What Vicky Taught Me About T-Mobile's Emotional Intelligence
I've partnered with a leading behavioral psychologist to complete an in-depth study on Applied Emotional Intelligence (EQ/EI) in business. This morning, what to me really asserted that we're on to something. I called T-mobile for assistance and spoke to a young lady in Houston. My mind was blown..
For one, I was surprised she was in the US given that nature of the inbound call industry. Secondly, I was impressed by what she shared with me. Vicky told me that each rep will have thirty clients who they will talk to whenever they call is instead of the call going to the first person to answer. To a conventional thinker this sounds like call center suicide. How could they handle a high volume of often demanding customers across a country as big as ours? So, I had to ask..
When I asked her what differences she's noticed since the switch, the answer was right in line with our research. She shared that customers will actually wait until 'their person' is on-shift, and the interactions are more patient and cordial. As customers were more satisfied, they have began to regulate their interactions and call volume in a revolutionary way. Customers are treating their calls with features of relationship building as opposed to pure service or transaction. From my own experience, I received some of the best service I've ever received from a phone provider and I didn't even have to threaten to leave the company (which is sadly the key for getting a typical phone company to even consider understanding your plight). So, how does this apply to our research?
How deep is the rift in emotional communication? A recent survey of the customers of 362 companies. Only 8% of them described their experience as “superior,” yet 80% of the companies surveyed believe that the experience they have been providing is indeed superior. -Bain & Company’s
Strategic is developing a framework for Applied Emotional Intelligence. This will allow organizations to optimize their capacity to receive, interpret, and influence customer emotion by applying similar principles as is seen in social conduct by high EQ/EI individuals. How did T-Mobile show high Applied EQ?
Receive
Reps are local, and better equip to understand cultural and emotional nuances in our interactions.
There is an single individual with a regular account of who I am as a customer, and can make informed decisions based on that.
The value of the interaction for the customer and the rep has shown measurable increase as can be seen in Vicky's high morale and upbeat attitude, and my own satisfaction with the call and closer personal connection to my phone provider.
Interpret
Reps are individuals and customers are individuals. I'm no longer calling 'the call center' or even T-Mobile, I'm calling Vicky.
Vicky, with time, will develop an understanding of how I operate, and I will understand her. She will not only become better at helping me as a customer, she's now better equip to understand they type of help I prefer.
With time, emotionally competent people will excel under these circumstances, while non-receptive reps will lose ground, creating an environment that accelerates emotional intelligence.
Influence
Customers, from Vicky's account, are no longer making demands. They're a lot more pleasant on the phone and very happy about the switch. She herself is also very happy with the changes. I could hear it in her voice. As it's easier for them to be understood, it's easier for them to also understand Vicky and her needs. Getting customers to respect, understand and accommodate the needs of staff and management has till now been seen as a fringe priority. Something a company shouldn't count on at all. In the era of loyalty economics, we can't afford to kept this mentality.
Through genuine relationship building, customers are applying the concepts of the relationship to the service, which for companies that have successfully applied EQ building structures, has done wonders for customer loyalty, word-of-mouth marketing, better regulated interactions, and boosted morale for both customer, staff and management.
Better interactions with points of communication, the call center being one of them, encourages customers to be more proactive in problem solving, and accommodating to staff. The likelihood of having to resort to a negative review so that you can express yourself is significantly decreased. It's harder for the average customer to lash out at the person that has listened to and helped them over the past few months. It's also easier for the rep to understand the type of help each particular customer wants. This high EQ relationship structure has successfully unleashed a greater two-way understanding and all of the gifts it has to offer on both sides.
Let us know what you think about the article below.
If you're interested in knowing more about our Applied Emotional Intelligence Study, Let us know
