How You Would Handle A Customer Who Was Upset About A Known Problem With Your Product Or Service
The hiring manager wants to know if you’re able to handle difficult issues, like a defective product. This is another great opportunity to share an anecdote from a past position if you have one. If you don’t, consider providing an example using one of the company’s own services or products.
Example:“If a customer came to me stating that the zipper on their bag broke after a week, and the company was aware of the zipper issue, I would start by apologizing profusely. Next, I would offer either a full refund or a trade-in for a different product. If the company issued specific guidelines to mitigate the problem, I would adhere to those.”
Situational Interview Questions For Customer Service
Customer Service Interview Questions To Ask Candidates
Ask every candidate the 23 customer service interview questions below to get the information you need to hire top talent.
1. How would you define good customer service?
2. What appeals to you about this role?
3. Whatâs the best customer service youâve ever received? Why?
4. Can you tell me about a time when you received poor customer service?
5. Is there a difference between customer service and customer support?
The first five questions on our list help you find candidates who share your underlying beliefs about the role customer service plays in an organization. You know what you consider to be great service does your candidate have the same high expectations?
Good candidates will be able to explain why customer service matters to a business and give clear examples of good and bad service. They should be prepared to talk about your specific company and how customer service might contribute to its success.
Watch out for people who really want a different role but see customer service as the easiest way to get a foot in the door. Theyâll be less likely to have thought through what great customer service means to a business.
6. Can you tell me about a time when you were proud of the level of service you gave a customer?
7. Have you ever dealt with an unreasonable customer? How did you handle it, and how would you handle it today?
8. Have you ever bent the rules in assisting a customer? Tell me about the situation and the outcome.
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Tell Me About A Time A Customer Was Pleased With Your Service
There are a few important things you should cover in your answer. First, demonstrate your skill and your ability to do high quality work in your field. Then show that you have excellent communication and are dedicated to customer service. If you can end your story by saying the experience led to more business for the company, thats ideal .
Example Answer:
I worked with a difficult customer to resolve a few issues they were having with their internet service. I stayed patient and took the time to fully understand the issue, and then came back to them promptly with a solution. They had spoken to a few other customer service representatives in the past who didnt take the time to address the whole issue, so the problem kept occurring. After the issue was fixed, the company went out of the way to tell my manager how satisfied they were with the service I gave them. Later that year they signed a contract to expand our service into three more of their office locations for a total of $70,000 in revenue for our company.
What Do You Do When You Dont Know The Answer To A Customers Question
This will put you on the spot. The interviewer wants to know how you deal with being caught off guard.
There will be plenty of times when you dont know the answer to a clients question, especially at the beginning of your employment. This is normal, and thats why your employer wants to know if you can handle it. So, how to answer this customer service interview question?
Tips
- Prepare for this question by thinking about the last time someone asked you about something you didnt know. How did you handle the situation?
- Write down all the important actions you took to find the solution to the problem. If you couldnt solve the issue yourself, say who helped you.
- Make sure your answer involves how you help the customer even though their question is new to you.
- If youre applying for a senior position, refer to a specific situation at work when you didnt know the answer to a customers question.
- If youre applying for a junior position, you might not have a specific work example for this question. Thats okay. Think of a situation at your school when you didnt know the answer to a teachers question and describe how you dealt with it.
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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 / The Balance
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.
Service With A Smile:
Hopefully youve already completed tip #1 and honestly evaluated whether or not this job is right for you. If it is, then make sure that youre exemplifying those traits from the absolute very beginning of the interview.
That means participating in the interview as though you already have the job
Show up to your interview well dressed and early, make sure you have multiple clean and professional copies of your resume and business card on hand, and start the conversation off with a friendly and firm handshake. Make eye contact, offer genuine smiles, remain engaged in the conversation and answer the questions your hiring manager asks you with confidence and honesty.
Now lets look at the types of questions you might be asked and why, and what you should consider when answering them!
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Be Honest With Yourself:
This means making sure youre actually a suitable candidate for a customer service representative position before ever setting foot in a hiring managers office.
While this might seem like a no-brainer tip, this is a critical step you should take even before applying for a customer service position, much less accepting an opportunity to interview. Go back over our list of desirable traits for a customer representative and ask yourself honestly if these all apply to you.
Customer representative jobs arent always easy and even people who truly posses all the traits and love the job have off days, but for people who have secured these positions without really knowing what the job entails or ensuring theyre the right fit, the job can be downright miserable.
What Is Your Idea Of Quality Customer Service
Interviewers want to know what you think quality customer service is and how you would deliver it. Your response could sound something like this:
My idea of quality customer service is being able to provide customers with friendly, professional service that not only solves their problems or answers their questions, but also leaves them feeling satisfied with the service they received.
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Tell Me About Your Previous Customer Service Experience
What They Want to Know: Potential employers want to know if you have experience in a similar role. You do not have to describe every role you’ve had. Instead, highlight the most relevant customer-oriented jobs you’ve had. And, if you do not have a lot of experience in customer service, discuss relevant skills that you have, such as communication skills, empathy, and problem-solving. It can be effective to use an example of a time when someone made an impact on you through their superb customer service skills.
How Do You Normally Respond If You Dont Know The Answer To A Customers Question
Not only will this question decipher whether you can handle a difficult situation professionally, itll also test whether youll admit to a potential weakness and overcome it.
