Top 30 Customer Service Interview Question And Answers

Customer service executives are people who communicate with the customers of the company to negotiate, broker deals and offer them sales and services. So it is safe to say, that these people are the backbone of the company. If you have an interview about becoming customer service executive, below are some questions that may help you:

Tell us about yourself.

An introductory question which you would answer by highlighting your professional experience and how you ended up in this role.

“I am a dedicated customer service executive who is passionate about satisfying customers and building good relationships with them. In my 5 years of customer service I have made exceptional negotiations and deals”.

How do you define as customer service?

Customer service is the main thing that has to be priority for the people working this area, since this is the main job of their role.

“Customer service is the attentive listening of a customer’s needs, answering their queries and resolving their issues as required by them. In other words maximum satisfaction and best experience for a customer is customer service at it’s finest”.

What do you do to deal with stress?

Customer service can be stressful due to excessive customer queries and tasks. However, answer this question by highlighting your strategies to cope up with the stress.

“I deal with stress by keeping a positive mindset and using different strategies to keep me from burnout. Breathing exercises and affirmations come in handy when things get stressful”.

How you face criticism?

Criticism is a very fundamental part of customer service and hence should be dealt with accordingly. You can say:

“Criticism for me is something that I take as a chance to grow and learn. I use it as an opportunity to keep myself in line and improve my work”.

How did you handle multiple customers simultaneously?

Handling multiple customers at once is a part of customer service and your professionalism should be highlighted here. Recall an incident and say:

“There was a time when i had to assist multiple customers at once but rather than getting overwhelmed I calmly listened to all the customers and tended to their needs according to their urgency thus solving their issues on time”.

Why do you think we should hire you as part of our team?

Highlight your team efficiency and how you would contribute to their team through your abilities.

“I bring a good experience to the table with an exceptional work ethics and organising skills. I thrive in team setting making me the best match to work with your team”.

How do you handle a situation where a customer is unreasonable?

Keep a respectful approach in your answer and tell them how you would handle such a situation.

“I would calmly listen to their perspective and address their use by solving it without making them feel embarrassed. Moreover, I will address their mistake as a common one to avoid awkwardness.”

How do you handle customer complaints?

Customer complaints are an everyday occurrence when it comes to customer servicer and it is important to address these issues with professionalism and good communication.

“If a customer has an issue I would try to understand the extent of their complaint and apologize where needed. Additionally, I would devise a solution that meets their requirements”.

How do you deal with a customer who accuses you of something you’re innocent of?

This situation is meant to be dealt with professionalism since there can be instances when such misunderstandings arise. 

“I would try to approach the situation calmly rather than being defensive and listen to the concerns of the customer. Then I would provide an apology for any misunderstanding and give a non defensive explanation”.

How would you respond to a question you do not the answer of?

Fast research and transparency is the key to the answer. Here is what you can say:

“I’m sorry I do not know the answer to this question however if you give me a few minutes I will get back to you with a solution and answer”.

How do you handle an unsatisfied customer ?

Explain them how you see unsatisfied customers as an opportunity and want do everything it takes to solve their issue.

“An unsatisfied customer needs to be dealt with empathy and acknowledgement. I would try to provide a solution suitable to their needs and make them feel heard and respected”.

How do you face a situation of a non refundable service of a customer?

While listening  to the customers concerns is of importance, it is also equally important to understand company policies. Incorporate your strategy in this answer.

“I would listen to the customer with an empathetic approach however I would communicate company policies clearly and try to come up with an alternative”.

How do you deal with a customer who wants an offer you are no longer providing?

Sometimes such situations can occur however it is important to address these concerns politely and answer it:

“I would apologize to them about the inconvenience and tell them politely that the offer is no longer available. Additionally, i would provide them with similar alternatives”.

How do you deal with a customer who wants immediate assistance but you are occupied with another customer?

Respond to this question of how you would prioritise and handle customers when such a situation occurs.

“I would hear the problem of the customer and reassure them there problem will be handled immediately after the customer at hand is dealt with”.

How do you ask for feedback from your customers?

