Customer Service Interview Questions and Answers

You love people. You want to help people. You want to work in customer service. Customer service representatives are needed in most companies. These people are important assets to organizations as they are the ones directly interacting with the customers. I should know, I call customer service all the time! Let me help you prepare for your interview. Don’t worry, I won’t be calling you. Instead, I found some helpful customer service interview questions and answers thanks to Glassdoor.

‘If you cannot handle a problem with a customer, what will you do?”
Here’s your chance to acknowledge that you are not perfect, and that you will not be able to solve every problem. Your interviewer will appreciate your honesty. Explain that you will try to handle the situation as best as you can, however if you are unable to resolve it for whatever reason, you will ask the manager or a more senior employee available to step in, as they may be better suited to resolve the situation.

Companies Asking This Question: AutoZone, WellsFargo

“What will you do when you face an angry customer?”
Promise to remain calm the entire time, and by doing so, will proceed to calm the customer. If the customer is in front of you, be sure to maintain eye contact, listen thoroughly, and nod accordingly. Regardless of if you are in person or not, speak in a soft voice the entire conversation, and never raise your tone. If things do not get better, refer the customer to a manager.

Companies Asking Similar Question: eTelecare Global Solutions, AutoZone, Grow Financial, UnitedHealth Group, Sam Ash Music

“If a customer wants a refund from a bill that wasn’t paid, what is your response?”
Never assume or make it seem as though the customer is wrong. Remember the old saying, the customer is always right! Politely explain to the customer that there is no record in the system that shows a credit balance due to them. Proceed to ask the customer for proof of payment so you could further research the matter. If they cannot provide any proof, state that you truly appreciate the customer’s call, but a refund cannot be issued.

Companies Asking Similar Questions: Southwest Gas, Fidelity Investments

“Tell me a time when you had to handle a difficult customer.”
Answers to this question vary, as it is a personal question. The best way to answer a question like this is to be honest. Think of a personal experience and explain how you diffused the situation. If you do not have customer service experience, explain an interaction you had with someone you were helping. When in doubt, follow the P-A-R format: problem, action result.

Companies Asking Similar Questions: GE Capital, eBay Enterprise, Verizon Wireless, CVS Health, Kohl’s, T-Mobile, Capital One

“How would you deal with screaming customers or stressful environments?”
Similar to the first question, you once again need to stress to the hiring manager that you would stay calm, be empathetic and respectful, and never be defensive. Explain that you would try to calm the customer down by explaining that you do understand their frustration and that you will try your best to resolve the issue.

Companies Asking Similar Questions: IRS, Comcast, The Home Depot, MetLife, CenturyLink

“Tell us about a time you provided excellent customer service and what the outcome was.”
Once again, speak from personal experience. If you never worked in customer service before, speak about a time where you helped someone by solving a problem for them. Do you have a friend that was having a difficult time and you helped? Tell that story.

Companies Asking Similar Questions: Wells Fargo, Enterprise, Macy’s, Target, Amazon

“What would you do if a situation occurred with a colleague, such as a disagreement or seeing/hearing them do something they shouldn’t be doing?”
Tattle-taling ended back in the sandbox. The workforce is full of adults who should own up to their own actions. If they are breaking protocol, and especially if it’s affecting other people, a manager needs to know. This is the answer that hiring managers are looking for. If you are personally having a difficult time with a colleague, explain that you would pull them to the side on a lunch break or after work to talk about the situation privately.

Companies Asking Similar Questions: Southwest Airlines, Lowe’s, Best Buy, Expert Global Solutions

This is simply a glimpse into some popular questions specifically asked in customer service interviews. The generic interview questions may be asked as well such as “what are your weaknesses” and “tell me about yourself”. As stressed before, the world of customer service is important. The appropriate answers in an interview show hiring managers how you will then interact with their customers, which in turn affects how people view the organization. Rock the interview, and rock the world of customer service.