A guide has been launched to help letting agents put empathy at the heart of customer care and ensure customers benefit from ‘human connection’.

Outsourced communications provider Moneypenny – which works with 2,500 players in the agency and construction sectors – has compiled the free guide to help agents improve its reputation for customer care and build more valuable, ongoing relationships with clients.

The guide includes include practical tips to improve empathy and ensure employees’ use of language is most effective. It also addresses the importance of active listening and the need for empathetic leadership, and includes a short quiz to help agencies ascertain just how empathetic they are.

Moneypenny chief executive Joanna Swash says: “This guide reminds the property industry of the commercial necessity for empathy and shows how they can engrain it into their practices and service delivery – reassuring clients that they’re not only being heard but also listened to and understood.”

“The pandemic has changed the relationships we have with each other – our peers, colleagues and clients – and it’s made human connection more appreciated than ever. The property business winners of the last two years prioritised empathy and have reaped the rewards for doing so. But, as the world returns to normal we have to make sure we don’t forget the importance of these behaviours.” 

The guide was developed with insight from emotional intelligence expert and founder of the EI Evolution, Sandra Thompson, who says: “Neuroscience tells us that it’s impossible to know exactly how someone else is feeling, yet the value of demonstrating that you’re doing your best to understand is huge – particularly when it comes to business. Brilliant client service experiences are built on empathetic interactions. That’s how you keep your clients loyal and make your employees feel empowered.”

The guide is available to download for free here.