Behavioral Question: Tell Me About An Experience You Had With A Customer An Experience Where You Were Unable To Service The Customers Needs And It Turned Into A Difficult Situation
Job Seeker Tip: When the interviewer asks a tell me about a time interview question, it is a behavioral interview question. These questions are intended to test your soft skills and general competency for the role. It can give the interviewer an opportunity to predict the future on the job performance. There may be many behavioral interview questions asked for the customer service job interview. Since it shows your previous experience and ability to navigate tough situations. Behavioral interview questions are sometimes referred to as situational interview questions. Use the STAR Method.
Answer: It was during closing time at Best Buy, and we had a customer come in with a large return. But our return department was closed. This caused the customer pain because he needed to return the product that day before leaving for vacation. We couldnt really handle the return without the credit card on file. So, we couldnt have the customer leave their details for the following day. The customer became angry that the returns department left early. We decided to help him file the return online and then the next day completed the return, which solved the situation.
What Do You See Yourself Doing In Five Years
This one is all about job commitment.
Some people make job hopping a career in of itself, and your answer here can be telling. Here, your interviewer is determining if you are:
- someone who sets goals
- someone who demonstrates commitment
- someone who is loyal
While no interviewer expects someone to stay at a company forever, try and craft your response in such a way that shows progression in your career, and alignment with the Companys needs and future. Again, self awareness is key your employer doesnt want to send you down an unwanted path, resulting in wasted time and energy for everyone.
What Was Your Biggest Failure In Your Previous Role And How Did You Recover From It
This question helps assess coachability and honesty. Everybody has failed, but the important part is did the candidate learn from it — or do they blame someone else for it?
What to Look For in Good Answers
Some candidates will give a cop-out answer. You’re looking for an answer that speaks to the candidate’s sense of personal responsibility, resilience, and ability to learn from mistakes in the future.
Also Check: Best Interview Clothes For A Woman
How Do You Keep Yourself Motivated When People Are Being Mean To You
Unfortunately, customer service jobs can involve a lot of encounters with people who are unhappyand being quite vocal about itwhich can result in a less-than-pleasant experience for you. Bell likes to ask this question to people who are new to customer service to see if candidates have thought about this aspect of the roleand figured out if its something theyll be able to handle.
Major Traits And Characteristics To Look For In Customer Service Job Interviews
Before we get into specific questions, itâs worth noting that not every candidate has the right disposition for customer service work. Many customer service skills are crucial, and these traits and characteristics rise to the top of the list. As you work through the selection and interview process, look for these elements.
Read Also: What To Ask A Cfo In An Interview
Describe A Time When You Were Not Sure What The Customer Wanted
Example answer: I used to work in tech support. The customers were often unfamiliar with the professional terminology we use, so it wasnt always easy to figure out the request immediately through live chat. Whenever I wasnt sure, I confirmed that I understood what they said, then asked additional questions for clarification.
How Would You Deal With An Angry Customer
A candidate who mentions listening carefully, empathizing, and following company policy is a good pick. Red flags that indicate an interviewee is a bad choice include being rude and not having any previous experience dealing with difficult customers. An inexperienced candidate may make a good pick if their other answers are strong, however.
Recommended Reading: Questions To Ask A Cfo During An Interview
Why Do Interviewers Ask Behavioural Interview Questions On Customer Service
Employers of labour in the customer service-based businesses have high taste when it comes to employing sales representative that will interact with their customers on their behalf. So, their employment processes have to be so strict with salient questions to test your knowledge to be sure you are the best bet for the job.
When an employee who is to be a customer service representative fails to meet up with the roles associated with the job, there will be setbacks in the business and bad image for the business owner.
Have You Ever Made A Mistake While Handling A Customer Service Problem How Would You Manage It Now
Everyone makes mistakes sometimes. The hiring manager wants to know if you can recognize your mistake, own up to them, solve them and learn from them. Moreover, you can explain how you will do things differently when faced with a similar situation.
Example:At my first Internship as a customer service representative, I was supposed to forward a customer’s call to the tech department and confused the number with the financial department because they were similar. We did waste some valuable customer service time, but I learned from my mistake and I got the company’s phone sheet to be more accurate.
Don’t Miss: What To Ask A Cfo In An Interview
Can You Tell Me About A Time You Received Poor Customer Service How Could It Have Gone Better
Practically everyone has had a poor customer service experience, but this question is particularly good for support and service roles because they will have the chance to answer through the lens of their professional experience.
