Emotional intelligence, or EQ, refers to a person's ability to recognize, understand, manage, and reason with emotions. It is a critical skill when it comes to interpersonal communication in both personal and professional environments. The term was originally coined by psychologists in the 1990s and became a buzz word in the business world in 1995 when Daniel Goleman wrote Emotional Intelligence: Why it Can Matter More Than IQ. Goreman argues that EQ could be more important than IQ at predicting success in life, and that these emotional competencies play a particularly important role in the workplace.
Emotional intelligence is the ability to recognize and understand emotions in oneself and others, which is the foundation for any successful relationship. Fast forward to 2018, where developing strategic airport service cultures is dependent upon the success in building strong and reliable relationships – with employees, stakeholders, and customers. The airport experience is unique in that service providers experience a wide range of passenger emotions including fear, anxiety, excitement, and anticipation. Employees and leadership who develop high EQ can accurately evaluate situations, make appropriate decisions, problem solve, and communicate effectively with others. These are crucial elements in developing and delivering exceptional customer service while increasing retention, repeat business, and the bottom line.
Being self-aware of personal emotions and managing them effectively is the first step to being able to listen, show empathy, and problem solve for others. Emotional awareness is necessary to understand how to serve guests and employees best by putting aside individual opinions and emotions and focusing on connecting on a more personal, empathetic, and emotional level. CSE develops custom training to specifically address how we can connect with our guests throughout all touch points along the airport journey from curbside to gateside. TSA, security teams, custodial providers, concessions, airlines, and airport teams have benefitted from CSE’s training. Travelers today are interested in more than just pricing and innovation. They want to be delighted with a personalized, engaged experience that is genuine and supportive of their needs.
For more information on how we can help you connect more successfully to your employees and guests, please contact Patty@CustomerServiceExperts.com.
