The EQrated vol. 12
Hello Reader,
In this week’s newsletter, I would like to share a perspective I have been pondering on for a while.
How does the current all-time high level of general stress impact our ability to deliver great customer experience? How can we support our teams in managing their own stress? How can we as leaders do the same? How can we engage empathy to de-escalate difficult conversations that might arise?
Stress is a regular part of the modern life. BUT unlike normal times when we might have more ways to relax and mitigate the stress, the pandemic has caused many of us to restrict our movements and dramatically change our lifestyles. Unfortunately, people in the service industry - like hospitality, travel & retail - are on the receiving end of this stress. It can feel unfair when a customer shouts at us for no fault of our own.
According to a recent survey of 1500 people from 46 countries, 85% of people reported a decline in their general well-being and 89% of people reported a decline in their workplace well-being. For more on this read the first article from HBR in the resources below. As much as we might be part of that 85%, so are our customers…
SO the next time we are faced with a similar situation, we can ask ourselves,
"Is the customer being difficult? Or is he/she anxious?".
Many times we don't know what's going on with people, what kind of situation they are dealing with at home or work. At times like these, it helps to empathize with the customer. Sometimes, it's more important to listen to them completely, without judgement and without trying to problem solve. Emotional Intelligence has a variety of tools for your backpack that can help us create memorable experiences for our customers, without causing us frustration & stress for ourselves, as much as for them.
On a different note, did you enjoy my talk with Joni Peddie? I had a very insightful conversation with Joni about SLEEP, what happens to our brain during sleep, how much do we need and how can build better sleep hygiene - especially for people in the Hospitality industry. In case you missed it, here's a link.
In the meantime, here's your bi-weekly EQrated list of resources on Customer Stress & ways to deal with it:
What Covid-19 Has Done to Our Well-Being, in 12 Charts - According to a new survey, the pandemic has led to mental health declines, increased work demands, and feelings of loneliness. These struggles affect our mental health and make us feel like we don't have control on our life or work. Explore these 12 charts to find out more. Source: Harvard Business Review
What you need to know about anxious customers - Customer experience management is based on understanding your customers. So what do you do in times of consumer crises, such as the present coronavirus pandemic, when your customers suddenly adopt a completely different mindset? This article helps us understand what's behind that unpleasant interaction. Source: My Customer
Customer Service Skills: Using Emotional Intelligence to Make a Connection - Worried that you're losing customers due to poor customer service skills? Was your last customer interaction stressful and unpleasant? Promoting strong emotional intelligence skills may help keep that from happening. Source: American Express
Pandemic jerk: A new kind of bad behavior - "People have forgotten how to treat other human beings...". Sometimes we are the ones being shouted at. Other times we are the ones behaving badly. This article examines how the pandemic has pushed us all to our limits. Frustration, anxiety & uncertainty about the pandemic, our work & life has resulted in outbursts of bad behavior even from normally calm & reasonable people. Read more to find out how to deal with, and how not to be a pandemic jerk. Source: CNN
If there is a topic that you would like to see featured in The EQrated, please let me know at stef@yourturnsolutions.com. Please feel free to share this Newsletter with people you know who might find value in it! They can also subscribe to the EQrated by clicking the button below.
See you in a couple of weeks!
Ciao,
Stef
Hi, I’m a creator
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