What to Look For in Good Answers
Candidates should be able to tell their story in an engaging way, convey what they needed from the customer service experience, and where the organization fell short. The best candidates will also demonstrate empathy and problem solving by stating what they would’ve done instead if the roles were reversed. Be sure to pay attention to what they say they wish the outcome would’ve been as well as this will tell a lot about a candidate.
What Are The Roles Of A Customer Service Manager
The interviewer seeks to know whether you are familiar with the roles performed by customer service managers.
Tip #1: State several roles performed by a customer service manager
Tip #2: Provide the impression that you know your roles
Sample Answer
to download 3000+ Project Management Documents: Complete Library of Project Management Templates, Processes, Plans, Checklists, Forms, Tools, Presentation Slides and Infographics. Suitable For All Industries.
A customer service manager ensures that customers are satisfied throughout. He or she manages and supervises the customer service team. Training staff members to offer quality services and making sure they follow company policies are other roles performed by customer services managers. Besides, they handle customer problems and advice the top management on the best ways to satisfy the clientele.
Don’t Miss: What To Ask A Cfo In An Interview
What Is The Process Of De
Answer: This is when a customer has a problem feeling frustrated or upset about. And when coming into the customer service interaction, have emotions tied to the expectations of the interaction. It’s never best to respond with anything but kindness. We should try to empathize with the customer, explain to them that we hear their frustration and pain, and get it. And say something along the lines of, “We really understand this a problem, I hear your pain, we are not proud of this. And we need to resolve this problem immediately. Can you please provide me with the time to be able to help you address this situation? I’d really like to be able to assist, and I will do everything in my ability to resolve this for you.”
If Hired How Long Do You Plan On Working Here
What They Want to Know: The hiring process and training of new employees is time-consuming and expensive for employers. Interviewers want to get a sense of whether you’ll be sticking around or just taking the job for a few months. If you are planning on a very short-term stint, you do not need to mention it.
If hired, I’d like to work with ABC Company on a long-term basis. I’m in school for the next four years, and eager for a consistent role and to be part of the team here.
Read Also: Questions To Ask A Cfo
How Important Is The Presence Of Customer Support On Social Media For A Company
Possible answer:
With most social media communications functioning through features like tagging and instant messaging, businesses can really benefit from placing active and responsive customer service on social media portals. It speeds up the process of receiving and responding to feedback while showing the customer that the company is tech-friendly and up-to-date.
When Hiring Your Team What Qualities Will You Look For
The interviewer wants to know the qualities you will need in your team and the attributes you will be looking out for.
Tip #1: State the most important attribute you will be looking for when hiring your team.
Tip #2: Explain why these attributes are essential for your team.
Sample Answer
When hiring my team, I will prioritize the ability to take feedback positively and use it constructively, positive attitude, and willingness to learn and grow. These attributes make a great team member and an excellent service agent to customers.
You May Like: How To Prepare System Design Interview
What Interview Questions Should I Ask Candidates
The best interview questions to ask candidates depend on the role and the type of candidate you hope to attract. At minimum, you should ask the most common interview questions such as:
- Tell me about yourself
- Why do you want to work for this company?
- What are your greatest strengths?
- What is your biggest weakness?
- Why should we hire you?
Additional questions should evaluate whether the candidate is a good skill and culture fit for the position. Feel free to tailor your top interview questions to suit your organization and industry.
What Is Good Customer Service
What They Want to Know: Interviewers are eager to find out if your definition of customer service matches the company’s definition. For brick-and-mortar stores, providing a memorable, positive experience for customers is essential to success.
To me, the heart of good customer service is accommodating customers. That means greeting them cheerfully and having the knowledge to answer their questions. I always give customers a smile and greeting and try to get to know store inventory as well. This ensures that if a customer has a question about sizing or fit, I’m ready with an answer.
You May Like: What To Ask A Cfo In An Interview
What Is Your Greatest Achievement
The interviewer wants to know your actual, measurable performance and impact.
Tip #1: Discuss your most outstanding achievement
Tip #2: Be brief and clear
Sample Answer
Since I took over the position as a customer service manager, I am delighted to report that my department achieved 95% customer satisfaction. This was a survey that was recently conducted on customer satisfaction, and the feedback from the customers was positive. Initially, customer satisfaction was at 65%, and I used various strategies to boost my teams morale, including performance rewards. As a result, customer service improved, and the results are much better. We now enjoy a happy team and happier customers.
