1. Tell us what have you done to promote great customer service?
Firstly, know what you think great customer service looks like. Look for situations and examples when you had an idea, a client, or customer call, where you personally went that extra mile.
Did you change a process or procedure? Or perhaps a staff member you mentored, coached or advised delivered a great customer service win or result for your team, brand or business.
2. Explain what are the key factors which make a successful call centre?
Fundamentally, if you look under the skin of the best teams and call centres, they do have certain things in common: clear communication, consistency, fun, performance management, leadership, engagement, incentives, etc.
Think what made up the best team or company you have been a part of or have seen. Have examples to back up any statements for how you would play a part in, or create, this team or environment yourself.
3. Explain the most positive team you have ever worked in. What made it this way?
With this question, the first thing to do is explain what the team skills were, and how you fitted into the team. What made it work? What lessons did you learn and what did you take away from it? If you can, identify the different components that made your colleagues work well in the team, too.
4. Tell me what key factors drive you?
Tread carefully with this question. Whilst the truth may be that you only get out of bed every morning in order to pay your rent, this is not what your potential employer wants to hear.
This question gives you an opportunity to discuss what has attracted you to this line of work and what inspires you to persevere through the tough times. In a sales role, this could be the adrenaline rush of meeting daily targets, whilst in a customer-service role, this could be the personal satisfaction you gain through helping people.
5. Tell me what is your biggest achievement?
If possible, think work related. There will hopefully be a number of things you are most proud of in your career to date. Think about your key achievements; were they commercial, people or process orientated? What was the cause and effect? How were you involved, what was improved, saved or developed?
If you are short on career-based examples, use personal achievements which demonstrate the commercial skills required for the role, such as team work, commitment, empathy, determination, attention to detail, etc.
6. Explain how do you plan daily and weekly activities?
Here your potential employer is looking to see that you are capable of planning your time effectively.
They want to hear things like how you hold team meetings to discuss the week ahead and allocate time slots and deadlines for various projects.
7. Tell me do you set performance standards for yourself, and if so, what?
It's also important to remember that not all employers are looking for people who are overly ambitious! Sometimes an employer is looking for somebody who just wants to do his or her job very, very well. Being ambitious is not the be-all and end-all.
8. Tell us how do you measure the success of your incentives?
An ideal answer to this question will demonstrate that you are capable of monitoring a situation as it evolves.
For example:
Whilst working in a call centre as a supervisor, I introduced 'Sugar Fridays' - giving my team sweets and treats to get them through the Friday slog.
Prior to introducing the incentive, I compiled a backlog of sales figures from previous Fridays. I then introduced the incentive on a trial period, continued collecting data and cross-compared the results. There was an obvious peak in sales figures and so the incentive became permanent.
9. Tell me when scheduling your time, how do you determine what constitutes a priority?
We all have a list of things to do. This question is about how you look at that list and determine a process to decide where the priorities are. I want you to give examples of what the priorities are for the business, for example, as well as those for the team - that way, you can demonstrate how you weigh up tasks and add balance to them.
10. Explain how would you measure the success of you and your team over a 3, 6 and 12 month period?
This question requires you to understand the benefits of setting SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Time-bound) objectives and developing action plans.
For example:
In line with the over-arching goals of the company, I would set personal goals for myself and my team which I would subsequently break down into weekly SMART objectives. I would monitor these closely through general in-office communication and a series of team meetings, as well as through scheduling individual appraisal meetings at 3, 6 and 12 month intervals.
11. Tell me how have you utilized customer feedback to ensure business excellence?
This question is set to test your ability to identify and analyse customer insight, trends and data, and drive continuous improvement, by identifying and understanding the root cause.
The interviewer will be looking for an example of where you have taken this insight and subsequently developed, implemented and improved your sales process. This could be through the introduction of training, post-sale procedures, a change in marketing communications, or other process improvements, to ensure that the cause of any future complaint is eradicated.
During interviews, difficult or awkward questions could come your way. The intention is not to catch you out, but to test how you operate under pressure.
This question is (again) in the format of competency-based interviewing, so remember to outline the specific actions you took to motivate your team, as interviewers want to see evidence of hands-on experience.
Make sure to describe all processes undertaken. For example: Did you use incentives to motivate the team? Did you implement training programmes? Did you improve internal communications to help engage staff? Did you implement or revisit career development plans to make the team feel valued? Did you take the time to understand each individual's motivations?
