Customer Experience Specialist Interview Questions

How Do You Keep Yourself Motivated When The Job Seems Repetitive

The responsibilities of a customer service representative are repetitive. Your interviewer wants to know how you stay motivated and focused amid the monotonous cycle.

Example:First, I usually set clear and realistic goals to help me manage my workload. Next, I also try to engage with my team members to create a conducive and positive working environment. Also, I do create time for my hobbies outside work to keep my mind refreshed.

Interview Questions About Call Center Experience

• What do you consider to be the primary responsibility of a call center agent?
• What do you think are the most important skills when working in a call center?
• What types of have you worked with? What did you think about them?
• How do you respond to customers when they become abusive over the phone?
• Tell me about your experience working in a virtual call center?
• Why do you think youll thrive at our company?
• How has your performance been measured in the past?
• How do you measure good customer service?
• How do you handle negative feedback from customers?

Why Is Customer Service Important

Good Customer service is key in helping you retain customers and extract more value from the relationships with them.

Top-quality customer service will allow you to recoup customer acquisition costs and nurture a loyal following that refers customers, serves as case studies, and provides testimonials and reviews.

Building a customer support team is important, but listen to these tips about what KPIs to track to measure the performance of your customer support efforts.

Customer Support Representatives are likely to determine your level of retention and acquisition.

Thats why you must be very thorough when hiring Customer Support Specialists. Here are 5 interview questions that help you find the best:

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Tell Me About A Difficult Day You Experienced At Work What Happened And How Did You Handle It

Youre going to have difficult days as a customer service representative.

So employers want to know that youre resilient and can handle it.

They want to know that you wont freak out, throw your uniform and quit.

So show them you know its not always easy being in customer service, but that youre able to stay professional and come back the next day no matter what happens.

Use the S.T.A.R. method to tell a clear story about a day that really didnt go your way, and what you learned from it and how you turned it into a positive experience.

What were you able to improve from that experience?

How did you make sure the customer was satisfied?

How did that experience help you avoid problems/mistakes/difficult situations later in your career?

Thats the general approach Id take when answering this type of question in your customer service interview.

How Do You Feel About Working At Night On The Weekend Or In The Early Mornings To Maintain Our 24

Reliable customer services are available 24 hours a day. The hiring manager wants to know if you are flexible with an irregular schedule. You can also include your experience in the answer. Example

Example:I am comfortable working in such a schedule. We provided customer service 24/7 at the fintech company I used to work at. I used to switch between morning shifts and night shifts.

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Tell Me About A Time You Went Above And Beyond What Was Expected To Please A Customer

Employers dont just want someone who does the bare minimum or sticks to their exact job description as a customer service representative.

So they ask behavioral questions like this one to see if youre able to really please customers and go above and beyond the basics.

If you have any previous customer service experience, be ready to go into detail about a time you got creative or put in the extra effort to please a customer.

For example, if you worked in a grocery store, what was something you did that they really didnt expect, and made their day?

Maybe you helped them find their lost child as the store was closing.

Maybe you special-ordered a product that you dont normally carry.

Think about those things that arent on the job description. Thats what to talk about when answering this interview question.

If youve never worked in a customer service role before, they might ask a similar question like, tell me about a time you went above and beyond what was expected of you at work?

So even if youve never worked in customer service, be ready to talk about a situation where you did more than what was expected in your job.

Elements Of Good Customer Service

When answering interview questions about customer service, it can be helpful to consider the core elements that make it up. These elements are:

Catherine Song

Product Awareness: Whether you’re talking about books, ads on a website, or a widget, having a thorough knowledge of the company’s products is vital for providing strong customer service. Arrive at your interview with a solid base of understanding of both the company and its reputation amongst customers, as well as detailed knowledge of the company’s services/products.

Attitude: Attitude is everything, or almost everything. Greeting people with a smile or friendly hello can make a big difference in a retail store. For any customer service position, in-person or by phone, a friendly and patient attitude is important. Show everyone you meet during the interview process the positive and engaging attitude that you have. If youre not feeling upbeat, review these tips for staying positive during job interviews.

Efficiency: Customers value a prompt, effective response. Be ready to share your achievements in customer service efficiency with the interviewer. Have you beaten productivity goals, cut down on response time, or reduced the need for follow-up calls? Anything youve done to be more efficient in your job is worth sharing with your interviewers.