Customer Service Interview Questions Along With The Best Answers
Job interviews can be tough, to say the least. But theyre also a great opportunity to talk about yourself , and show off your best skills, especially those that are required for the position youre going for. When it comes to customer service, its all about communication. So if youre going for an interview in the field, show off your abilities from the get-go, making sure to convey the right messages with your words, body language and demeanor.
As well as trying to get to know you and bringing up general topics , you should prepare for more specific questions. Expect to be asked anything from what good customer service means to you, to behavioral questions that can hint at your problem-solving abilities and emotional intelligence. Other than knowing how to use a robust help desk software, and demonstrating your passion and understanding of the role, here are some customer service interview questions and answers that youre likely to come across:
Read Also: Mailscoop Io
Think Of A Company That Has Delivered Excellent Customer Service And Explain Why It Was So Good
Essentially, the interviewer wants to know if you can clearly identify what excellent customer service actually is, and explain how you can apply these principles to their role.
Although you could drop in that youre a fan of the way the company youre interviewing with does things, your main answer should refer to a positive experience youve had using a different product or service.
Explain the extraordinary lengths a company went to for you, how they did it, and what was good about the specific interaction.
Just make sure you think of the company before your interview. Because it isnt a matter of if this question comes up, its a matter of when.
Right answer
I was recently shopping at *company name*, and a member of staff noticed me looking confused around the dog collar section. He was very helpful, and talked me through the different materials, durability, and even suggested the size that might work best after asking what breed my dog was. Not only was he polite and accommodating, he also showed a genuine interest in my individual situation and offered tailored advice.
Wrong answer
Youre the best company Ive ever had any interaction with. I ordered something off your site and it was delivered within the specified time. Genius.
What Are Your Career Goals/where Do You See Yourself In 2
Most people dont dream of being in customer service and dont want to stay there forever.
So employers are probably going to ask about your long-term goals in a customer service representative interview.
You dont need to lie and say this is your dream job
You just want to show that this customer service representative position fits into your overall goals, even if its not where you want to be forever.
For example, do you want to become a manager? Learning the ins and outs of customer service can boost your people skills and help you learn about a vital part of the organization.
Want to work in sales eventually? You can say that you hope to build A+ interpersonal skills and communication skills, and you thought customer service was a great place to build that foundation.
Thats the basic idea when answering this interview question.
Further reading:
Also Check: Design Interview Preparation
What Do You Like/dislike The Most About Customer Service
Answer: It can be tough to let a customer down. Or know that we could have done better. I’ve found its best not to project onto others. And if there’s a failure to address a customer’s needs. Then that is on ourselves. And we need to perform a retrospective to determine what could have been done better. In this process, we can also address what went right. And try to do more of that. I firmly believe in the retrospective process, which is borrowed from the agile software development methodology.
Why Do You Want To Continue Working In Customer Support
Answer: I’ve found that I’m superb at it. I’m very comfortable helping others. And I find a personal passion for being able to resolve issues for others. I believe these skills will translate into any future job that I might have, including running my own business or working with another business. Customer service is provided by nearly all companies across the United States. I feel the more involved I get in this portion of the business, the higher demand I might be able to be in.
Recommended Reading: Interview Attire Women
What Are The Job Duties Of A Retail Customer Service Representative
Answer: I’d say the key skills of a retail customer service representative are:
- Follows instructions of supervisors and assists other team members in performing store functions.
- Assists in the training of store team members and other staff.
- Demonstrates consultative behaviors in a retail environment to understand each customer’s individualized needs.
- Provides an outstanding customer service experience by using consultative skills to anticipate customer needs, suggest alternatives, and find solutions to meet customer needs. Treating each customer as a client of the business.
Why Do Customers Shop At This Store
What They Want to Know: Interviewers want to assess your understanding of the company’s brand and the shopping experience the company seeks to provide. This is your opportunity to show off any company research you’ve done, so if you’ve visited the store and noticed something meaningful, share it in your response.
It’s all about the experience. For instance, at my local store, there’s always a candle burning. Other branches I’ve been to have fresh flowers. And I’ve noticed how the clerks give me a cheerful greeting and personalized recommendations. No one ever seems like they’re aggressively selling to me. From start to finish, I think customers enjoy the experience of stopping in at ABC Companyit’s like a treat.
You May Like: What To Ask A Cfo In An Interview
Describe A Time When A Customer Complained Of A Known Issue With The Companys Product
Example answer: There was a bug in our new software that we were aware of. When customers brought it up, I apologized and assured them I understood their frustration. I also made sure they knew that we were working on fixing it and always gave them an approximate estimate of the time it would take. Despite the bug, customer satisfaction was still high due to our proactive approach.