Be clear and precise and be sure to convey any previous first-hand experience you have - they will want to feel confident that you can handle similar issues within the new role.
Only you will know if your team really trusts and respects you. Respectful employees will usually make you coffee, hold a door open for you, properly carry out tasks assigned to them and rarely undermine your judgement.
To maintain this level of respect, you should make time to recognise your employees' efforts, occasionally explain how you reached a solution to a problem (this can help with buy-in for larger changes or projects) and do your best to be consistently level-headed and successful in your judgement - as it only takes one slip-up to undermine your credibility.
The answer to this really depends on the job/company you're interviewing for. However, it's a good idea to discuss your understanding of the company, processes, products, clients and the marketplace. As a sales team leader, you'll also be expected to deliver strong results against your personal sales and team targets.
What you need to show here is primarily an understanding of the particular project management methodology. For example, 6 sigma or lean management.
You should do this by giving an example of a project that went well, and show some of the challenges that you had to overcome along the way.
In particular, it would be useful to show examples of how you managed to get the team on your side and sharing the same vision for success.
If you have no experience of these types of methodologies, you should just give an example of a project that you worked on that went well.
This question is especially important if you are applying for a management position.
An ideal answer will demonstrate that you are capable of assessing a situation and implementing improvements.
For example:
I started to notice that a lot of customers were complaining about feeling patronised by my agents. In response to this, I listened to the calls these complaints stemmed from and realised that words such as 'wonderful' were being over used.
I then had a meeting with the worst offenders in my team and suggested changes that they could make to correct this behaviour. After this meeting, customer complaints reduced and sales increased.
This question is about leadership qualities, so it's easier if you're in a management role, but you can still be a leader without managing. You can be a leader simply by the way you act and the way you are.
The company I currently work for publishes an annual report of KPIs relating to the goals they hope to achieve that year. I extract the company goals that are relevant to my department and break them down into weekly objectives. I then use these objectives to ensure that my team is constantly contributing to the overall goals of the organisation.
19. Explain an example of how you have dealt with an under-performing team member in the past?
This question is a typical example of competency-based interviewing (CBI) in practice. It is the most popular interview approach, based on the premise that future performance can be predicted by past behaviour.
The best way to prepare for CBI questions is to revisit the job description and person specification before your interview. You should then ensure that you have covered all bases and can comfortably provide examples for each competency. You must also be able to describe the particular scenario, the actions you took and the impact it had on the business.
Approach this particular question by outlining the processes you followed to investigate and resolve this issue. It is also important to explain the outcome. For example, you may have set an agenda of required actions following on from the meeting you held with the particular team member - can you describe what that was? If you created a performance plan that included clear training and development objectives make sure you say so.
Always finish by explaining how the action you took impacted the business. For example, the team member started to meet all targets and bring in more revenue.
This is about your networking ability and your pride in your employers. It's what we call the 'engagement bit' - it's about not being afraid to recommend or refer people to the business, and how connected you are.
When I ask this question, I'm really asking: 'Are you thinking across the business?' A lot of people think in a silo mentality: they'll think they're in working solely in the call centre or the accounts department. Your example should show that you understand the overall strategy of a business, not just your area.
The answer to this will depend on the job you're interviewing for and your experience.
I would recommend thinking about a specific instance and then discussing this in detail. Outline the process stage by stage and, if there are areas that need improvement, focus your answers on the solutions instead of the problems.
This question is asked to determine whether or not you are going to bring something to the team.
In an ideal answer you will confirm that you are creative in your job role, and markedly so compared to some of your colleagues. You should then proceed to give examples which demonstrate this.
This question gives you the opportunity to tell the interviewer about how you developed a Monday-morning prize-giving incentive to get your team fired up for the week. Or how you introduced daily staff meetings to keep your team engaged with the goals of the organisation. Or implemented a buddy-up training programme to help your new recruits settle in faster.
Here your interviewer is checking that you are capable of working consistently towards your targets.
In an ideal answer you will outline what your current targets are, then follow this up with a discussion about how you break these targets down into weekly objectives to ensure that you are consistently working towards your annual goals.
24. Tell me wow would your team/manager describe you?
Try to think about how you would describe yourself if someone asked you for your strengths, then relate these to what people say about you; peers, agents, managers and stakeholders. Have three or four at the ready, ideally in line with the role you are being interviewed for. Have examples or situations ready, in case your interviewer wants to drill down as to why you think or believe these are your key strengths.