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Interview Questions To Ask When Hiring A Customer Support Specialist

Customer support can make or break your company.

One of the most important investments you can make is in customer support. Why? Your customer support team’s importance relies on the fact that they are your most direct connection between your customers and your business.That’s why it’s crucial to understand how essential customer service is to improving your business and relationships with customers.

What Are Your Biggest Strengths And Weaknesses When Interacting With A Customer

This is a very specific question. You could also hear a simple What are your strengths and weaknesses?

When you hear this question in a customer service interview, the employer wants to know what you are good at and what you need to improve. Dont be afraid to tell them about your struggles but make sure to mention that youre working on them and want to improve.

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How Can You Improve A Dissatisfied Customer’s Experience

One of the many responsibilities of a customer service representative is handling complaints from unhappy customers. The hiring manager will want to ensure that you have the necessary skills and tact to manage these situations successfully. If you have experience solving a problem like this from a past position, you can reference it in your answer.

Example:”I’ve found the most successful strategy for turning an unhappy customer into a happy customer is by actively listening to what they’re saying. Sometimes, customers just want you to hear them, and they want to feel like the company cares about them and their opinions. For example, I once had a customer who got home to find there was only one shoe in her shoebox. She was very upset, so I let her tell me why she was upset, validated her feelings and provided her with a discount on her purchase along with the missing shoe. She left in a much better mood.”

Related: 9 Ways To Provide Excellent Customer Service

Customer Service Technology Interview Questions

• What technology have you used to deliver the best customer experience?
• Are there any tools in particular that you prefer to use to interact with customers? Why?
• Have you ever used customer service software to manage the omnichannel experience?
• What is your preferred way to communicate with customers? Why?
• Do you know the differences between a ticket-centered system and a people-centered platform?
• What tools do you think are most important to provide modern customer experience?

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What Are You Hoping To Do In Five Years

Hiring managers want to know what your career ambitions are. Depending on the company and the specifics of the position, they might be looking for someone who plans to stay with the company and progress through the ranks. Be honest about your trajectory and thoughtful about how this position will support your career goals when you answer.

Example:”I would love to work as a manager in this company in the next five years. I think working in customer service is absolutely vital since I’ll get such a great feel for what customers need and want. I enjoy the responsibilities of working as a customer service representative, so I think this position is a great fit for me and my career ambitions.”

Describe A Really Good And Really Bad Experience Youve Had Working As Part Of A Team

A great customer success manager doesnt just minimize customer issues. Because they work with so many departments, these managers also need to proactively solve problems with co-workers.

Look for responses that reflect leadership and a positive attitude to check whether theyre able to work in teams.

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Describe A Time When It Was Especially Important To Make A Good Impression On A Client How Did You Approach Things

With this question and answer, make sure you show them youre willing to do whatever it takes to help the company if youre hired. Chances are they put the client first if theyre asking this, so you need to show that you do the same if you want them to feel comfortable offering you the job.

Example Answer:

I had been working as an account manager for two years in my previous company when the person who managed our largest account resigned. The account was given to me. The client had a lot of special requests that I needed to learn about. I spent time reviewing the previous notes in the account, and I scheduled a call to get acquainted with our contact in the company to introduce myself. I was attentive and set expectations for what I would deliver, and was able to keep the client very happy. They actually gave us 20% more business later that year.

Please Share With Usyour Most Promising Achievement

I am pleased to report that since I assumed the position of customer experience specialist in my previous role, our department achieved a customer satisfaction rate of 95%. This was a customer satisfaction survey, and the results were positive. Customer satisfaction was initially at 65%, and I employed various strategies to boost my teammates and my morale, including performance rewards. As a result, customer service has improved significantly, as have the results. They now have a happy team and satisfied customers.

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If You Have Some Customer

If youre coming from a different field where you have experience interacting with customers, I want to know why theyre looking to transition into a customer support role, says Bell. For example, if your experience is waiting tables, Bell would want to know why you want to move into a role where the focus is almost entirely on helping people solve problems.

Is Customer Success A Philosophy Or Methodology How Would You Define It

Skill: Persuasive speaking

This question may seem slightly academic and pretentious. But a customer success specialist should be able to adapt to a variety of situations. If someone invites them to give a lecture on customer success at a reputable university, they should be able to handle it.

