Emotional intelligence can be a difficult skill set to quantify or translate into tangible benefits. At the same time, particularly in property management, judicious use of emotional intelligence often makes the difference between a good property management experience with high resident retention and a poor experience with a high vacancy rate.

A Human Skill

Emotional intelligence is the ability to identify and manage your emotions, or those of others. In other words, the ability identify and control the emotional experience, rather than be controlled by it. In property management, this can be an incredibly useful skill, especially in interactions with residents. Unlike other occupations in which clients or customers are dealt with in a business situation, property management is about interacting with people who are discussing things with you on behalf of a space they regard as their home. There is an extra level of care and empathy required in interactions at this level.

Emotional intelligence is a way to courteously but effectively navigate these situations. Aspects of emotional intelligence that are useful here are:

Active Listening

Residents will feel more at ease if they know that their concerns have been heard. Active listening means giving people the confirmation and comfort that their words have not just been heard but understood.

Empathy

This is another important aspect of emotional intelligence. The ability understand and even experience the feelings of the person you are communicating with means you are in a better position to resolve their issue.

Self-Regulation

Being aware of your own emotions means that you are less likely to lose control of them—or yourself—in emotional situations. Even if a disagreement gets heated, it's more difficult to escalate it if only one person has lost control of their emotions.

If you want to make the most of your residential investment and want to work with a reliable property management service provider, contact Occupancy Solutions and let us help.