What Skills Should A Great Customer Service Representative Have
Hiring managers want to know that you understand what’s expected from the position and that you have the corresponding skills to perform it well. In your answer, use the skills and qualifications listed in the job description and tie them to your own skills when possible.
Example:“I think the skills great customer service representatives most commonly have are strong communication, positivity and problem-solving. They must clearly communicate with customers, both by answering questions or explaining policies in addition to actively listening to the customer. It’s vital to remain positive, even with an upset customer. Finally, solving problems for customers is both a skill and a necessary qualification for the position.”
Knowledge Of Company Policy
Of course, to effectively give customers options, you have to be familiar with company policy so you can provide accurate information. Explain to your interviewer how you do this to demonstrate your approach. Example:
If I know company policy is to allow 30-day cash-back refunds with a receipt or exchanges at any time, Im able to advise the customer of those options. If I know a customer is angry that a coupon doesnt actually begin until the following day, Ill suggest we put a hold on their merchandise for 24 hours so they can still get the discount. For me, its all about using the companys existing policies to create the best experience for the customer.
Customer service is all about being a stellar representative of the company you work for. Demonstrate your strengths in an interview by showcasing these key traits.
References
Entry Level Customer Service Resume
Use this template
Why this resume works
- It can feel daunting when you’re looking for your first full-time role in customer service. The key is to remember that at the end of the day customer service representatives are the voice of the customer within an organization. You need to show you can quickly understand and resolve people-related issues. This can be through clubs you’ve participated in, part-time work experiences, or volunteer experiences.
- When you’ve recently finished school , you should list relevant classes you’ve taken as a student that might be relevant to customer service.
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Ability To Handle Surprises
Sometimes, customers are going to throw your team curveballs. Theyâll make a request that isnât covered in your company guidelines or react in a way that no one could have expected.
In these situations, itâs good to have a team of people who can think on their feet. Even better, look for people who will take the initiative to create guidelines for everyone to use in these situations moving forward.
Customer Service Representative Resume
Why this resume works
- The quickest and most convincing way to make the case that you deserve an interview is by quantifying your impact as a customer service representative in your past roles. Luckily, customer service is typically a metric-heavy role. From sales to customer reviews to retention, there are a lot of potential numbers you can draw on.
- A hiring manager will, on average, spend 6 seconds reviewing your resume. Numbers draw the eye of the manager and increase the length of time they will review your resume which increases your likelihood of getting an interview.
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How Would Past Coworkers Or Classmates Describe You
Customer service representatives interact frequently with customers, meaning they must know how to communicate and remain positive. Use descriptors for yourself that align well with the necessary skills for a customer service representative in your answer.
Example:“At my last job, my peers nicknamed me “Smiley” because I try to smile as much as possible. I find it makes me feel more positive and helps set customers at ease.”
What Are Your Strengths
This is your opportunity to showcase the strengths you have that will be a benefit to their organisation. When answering interview questions with no experience, make sure you sell yourself!
My advice is to list the 7 key strengths that are appealing to ANY employer. Here they are
Throughout my life, I have consistently demonstrated 7 key strengths. These are an ability to work hard to complete any task, a desire and passion to do everything to the highest standards possible, a desire to work as part of a team to complete difficult tasks, a willingness to learn & develop continuously, understanding the importance of and being open to change, a positive attitude to everything i do and a loyal, trustworthy and honest approach to work. I believe if you hire me, you will be impressed by my work ethic and my professional approach to everything I do.
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How Familiar Are You With Our Brand
You donât have to hire someone with prior knowledge of your brand, but it sure helps. The more the prospect knows about you, the less you have to teach them. So, you want to ask how familiar the prospective hiree is with your brand and what they think about it.
Itâs a bonus is the prospect is a fanatic. If theyâre eager to work for your company, theyâre more likely to do a great job at work. *If the interviewee is familiar with your brand, try asking if theyâve ever experienced your customer support team and ask them to give you their thoughts.
How Do You Measure Good Customer Service
Interviewers like to ask this customer service interview question because it explores the candidate’s understanding of how to quantify good customer service in a business context.
