance to customer service.

Understanding EI in contact centres

Sure, contact centres are there to solve our problems. But they are also a kind of ‘business agony aunt’; a way to show customers that we understand and care. That’s where EI comes in.

Here is how Daniel Goleman, the author and psychologist, defined EI: “The ability to recognise, understand, and manage our own emotions while also being able to recognise, understand, and influence the emotions of others.”

In contact centres, where agents interact with dozens of customers daily, each with their own set of emotions and expectations, EI becomes a critical skill.

To master EI, a person is going to need self-awareness, self-regulation, empathy and social skills.

The role of EI in contact centre interactions

A good contact centre agent will be able to recognise customer emotions. They understand through what you say and how you say it. They can even pick up emotions through a text chat.

Sarah had been on hold and frustrated for 20 minutes. When she finally connected with an agent at her bank’s contact centre, she was ready to unleash. The agent said: “I understand how frustrating this wait must have been for you, Sarah. I’m here now and we’ll get this sorted as quickly as possible.” By the end of the call, Sarah’s problem was solved, and her mood had completely shifted. She even found herself smiling as she hung up the phone.

That’s how a negative experience turns into a positive one – it was the awareness of Sarah’s emotions and the acknowledgement of her wait that did the trick.

Blending efficiency with a human touch in contact centres

It’s all a balancing act. With metrics focused on call handling times and resolution rates, agents are under pressure. But the best contact centres maintain efficiency while being empathetic and understanding.

It can be done. And it is done, on a daily basis. The best contact centre agents will use techniques such as active listening and validating customer feelings at the same time as swiftly resolving issues.

For agents to perform the balancing act well, they will need the right training and support; from role-playing exercises to scripts and tools for managing their own performance under pressure.

The need for EI in contact centres

Why bother? Why not just try and resolve as many queries as possible? According to research, 42% of customers give friendly service as a reason for a repeat purchase.

EI – knowing when and how to be friendly or empathetic – is a key quality of an emotionally intelligent agent. These agents are trained to make customers feel valued and understood. They are also typically more motivated in their job role.

Practical tips for developing EI in contact centres

This is a blog, not a thesis, so we won’t overwhelm you with stats and theories on EI. What we will do is fit in some practical tips which businesses can use in their contact centre strategy. Here goes:

• Self-assessment tools: Encourage agents to use EI assessment tools to understand their strengths and areas for improvement. The EI appraisal – testing agents on EI skills – is one such tool that can provide valuable insights.
• Ongoing training: Implement regular EI workshops and training sessions. These should not be one-off events but part of a continuous learning program. Role-playing exercises, where agents practice handling emotionally charged scenarios, can be particularly effective.
• Creating a supportive environment: Foster a contact centre culture that values and supports emotional intelligence. This might include recognising and rewarding agents who demonstrate exceptional EI skills, providing resources for stress management, and encouraging open communication about emotional challenges in the workplace.
• Feedback and coaching: Implement a system of regular feedback and coaching sessions where agents can discuss their interactions and receive guidance on improving their EI skills.
• Technology integration: Consider implementing AI-powered tools that can analyse customer sentiment in real-time, providing agents with cues to adjust their approach during interactions.

EI isn’t a skill, it’s a superpower

In customer service as in business, there are certain things which set companies apart from one another. Don’t just be another member of the pack. EI is your key to transforming tiresome, samey interactions into meaningful connections that build customer loyalty and drive business success.

Train agents to recognise emotions, respond with empathy, and balance their efficiency with a human touch. Armed with EI, your agents will have a superpower. This is the ability to create experiences that resonate with customers on a deeper level.

The benefits—improved customer satisfaction, better agent performance, and overall business growth—make an obvious case for investing in EI training and development.

We’d like to make a bet with you. In the future, technology used in customer service will continue to evolve. But the human element will remain irreplaceable. Customers crave genuine human connection. And that’s why our money, and your money, should be on EI to remain the key to building these connections.

Cirrus Response understands how to take contact centres to the next level; engaging customers, driving contact centre productivity, and powering customer service levels using quality.

Read more about our contact centre success stories or speak to the team for more information on 0333 103 3333