Emotional intelligence: A critical success factor for selling funeral policies
Date
2014
Authors
Shiri, AT
Chitakunye, P
Fields, Z
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
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Abstract
This study contributes to a deeper understanding of emotional intelligence as a critical success factor in the selling of funeral
insurance policies. Insights are drawn from a quantitative study that adopted a convenience sampling approach. The study
tested the extent to which emotional competencies are related to job performance of funeral policy sales agents. Thirty Eight
(38) agents from an insurance firm in the Midlands province of Zimbabwe participated in this study. A Schutte emotional
intelligence test was used to test their overall emotional intelligence as well as their four competencies of emotional
intelligence. Agents also responded to questions that tested their ability to handle client rejection and supplied other relevant
data, such as age and work experience. The data was analysed using SPSS, and the output revealed that there was a positive
relationship between emotional intelligence and performance. The results also revealed that some of the competences on
emotional intelligence were insignificantly related to sales agents’ performance while others, such as appraisal of emotion and
social skills, were significant. The results confirm that emotional intelligence is an important critical success factor in the
insurance industry and management should utilise it in planning.
Description
Keywords
Emotion segregation, Social intelligence, emotional intelligence, Critical success factors
Citation
Shiri, A. T., Chitakunye, P., & Fields, Z. (2014). Emotional Intelligence: A Critical Success Factor for Selling Funeral Policies. Mediterranean Journal of Social Sciences, 5(20), 381-389