Customer service is intangible but there are many ways of measuring whether you are delivering good customer service including:
- number of repeat customers
- number and type of customer complaints received
- number of new customers
- number of referrals given by current customers
- sales figures on specific products
- the number of returns
- social media/website reviews and comments
- benchmarking service with competitors
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Customer Service Interview Questions With Sample Answers
If you’re preparing for a customer service job interview, it can be helpful to review frequently asked questions and answers ahead of time so you have some idea of what to expect. Review this list of 15 questions and answers to help you prepare for your next interview.
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What Would You Do If A Frustrated Customer Complained About A Well
For a customer service rep, this is one of the most challenging situations. Fixing the problem is out of your control, but you still have to find an appropriate resolution.
Employers know how difficult this can be and are looking for candidates that can rise to the challenge, applying patience, creative problem-solving and key to ensure brand reputation is not damaged and the customer gets a satisfactory result.
Example answer:
Firstly, its important to let the customer vent their frustrations without interruption. And in response, its vital to take ownership. The flaw itself may not be mine to fix, but as a representative of the company that is responsible, I need to show that were not shying away from the issue.
To find the best resolution, Id consider the circumstances, and then weigh up any actions I could take along with their potential consequences for both the customer and the business.
Whatever the outcome, be it a refund, exchange or repair, Id assure them that its an issue of the highest importance and we were taking every step possible to fix the flaw.
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Tell Me About A Time You Thought You Communicated Clearly But Were Misunderstood What Happened And How Did You Handle The Situation
This is another customer service interview question designed to measure your communication skills and your ability to recover when things dont go exactly as planned.
Theyre looking to hear a story showing your ability to solve a problem/issue after your first attempt to communicate didnt go so well.
If you work in customer service long enough, youll be misunderstood once or twice. .
So the hiring manager or interviewer wants to see you can keep your cool and recover even if a customer totally misunderstands you and gets upset.
Interview Question: What Is Customer Service
When you’re interviewing for a job, you need to be prepared for all kinds of interview questions, from the standard to the downright wacky . But since you don’t have an endless amount of time to prepare, it makes sense to focus the bulk of your preparation time on the questions you’re most likely to get.
If you’re applying for a retail or customer service position, for example, a common job interview question is, What is customer service?
Heres information on why interviewers ask this question, and on how to prepare and give a good response. Youll also find examples of strong answers to the question.
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Throw A Zag Into Your Interviews
Boilerplate questions donât reflect the reality of support. They surprise no one, they wonât surface an ability to thrive under pressure, and their limited framing begets limited answers. Thatâs no good, because youâre searching for creativity work isnât a multiple choice test.
Instead, complement your must-ask questions, your âzigs,â with a few questions that âzag.â
- Ask a question the candidate wonât know the answer to. How do they respond? When theyâre new, theyâll face many questions in the queue that will leave them stumped.
- Ask a question that has nothing to do with the product: âWhoâs the most under-appreciated hero/heroine in any story? Why?â Is their response charming, or does it fall flatter then an “N/A” reply in a written interview?
- Get people to commit with one question and then dig deeper with a second
You can also zag by how you conduct interviews. I encourage managers to take potential support hires out for coffee. Observing how someone interacts with the outside world will speak volumes about their self-awareness and personal motivations.
A person who canât be bothered to say âpleaseâ and âthanksâ is not a person who should be in the business of professionally making other people happy.
Explain A Time When You Delivered Excellent Customer Service
If you have no experience, these types of behavioural interview question can be harder to answer. However, when answering questions of this nature, focus on 3 things:
- Your understanding
- Your skills
- Your observations
Tell the panel about the times you have seen excellent customer service and how you would replicate what you witnessed.
Sample Response
I am someone who understands the importance of excellent customer service and I realise your business will not survive or develop if your employees dont deliver it.
During my life so far, I have been an enthusiastic observer of people who work in customer service roles and have witnessed both brilliant customer service and also poor customer service.
Based on the good elements I have witnessed, I would always make the customer feel welcomed, be polite and courteous at all times, listen to their concerns and requirements and go out of my way to deliver the best service possible. I would always focus on making their experience so good that they would come back to your business time and time again.
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Select Your Weakness Carefully
Make sure to choose a relatively harmless weakness. For a customer service job interview, make sure that some focused study or practice easily fixes your weakness. Lacking confidence with specific software tools or insecurity on the fluency level of a second language are good examples for customer service interviews. Make sure that you can discuss how you are learning from these challenges. Explain, in detail, the steps you are taking to make improvements.
