100+ Customer Service Interview Questions: How to Prepare

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Customer service is an inevitable part of enabling product sales and service optimization where interview questions can bring targeted results. Are you interviewing for a job at Customer Service? The questions you will be asked will depend on the role you are interviewing for, but there are some frequently asked questions that are likely to be your answers. Read on to find out more about the questions you may be asked during an interview for a customer service representative job.

Also, you’ll find tips below on how to prepare for an interview, as well as a list of specific interview questions. Practice answering these questions, so that you will feel more comfortable and confident during your interview.

How to generate the best outcome of the interview

The best interviews are not strict question-and-answer patterns; They draw on structured conversations that bring candidates’ attitudes, strengths, and challenges

Encourage candidates to use storytelling: Tell them that you’re not doing a hypothetical search “If the answer is yes, that’s what I used to do” answers Ask specific, detailed stories about their customer support experience and their behavior in this situation. Ask them when they were a customer and a great (or awesome!) Service experience.

It is okay to ask a similar question: Often the best stories are published when thinking about a candidate’s previous question for a few minutes. By rethinking important areas, you give them the best opportunity to express their character and abilities.

Don’t rush to silence: It’s okay to let your candidates sit quietly before answering any questions OK. It can give them time to formulate their thoughts and it can express them more than they initially intended.

There is no guaranteed method of discovering a time machine that makes your interview one of the most important tools to assist your customer service and testers.

Correct interview questions reveal more useful information about the candidate than their work history, as they force interviewers to think on their feet and answer questions directed at their experience. How they react speaks volumes about how to handle real-life situations and will help you avoid wasting time and energy on hiring the wrong person.

Share these interview questions with your recruiting team and you’ll find the information you need to recruit top customer service talent. If you’re not sure what to look for in customer service queries, we’ve provided some guidance for each question group below.

Customer service interview questions

The hiring manager will know how qualified you are for the job, why you are a strong candidate and your employer has a customer service skill set that the employer is looking for

Here are some examples of these types of questions.

Customer service interview questions examples

While jobs in customer service vary, there are key principles of good customer service that are important for each employee to follow. One way to find out what employers are looking for qualified candidates is to research the organization’s mission statement and website. You will find indicators of what you expect. Also, be prepared to share why you would like to work in customer service roles in general and with this organization in particular.

What is the best customer service you receive? Why?

Can you tell me when you’ve got bad customer service?

What’s the difference between customer service and customer support?

What does good customer service mean to you?

What specifically appeals to you about this role?

Here you are looking for someone who shares your underlying beliefs about the role of customer service in an organization. You will know what you consider to be a great service, do your candidates have the same high expectations?

A good candidate will be able to explain why customer service is important in the business and give clear examples of good and bad service. Your specific company and customer service need to be prepared to talk about how they can contribute to its success.

Be careful with people who really want a different role, but view customer service as the easiest way to get in the door. Great customer service will not make you think about what a business means.

Situational interview questions

Situational interviews are like behavioral interviews. The hiring manager will ask you how you can handle issues that arise in the workplace. How you answer will be an indicator of how well you can be fit for the job.

The customer says you are taking too long to solve the problem: what do you do?
The customer is pointing to a well-known problem with your product: What do you do?
What if a customer asks a question that you do not know the answer to?
How do you handle an angry customer?
What do you do if the customer is wrong?

Questions about the company

The hiring manager is optimistic that your homework is done. To be prepared for questions about what you know about the company and its products and services, take the time to carefully research it first.

Question about the work schedule

Many customer service jobs require such a staffer to work on a flexible schedule. If this is not a 9-5 job, you will be asked about your availability for work on evenings, weekends, and holidays. Be prepared to share your availability with the hiring manager, keeping in mind that the more flexible you are, the better your chances of getting a job.

Can you work out a flexible schedule?
Are you available on weekends and holidays?
Is there any reason why you can’t work out your scheduled hours?
Will you be available for additional shift work?
What kind of schedule are you working on?

Sensitive intelligence, empathy, and behavior

You. Can you tell us about a time when you were proud of a customer for that level of service?

Have you ever dealt with an unreasonable customer? How did you handle it, and how did you handle it today?

Have you ever turned down the rules to help a customer? Tell me about the situation and the consequences.

