For certain types of jobs, there will be questions that pertain directly to that function. One thing that is very common across many job types is a customer-service orientation. The employer wants to know your philosophy on it, how you act under fire, and what your attitude to customers is likely to be. Expect questions here that will judge how you think on your feet. These questions could apply to any position that has contact with the public, whether it’s in retail, sales, hospitality or any number of other areas or industries.
Q: What is good customer service?
A: “Good customer service means helping customers no matter how you feel that day. It means helping them in a friendly way, and making sure they have what they need. It is important not to let any negative feelings come out – unless they are the customers’ feelings. You have to let them say their piece, respect their opinion. If you hear a problem and can correct it, so much the better.”
Rationale: The interviewer wants to know a little of your philosophy towards customers and that you have an idea of what it’s like on a day-to-day basis. Show that you understand how to treat customers and that you would provide good customer service.
Q: Tell me about a time when you had to sort out a difficult problem for a dissatisfied customer.
A: “A customer’s flight had been delayed, and they needed to make their connection. It was actually a family of six. They were getting kind of panicky. So I had to reroute six tickets through the hub to make their connection on time, and only had a two-hour window to work with. Of course, they were not happy to begin with and were standing there the whole time. It is difficult when you have a party that large and connections have to be made. I did my best to diffuse any grumbling, yet I couldn’t really promise them anything until I had found the capacity to do the booking.”
Rationale: This type of situation can showcase your ability to see alternatives, be creative and offer solutions. Show that you can consider the facts, your resources and your customer’s needs.
Q: Tell me about a time when you had to correct a co-worker’s mistake for a customer.
A: “I had a customer come in who had apparently been promised something we couldn’t deliver. There was a limited time offer and there was no way that I was going to be able to fulfill the request. I explained the limited timeframe, and that it was simply out of my hands, and apologized for the misunderstanding. Then I asked them straight out what I could do to make it up to them. Since we couldn’t go back, we had to go forward. The customer and I were able to come to an agreement and they went away actually quite happy.”
Rationale: The employer wants to see how you handle a difficult situation – your co-worker has put you in a tough spot, and this is not the time to play the blame game. If you can show it’s all about the customer, all the better. Try to go into a little bit of detail about what solution you actually offered, and make it clear that you were working within the parameters of what the company allowed. Don’t imply that you are engaging in any wink-wink shenanigans.
Q: Give me an example of what you would do if a customer asked for something that was not in the best interests of the company or that violated a company policy?
A: “Well, I’ve had that happen a few times. It is hard to say no, especially if you know the customer and they are a good customer. You have to be very firm, but apologetic. In each case where this happened, I was able to give the customer something that they found equally desirable. While I would not violate a company policy due to a customer request, I would go out of my way to do something for a customer that was going to keep them happy, as long as it’s not going to be perceived as a regular thing. For instance, in giving a customer an item that is not on the menu, I made it clear that this was a special instance. I didn’t want the customer asking for it the next time and saying they had gotten it as a matter of course. I also mentioned it to my manager, so that they knew what had been requested.”
Rationale: You can go into a bit of detail here. The employer is asking for real examples, when possible. They are looking for at least two things: do you know how to treat customers, and can you stick to company policy. It doesn’t help them if you are giving away the farm every day or promising things that would make life hard for other workers. It’s an important question, so consider cooking up an answer ahead of time.
Q: Have you ever found that the existing systems or solutions are not meeting the needs of customers? If so, what did you do or what would you recommend?
A: “We had a policy that we could not assign rooms ahead of time. I never understood why. Then I found out this was due to an antiquated computer system that we had not used in years. It seemed like we could do it with the new system. I had a guest who had some simple requests, but they were key to the stay being a happy one. So I asked if I could use that as a test case, and we found a way to assign rooms so that guests could be assured they would receive what they asked for when they made their reservations.”
Rationale: It’s highly likely that this would be a ‘yes’ answer, so if you have a great example, wonderful. Many of us have felt that we could change something that would either make our job easier or help customers – ideally both. This is your chance to show innovation and perhaps common sense. It’s your chance to show that the status quo isn’t always the way to go. But you do want to be careful here – don’t trash something that your current company is doing that may be something this new company is doing as well. Try to use diplomatic language and make your suggestions in a helpful way, not boastful or demeaning to any former workplace.
There are as many customer-service situations as there are customers. If you think about your experience, you will surely find a wealth of material to draw on. The key is to use your customer service skills in the interview – remain calm, take time to answer the questions. Don’t forget, you are a professional.