Try to stay away from personal flaws or traits and remain focused on your professional weaknesses and how they relate to the role. Remember, its an interview not a confessional. Oversharing can derail your job candidacy.
Why Should We Hire You For Our Customer Service Team
Once again, this question gives you a decent look into a candidates personality. Do they see themselves as part of the team? Are they mentioning ways they can contribute as a team player, or focusing on their personal agenda? If theyre too focused on themselves, they may be a poor team player even if they say theyre a fan of teamwork in Question #5.
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You Are Unable To Help A Customer: What Do You Do
As a customer care agent, there are few things worse than feeling helpless because you are unable to help someone. To answer this question, display your problem-solving skills, confidence, and integrity. For instance, you never lie to a customer to get them out of the way quickly.
Instead, you explain that you dont have the answer but will search for a colleague who can help. Eventually, you find the right person and steer them in the direction of the customer.
Practice Your Answer Before The Interview
As a final tip make sure you go practice everything you plan on saying when the interviewer asks, what can you tell me about yourself?
Nothing comes out perfect the first time, and you dont want to appear nervous and stumble when they ask.
So Id recommend grabbing a piece of paper and writing down the key points you want to talk about in your answer. I like to write them in bullet format.
Then, use your smartphones voice recorder app to record a few practice answers and see how you sound.
Dont look at your notes as you give your answer. The idea is to try to remember what you want to talk about without reading off the paper. Then glance at the paper AFTER to make sure you covered everything.
Keep practicing until you can give a smooth answer without forgetting anything important.
Note: If youre having a phone interview, you can use notes/bullet points to help guide you through your answer. Nobody can see you on the phone, so take advantage!
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Example Answer Template If Unemployed:
In my most recent position at XYZ Company, I specialized in doing ___. The reason I applied for this job is I saw ___ on the job description and I think I would be able to help you ___ and ___. One of my key accomplishments in my last role for XYZ Company was helping them ___, and Im confident I can help your team get similar results here.
Examples Of How To Answer Tell Me About Yourself In Interviews
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In this article, Im going to walk you through steps and examples of how to answer the Tell me about yourself interview question to impress employers and get more job offers.
Well also cover the costly mistakes you NEED to avoid if you want to pass this question.
Heres exactly what youre going to get:
- The most-recommended method of how to answer tell me about yourself
- 4 examples of good answers to tell me about yourself
- A shorter, newer method for experienced candidates
- How to practice your answer to make sure youre 100% ready for the interview
Lets get started
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How To Conduct An Interview For Customer Service Skills
Providing excellent customer service is critical to business survival in todays competitive marketplaces. Mediocre customer service can quickly torpedo your companys reputation. Research from OfficeTeam says 42% of people encounter poor customer service at least monthly and that can hurt a growing business reputation.
And in todays connected online world, great customer service regardless of the industry are essential.
Good customer service skills are valuable for employees in all positions and industries, even those who don’t work directly with customers, says Brandi Britton, district president at OfficeTeam, headquartered in Menlo Park, California.
In many roles there’s interaction with external contacts, such as vendors or clients, and how you treat them can impact their overall impression of the company.
Heres an overview of the important customer service skills your team needs and how to evaluate workers these skills during the hiring process.
Observe the Candidates Communication SkillsExperts say these communication skills are vital for great customer service:
– The ability to share useful information- A capability to receive feedback- Knowing how to hear the intent behind what is being said
Employees who can execute on these attributes in a personable yet professional way will help give your company a strong reputation for service.
When hiring for customer service skills, Britton suggests that employers gauge these factors by looking for:
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.
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Be Concise When Answering
When they say tell me about yourself, its going to be tempting to give a long-winded answer. Its such an open-ended question.
And we covered a lot above, but theres something just as important as any of that. You need to be concise.
Your communication and ability to stay on track with your answer is something they are watching closely.
The interviewer wants to see that you can tell your story from Point A to Point B without getting sidetracked, distracted or scattered.
Because it tells them how youll communicate as an employee when theres a problem, when theres a disagreement, or when you simply need to share your knowledge or opinion.
If you take this answer beyond 2 minutes you are shooting yourself in the foot. In fact, below 90 seconds is ideal. Practice at home with a timer!
Thats why I recommend choosing a starting point based on your experience because if you have 25 years of experience and you start at the moment you graduated from college, your answer will be too long.