In your past work, have you ever received negative feedback from a customer? What did you do with this response?

What is the best way to work with multiple agents and help a client who has not received the support they need?

Can you tell me about a customer you’ve had a hard time understanding, and how you approached that interaction?

Can you describe a time when you had to say “no” to an important customer request?

In this section, you need to hear specific, true stories of past service experiences. Even very junior candidates may have prior retail experience in drawing.

A good candidate will be able to share detailed examples from their own experience and be able to answer follow-up questions on those examples. Look for people who show humility and take responsibility for their mistakes.

Look for theoretical examples rather than real situations, or provide examples that were simply the fault of the customer or their colleagues.

Problem-solving

Can you give me an example of a situation where you had a major problem with your product/service and you still need to respond without giving all the answers?

Have you ever had a time when a customer was reporting a technical problem you didn’t know the answer to? What was your method and how did it end?

Can you tell us about a situation when you didn’t have a clear policy to use with a customer, and do you need to make a call to make a decision? How did you approach your decision and what happened?

Solving problems is an invaluable skill and can always be improved. The best candidates will be able to walk through their view of situations where they have no immediate answers. Ask for an example of how they learned from these situations and apply it to another problem.

Beware of people who have never claimed to be stumped or who can only give examples where a team or colleague provided the final answer.

Communication skills

Can you give an example of how a customer was alerted when your product/service was causing a major problem?

When responding to a customer, how do you include what information, and how do you decide what to leave?

Can you tell me about a time when you needed a client or colleague to explain the way they worked (for example, to adopt a new method or change their language), and how did you keep up?

There is nothing greater than the ability of customer service employees to communicate clearly and with the appropriate level of detail. This section is your chance to explain how your best candidates talk or write to customers

Great candidates show the ability to interrupt a customer’s needs and refine their communication styles for different audiences. Look for candidates who can only describe a single communication method, as they are not very complicated.

Attitude and behavior toward work

When you answer behavioral interview questions, be prepared to share practical examples of how you handled the situation. The interviewer is interested in knowing how to respond to certain situations and how to handle a similar situation if you are hired.

Explain a time when you helped settle disputes between others.

Tell me about a time when you helped solve a particularly difficult customer problem.

Talk to me about a time when you were unable to assist a customer with their problem – what was the problem and how did you handle the situation?

Give an example of a time in which you changed a customer’s emotions from frustration to joy.

Tell us about the issue with previously supported products or services. How have you dealt with these issues?

What have you done to increase revenue, reduce costs, or save time at your current organization?

What was the last new skill you learned? Why did you choose this skill and how did you learn it?

Can you tell me about a time when you made a great contribution to your team?

What is better today than you had this time last year?

What do you think makes a good teammate?

Should I read my next book? Why?

People who can talk about their interests and carry on a casual conversation usually perform well in the role of customer service. This final section is an opportunity to understand what this candidate will want to work on. Are they always looking to learn new skills? Will they be helpful to their colleagues as well as customers?

Types of customer service interview questions

Customer service interviews may include several different types of questions. There are many common interview questions that you may be asked about a job, such as questions about your work history, your educational background, your skills and qualifications for the job, and your goals for the future.

You may be asked questions about yourself personally, including questions about your personality and work style. These are usually not “yes” or “no” type questions and often require some thought.

Some of your interview questions will also be behavioral. Behavioral interview questions ask you to explain how you have dealt with past experiences in the workplace.

In addition, you will likely be asked a situational interview question. These are similar to behavioral interview questions, in which they ask you about different work experiences. However, situational interview questions are about how you handle future situations related to your work in customer service.

Lastly, you may be asked questions about your work schedule and your flexibility. Many customer service representatives have work schedules that include nights and other irregular hours, so an employer may want to know if you are capable of working on different shifts.

How to prepare yourself for an interview

To prepare for your interview, make sure you know the work requirements, look back at your life history, and list any experiences you have that demonstrate your ability to meet those requirements. This will be especially helpful in behavioral and situational interview questions.

As mentioned above, when you are getting ready for your interview it is important to do some research on the company you are interviewing with. Make sure you have an idea of their mission, their products, the population they work with, and the culture of the organization. Find here more than 100+ sample customer service interview questions.