Example answer

Id lean towards philosophy. Its not just about the things you do. Its more about the way your whole company thinks about customers and their obligations to them. Obviously, these shape the attitudes of employees and approaches to the customer. In turn, it affects good practices and specific processes and procedures. But at the highest level, customer success is a state of mind.

What you should pay attention to as a candidate: Dont try to memorize complex definitions. Nobody will expect you to recite them. And its way too easy to get stuck if you forget specific wording. Youll get a better grasp of the terminology by reading articles about good customer service.

Extra follow-up question: What is the difference between customer success and customer service?

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Customer Service Interview Questions With Answers

Related: 10 Most Common Customer Service Interview Questions

In this video, Sinead reviews the 10 most common questions that recruiters ask in a customer service interview with examples for how to answer.

Customer service representatives must have a specific set of skills and qualifications to perform their jobs well and be able to communicate that during an interview. In order to have a successful interview, applicants must prepare ahead of time.

In this article, we provide 15 common customer service questions with explanations and sample answers.

Why Do You Think You Would Be A Good Fit For This Position

This is your chance to present yourself as the perfect candidate for the company you apply to. The employer wants to know what skills you have to make you the right person for the job.

Tips

• Research the company. Look for their values, the work environment they create, and what they strive towards.
• List out what connections you have with the company and what makes you a great customer service representative.
• Highlight your personal traits and special skills. Share your achievements and present what makes you unique.

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How Would You Manage A Customer Whose Issue Is Taking Too Long To Resolve

Sometimes customer service manager may not be able to resolve an issue recently. They may need time to consult with other team members. The interview wants to know how you communicate with the customer to avoid upsetting them and your teamwork capabilities. Example

Example:During my period with the fintech company, one of our customers received money from an international entity and the payment experience some delays. I kindly requested them to wait since it was the weekend for the technical team to arrive on Monday, and I will get back to them immediately after the department addressed the issue.

How Would You Explain Tiktok To People Who Arent Technically Savvy

Can your applicant succinctly and clearly explain a complex concept to the average user? This quality is especially important for SaaS customer success managers since software is often complicated.

Use this question to gauge whether they know how to make a technical product seem approachable and fun.

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How To Answer Interview Questions About Customer Service

The interviewer wants to know what you consider to be quality customer service, how you define good customer service, and how you would be willing to provide it to customers.

If you have worked in a service industry, its best to recount an occasion when you personally were able to provide service above and beyond what the customer expected.

The best way to answer is to about how you handle customer issues when they arise in the workplace. In your answer, be prepared to give specific examples of good customer service either from your work experience or from your personal experiences as a consumer.

In Light Of Your Experience Do Some Customers Warrant A Higher Level Of Personalization Than Others

I believe that some customers deserve a higher level of personalization than others. Given the complexity and cost of personalization, segmenting customers into those most likely to respond to personalization may make sense. Certain businesses have developed composite personas for their customers to conduct more broad-brush personalization at a lower cost than one-to-one efforts. For instance, you could create a set of customer categories based on previous purchase history and other data and create distinct customer experiences for each category.

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When Youre Working With A Large Number Of Customers Its Tricky To Deliver Excellent Service To All How Do You Go About Prioritizing Customers Needs

There isnt one correct way to prioritize in a customer service job.

It depends a lot on your industry and whether you interact face-to-face with customers, whether youre working in an office and talking to customers on the phone, etc.

Your goal in your answer should be to explain how you try to remain fair and use your best judgment to keep all customers satisfied.

Try to show hiring managers that youve been in tricky situations in the past and that know how to handle it without panicking.

Example Answer:

I try to be fair and treat our customers equally. Of course, if theres a large client that is crucial to our business I am going to make sure theyre well taken care of, but I want every customer to feel like theyre important to us. In any situation or challenge, I maintain excellent communication. Im not always able to handle every customer request the instant it comes in, but I respond and give a timeframe for how soon I can handle it. I show that I understand their concern and that Im working on taking action to resolve it. This goes a long way to keeping customers happy. One more thing I do in my response is invite them to follow up if they have any further concerns or need an update. That way they feel comfortable checking in, and arent left waiting anxiously without an answer.