 Customer feedback plays a crucial role in performance hence your strategy to ask for feedback should be highlighted in the answer:

“After the end of every customer help I would provide them a helpline where they could leave a feedback or ask them some questions to rate my quality of assisstance”.

How do you turn a negative customer experience into a positive one?

Being able to turn negative experiences not only helps boost the company’s image but also strengthens customer relations.

“I would talk to the customer about their concern and try to solve it immediately. Additionally, I would follow up with a call or text to make sure they are satisfied with this encounter”.

What do you think is your strength?

Be honest in your answer and tell them how you would benefit them by highlighting your positive aspects.

“My greatest strength is effective communication and combined teamwork. I am an excellent team member due to being co operative and and an active listener”.

What is your weakness?

Do not make them feel like you’re weakness will be an obstacle to your job instead tell them how you are working on it.

“I would say my weakness is when I have a lot on my plate and get overwhelmed. However, i try to keep a calm attitude and allot all my tasks to a time frame”.

How do you respond to the tasks of an absent team member?

Sometimes you have to step and take responsibility to accomplish tasks due to the absence of a peer.

“I would certainly take some load and work overtime to deal with the tasks of an absent member to lighten the load of work”.

Have you thoroughly read the job description?

This may not seem as an important question however it is important for them and you to understand certain policies and their implementation.

“Yes! Certainly, I have read the job description and made myself aware of the requirements of this role to be able to perform and exceed your expectation”.

How do you tell a customer that their request cannot be accepted?

Highlight clear communication and the understanding of policies along with how you would explain it to the customer.

“I would deny the customer request in an empathetic and delicate matter and explain them why their request cannot be accepted due to certain policies and citations of the companies”.

How do you handle language barrier?

Customer service is about dealing with customers from different regions and languages. It is important to discuss any tools that you would use for these problems.

“I would be certain to have a slow speech and repetition if necessary along with using digital tools for translation to ease communication”.

How do you handle a verbally abusive customer?

Rather than taking those abusive calls personally, emphasise how you would understand the customer’s frustration.

“I would consider a calm and professional approach and try to understand the frustration while maintaining a respectful composure. I would calmly set boundaries and if things get out of hand I would switch the call to a supervisor or authority figure”.

What makes you different from the other candidates?

Do not boast or put down the other candidates because you are not familiar with them. Instead answer respectfully and highlight your personal work attributes.

“I think I am the best match because I bring an exceptional work ethic and team experience. My long time experience with customer handling and effective communication is what I stand out for”.

How have you worked in a team to resolve a customer issue?

Working in a team to resolve an issue calls for proper planning and action to take place. Describe an instance of such a time in your life.

“During my early years of customer service, I was challenged with a situation where a customer’s id got blocked and i needed team assistance to help them out. By laying out a proper plan and using the capabilities of the team we shortly resolved that issue and became successful”.

Have you ever gotten a prank call?

It isn’t uncommon to have non serious customers during work hours which can be uncomfortable, emphasise on how you would work in such a instance.

“I am no stranger to prank calls and rather than getting personally involved with them I take them humorously and try to lighten the mood by politely declining them.”

Have you ever gotten into a personal fight with a customer?

Inexperience can make you feel overwhelmed and sometimes act out however be honest about it and tell them how you avoid it now.

“It happened only once where I got involved with a customer personally when they kept insulting my peer over a mistake that he had repeatedly apologised for.”

How do you manage burnouts during work?

Burnouts are very common hence they need to be dealt with accordingly.

“I manage burnouts by lightening some burden of work and working overtime later to make up for missed tasks”.

Is it common for you to burnout?

Tell them that burnouts are not common for you and happens about very rarely.

“Burnouts for me are rare because I do not let work pile up and keep my tasks organized according to their urgency and allot time to all my tasks”.

Do you have any questions for us?

Be mindful and thoughtful about questions and do not ask about salary packages.

“Yes! I would like to know the chance of career growth while being a part of your team and how many working hours do you expect from me?”

These questions should hopefully provide an insight for your upcoming interview for customer service. We wish you the best of luck for your future endeavour!

Interview Forge Team

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