To make sure your answer impresses, explain that even if youre unsure of how to answer a customers query, you always ensure they get the help and advice they need.
Make it clear to the interviewer that youd find the answer using a reliable source , and if youre not qualified to handle their request, youd politely direct them to another member of the team.
Remember: guessing is never an option
Right answer
If I absolutely cant answer their question, Ill usually respond with Im not 100% sure on that, but let me check with one of my colleagues and get back to you straight away.
Wrong answer
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Top 17 Customer Service Interview Questions
- / By Biron Clark
Interviewing for customer service jobs? Weve got you covered!
Were going to look at 17 sample customer service representative interview questions, including the top behavioral customer service interview questions.
These are the questions you can expect to hear in any customer service interview whether its a first phone interview or face-to-face interview.
Make sure you can answer ALL 17 before going into your interview. Lets get started
Need More Interview Questions
Not sure any of these questions will come up? Dont panic. Weve got plenty more
Buy James Reeds new book: Why You? 101 Interview Questions Youll Never Fear Again and start loving Mondays now.
If youre still searching for your ideal customer service role, read our list of the best jobs in the customer service industry and jobs in retail or browse customer service courses now.
Still searching for your perfect position? View all available customer service jobs now
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Why Use Customer Service Interview Question Templates
You should use templated customer service interview questions because it allow you to compare every candidate in an apples-to-apples way. When candidates answer the same questions, you can then compare how they responded and make an informed decision that has less hiring bias. Customer service interview question templates are also great if you have team members who are not used to the interview process because it provides them with a roadmap to follow.
What Is The Most Challenging Customer Service Issue Youve Resolved In The Past
As a leader of your customer service team, its important that you showcase the ability to problem solve – both in general and with customers. Your answer can also help show the interviewer that youre able to handle challenging customers with grace and resolve the conflict while ensuring customer satisfaction.
Start the story by explaining the importance of the situation, and share how you improved the experience. Be sure to highlight your willingness to help the customer and resolve the issue, as well as how your customer service and management skills were utilized.
Additionally, you can help show the interviewer that you can identify issues, and use past challenges to create solutions before a situation arises in the future.
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Top 20 Customer Service Interview Questions And Answers
1) What is Customer service?
Customer service is about the customer and the service that is offered to them. It will be the job of customer service agent to build a positive relationship with the customer. The agent also needs to make sure that customers experience with the company is a satisfying one which helps to increase the overall reputation of the enterprise.
2) Which relevant qualifications do you have for this job?
- Qualifications obtained from a college setting
- Experience in the customer service field.
It will help them to determine how appropriate you are for the position for customer service job. Answer as per your actuals and do not fake anything.
3) What do you think about typical day in a Customer Service representatives life?
Here are the daily activities of a Customer Service Agent-
- Answering phone call
- Providing customers with relevant information
- Encourage them to select the right
4) What is the difference between good and great customer service?
This question should give a sense of how you consider your role for the customer service job. A good customer service only offer what customer is looking.
On the other hand, great customer service is ready to provide something more to the customer.
5) What do you do in the situation when you dont know the answer to a question?
The main thing here is your honesty. Especially if you are handling a complex product or service and do not have much knowledge about the product.
11) What is Customer Satisfaction?
What Does Good Customer Service Mean To You
What They Want to Know: Interviewers are eager to know what you consider to be quality customer service and how you would provide it to customers. Another variation of this question is, “What is good customer service?” 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.
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Tell Me About A Time You’ve Had An Exceptional Customer Service Experience
Hiring managers will often ask this customer service interview question to discover your ideal customer service experience. In your answer, share an experience where the customer service representative and company treated you with respect and went above and beyond to exceed your expectations.
Example:I mirror my customer service skills on the exceptional experience I have every time I visit my optometrist. The staff are always friendly, greet me immediately, and are patient and helpful when I select frames.
What Do You Consider The Most Important Criteria For A Successful Customer Service Department
Interviewing for a management or supervisor position is more in-depth than an interview for a customer service representative role. In addition to excellent customer service skills, you also need to showcase your ability to lead a team. The interviewer wants to ensure you have a good understanding of the needs of the customer and your team, as well as have the right resources and processes in place to meet those needs.
You may want to include examples of criteria such as:
-
I ensure expectations and objectives are clearly communicated to all staff.
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I try to empower my staff to meet customer demands and do what is necessary to ensure customer satisfaction.
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I go out of my way to make sure my staff is engaged, and I listen to feedback from staff and customers and do my best to effectively and quickly act on it.
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Listen To How They Listen
An active listener is a prepared problem solver. Instead of auto-piloting to a solution based on what they expect to hear, theyâre patient enough to listen to how a customer feels and respond accordingly.
The same answer can be packaged in wildly different ways according to a customerâs temperament, and itâs important to know if your future teammate can adapt their tone.
You can tease this out during an interview by asking multi-part questions. If a candidate carefully addresses each point youâve asked them to discuss, that means theyâre an engaged and sincere listener. Itâs also a good indication youâve found somebody who will treat users well when they show up to talk to your company.
Try some of these examples:
- What interests you about customer service, in particular? Where do you see this role taking you?
- How did you hear about our company? Is there something specific that stands out to you about the product or team?
- Whatâs a time you had to give somebody an answer they didnât want to hear? Were you able to approach it in a way that resulted in an overall positive outcome? If so, how?
