Walk a mile in the customers’ shoes: The prospective role of wisdom and emotional intelligence in shaping customer-focused perspective-taking

Abstract

This study investigates the interplay of wisdom and emotional intelligence as antecedents of customer-focused perspective-taking in the hospitality industry. Grounded in the balance theory of wisdom, the study develops a research model hypothesising that wisdom, comprising cognitive, reflective and affective dimensions, fosters emotional intelligence, which mediates its relationship with perspective-taking. Data were collected from 394 frontline hospitality employees in the Dodoma region in Tanzania using a quantitative survey design. The results from covariance-based structural equation modelling confirmed that all three dimensions of wisdom significantly influence emotional intelligence, which in turn drives customer-focused perspective-taking. These findings highlight the cardinal role of wisdom and emotional intelligence in enabling employees to empathise with customers, enhancing service interactions and employee well-being. The study extends the application of the balance theory of wisdom to the hospitality industry, offering theoretical insights into psychological mechanisms for perspective-taking. The study recommends that managers in the hospitality industry prioritise emotional skills training to equip employees for dynamic customer interactions.