Good customer service interview questions come as part of a larger package of job interview questions designed to bring out very specific, value-based answers. A good answer to customer service interview questions will revolve around a demonstration of skill, attitude and knowledge that can handle situations both stressful and time consuming – in other words, an asset to your business.
But what does a good answer actually entail? In this article, RealBusiness will highlight what makes a good answer to this question, as well as the overall frame of mind and approach that you should have going in to interview a person for a customer service role.
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How Do You Define Good Customer Service?
Customer service, in general terms, is possibly the most powerful tool a business has. It is the use of diplomacy and support to ensure a customer is informed, secure and satisfied. It takes place during, before and after they purchase goods and services from you – ranging from initial queries all the way to dealing with insurance claims years later.
When recruiting for customer service-related roles, you must hire someone with excellent communication skills who can prioritise the end goal of making the customer happy whilst embodying professionalism – or rather, separating that goal from their personal feelings. A satisfied customer will have enhanced customer loyalty, increased likelihood to return and will positively spread the word about your business and their dealings with you.
The most obvious example of a company that has embodied exceptional service for customers is Amazon. They took on the goal of ensuring that the customer is satisfied at every point of contact, and the result was Amazon Prime – notable for its fast deliveries, easy returns, and immediate access to the customer support team. Amazon, obviously, is one of the largest companies in the world off the back of this type of service.
What Are The Best Questions Asked In An Interview For Customer Service Positions?
Conducting a customer service interview is much the same as other job interviews, you need a set of interview questions that will prompt very specific, value-based answers. Interview questions and answers must be aligned with displays of skill and professionalism.
Examples of good customer service interview questions are the following, but bear in mind you may need to adjust them for whether or not you want a highly experienced person in the role:
- What was your most difficult customer query or customer complaint that you resolved?
- Tell us about how you dealt with your angriest customer?
- How would you deal with a customer you know is wrong, but is convinced is right?
- What is the longest customer service query you’ve had to deal with, and how did it end?
- If customers ask you questions you don’t know the answer to, how do you respond?
- Can you give me an example of how good customer service has positively impacted your own life?
- How do you identify a customer’s needs or expectations?
- What skills or traits do you think a customer service representative should have?
What makes these customer service interview questions great is their specificity. They ask about specific situations where the interviewee has found themselves in situations that are both tense, and of great importance to the business. The answers, then, must display professionalism, good communication skills, management of customer expectations and the best possible result given the situation – aka, ensure good customer experience.
Example Answer Demonstrating Great Customer Service Experience
This answer would demonstrate the person has good problem-solving skills:
“In my previous role as a customer service rep in an electronics store, I was approached by a customer who wanted to purchase a laptop. He was nervous about spending a lot of money without having much knowledge about the products but wanted something primarily to watch YouTube and read ebooks. I had the technical knowledge to explain the features and benefits of each model that we had a target to sell, but I didn’t right away – I instead decided to start purely on customer needs, displaying models that appealed to him in terms of size. Then, slowly, I began to move over to the OLED models, which were more expensive but offered stunning picture quality. He was hesitant at the price, but I kept using the word “value”, ensuring him that the mid-high range purchase would last him about five years, and the high end around 20. In the end, he bought the cheapest of our targets.”
Example Answer For A Candidate With Little Customer Service Experience
Even if somebody interviewing for a customer service position hasn’t had previous experience, they can still possess the right mindset and attitude for the job. Here’s what to look out for:
“I recently ordered a product online, but when it arrived, it was broken. This angered me, and I rang up the store to complain. Despite my anger, they immediately sent a new product (which was what I expected), but on top of that, they also sent a beautiful mug as a gift. When conversing with the customer service representative, I found myself apologising and feeling guilty, and the lady on the phone told me that she’d heard far worse, but once the problem is solved, it usually ends just like it did with me – regretful and foolish. I gained so much respect for customer service reps after that.”
This demonstrates that they understand what good customer service looks and feels like, meaning they’re more likely to be able to replicate this for others in their role providing customer service.
What Would Poor Customer Service Examples Look Like?
This will be a quick answer.
- If the example answer ends with a dissatisfied customer unnecessarily, whether through incompetence or lack of professionalism.
- If the example answer is unspecific, indicating it is either false or exaggerated.
Whilst customer service jobs can get complicated, your customer service team must have a developed code of conduct that they live by at all times.
What Types Of Jobs Require Good Customer Service?
Customer service roles expand beyond that of a customer service rep in a call centre dealing with an angry customer. The following are examples:
- Retail Sales Associate
- Assisting customers with product inquiries
- Processing sales transactions
- Handling returns and exchanges
- Resolving customer complaints
- Call Centre Representative
- Answering inbound customer calls
- Addressing billing, technical, or service issues
- Escalating unresolved problems
- Following up on customer concerns
- Hotel Receptionist
- Greeting and checking in guests
- Managing reservations and room assignments
- Addressing guest requests and complaints
- Coordinating with housekeeping and maintenance
These occupations and more require excellent customer service day-to-day.
Top 3 Qualities A Customer Service Representative Needs
There are plenty of customer service skills and qualities needed to be an ideal representative, but we’ve narrowed it down to our top three below:
- Communication skills – Both speaking and listening skills are important for any customer service position. In customer service interviews, ensure you note the candidate’s ability to speak clearly, efficiently, and answer your questions directly.
- Stoic politeness – Being polite and respectful is a must when dealing with customers. It is expected that the candidate in your customer service job interview is able to keep their cool during stressful encounters, but that they also know when is best to disengage if things get too much.
- Goal oriented – All communication with the customer must serve the same goal – ensuring their experience is pleasant, helpful, and that they leave the story happy.
These attributes combine to form an outstanding customer service representative who will work hard to help others achieve satisfaction from their experience with the business.
Customer Service Training And Development
In addition to training, companies should also provide ongoing development opportunities for their customer service representatives. This can include workshops, webinars, and conferences that focus on topics such as communication skills, problem-solving, and conflict resolution.
Some common customer service metrics and evaluation methods include:
- Customer satisfaction (CSAT) scores
- First-call resolution (FCR) rates
- Average handle time (AHT)
- Net promoter score (NPS)
- Customer effort score (CES)
- Customer feedback and surveys
- Quality monitoring and coaching
Many companies have created courses peer-reviewed and taught by experienced customer service members, many of which are responsible for the highest level of customer service. Developing your customer service representatives directly leads to increased customer satisfaction, which then pushes business growth.
Conclusion
The best customer service interview questions and answers depend on your industry, the skill level of the customer service representative, and their unique experiences. It’s all about carefully picking the correctly phrased questions, and identifying the value prospects within the answers given back to you or your hiring managers.
Being able to offer outstanding customer service can sometimes be the key to surpassing your competitors. It doesn’t have to be a big business expense either – one of the most effective parts of customer service is simply communication, and making your customer service touch points efficient.
By building a culture of problem solving, continuous learning and building a workforce that is capable of delivering great experiences for your customers, you can build loyalty internally and externally, resulting in long-term business success.