25. Planning and project management Based Job Interview Questions:
☛ Describe the most challenging project you have planned, where you needed to juggle the needs of multiple stakeholders. What did you do?
☛ Describe a project you've managed where things did not go to plan. How did you handle it? What was the result?
☛ What tools or techniques do you use to manage your time? How do you prioritize projects? Provide an example when it was difficult to do this.
☛ In any project there are times that you will find that people lose focus of the objective. Can you describe a time this has happened to you and what you did about it?
26. Teamwork Based Job Interview Questions:
For questions like these, you want a story that illustrates your ability to work with others under challenging circumstances. Think team conflict, difficult project constraints, or clashing personalities.
☛ Talk about a time when you had to work closely with someone whose personality was very different from yours.
☛ Give me an example of a time you faced a conflict while working on a team. How did you handle that?
☛ Describe a time when you struggled to build a relationship with someone important. How did you eventually overcome that?
☛ We all make mistakes we wish we could take back. Tell me about a time you wish you'd handled a situation differently with a colleague.
☛ Tell me about a time you needed to get information from someone who wasn't very responsive. What did you do?
27. Judgement and decision making Based Job Interview Questions:
☛ In many cases you need to "make a call" when you have incomplete information. Describe one of these and how you approached it.
☛ Describe the toughest decision you have needed to make at work. Why was it tough? What did you do to make that decision?
☛ Give me an example of a decision you needed to make quickly and on your own?
☛ Provide an example of a decision that you made that you now realise was a poor decision. What happened? What did you do?
☛ Describe a recent unpopular decision you made. How was it received? How did you handle it?
28. Communications Based Delivery Job Interview Questions:
☛ Tell me about a time when you needed to persuade someone to do something that they did not want to do? How did you go about this?
☛ Describe the most difficult communication you have needed to deliver to an inattentive audience. What did you do to prepare for this?
☛ In any role you have people you would rather not work with because their way of communicating is different to yours, or they're known to be difficult. Provide an example of a time where you have encountered this.
☛ Describe your decision making process when you choose to communicate via the phone, email or face to face?
☛ What do you think are the characteristics of a really effective communicator? When have you won an audience?
☛ Have you ever thought that people have not listened to you? What did you do in this situation?
☛ Tell me about a time where you have needed to sell an idea to your colleagues? How did you approach this?
☛ How would you describe your written communication style? Have you ever had to sell an idea through written words alone?
☛ Describe an idea that you've needed to sell "upwards." How did you go about this? What was the result?
☛ What was the most protracted negotiation you have managed? Describe a situation where you have needed to use many different tactics or techniques to overcome objections or obstacles?
☛ Have you ever given an impromptu presentation? How did that go?
☛ What are the elements of successful presentations? Describe one you have given. How did you know that you were effective in your communication?
☛ How do you know that you are a good communicator? Give an example of how you determine this?
☛ Provide an example of a situation when someone brought you a new idea that was odd or unusual and you did not want them to implement it. What did you do?
29. Professional Delivery Driving Interview Questions:
☛ Why are you interested in working as a driver for our company?
☛ How much experience do you have as a professional delivery driver?
☛ Describe a time you accidentally gave a coworker incorrect information. How did you resolve it?
☛ What would you do if you were not responsible for a traffic violation, but were pulled over by a police officer?
☛ What would you do if you got into a car accident during a delivery?
☛ How well do you know this area?
30. Time Management Skills Based Delivery Job Interview Questions:
In other words, get ready to talk about a time you juggled multiple responsibilities, organized it all (perfectly), and completed everything before the deadline.
☛ Tell me about a time you had to be very strategic in order to meet all your top priorities.
☛ Describe a long-term project that you managed. How did you keep everything moving along in a timely manner?
☛ Sometimes it's just not possible to get everything on your to-do list done. Tell me about a time your responsibilities got a little overwhelming. What did you do?
☛ Tell me about a time you set a goal for yourself. How did you go about ensuring that you would meet your objective?
☛ Give me an example of a time you managed numerous responsibilities. How did you handle that?
31. Analytical or problem solving Based Delivery Job Interview Questions:
☛ Describe a time where you needed to research a problem and come up with different alternatives to resolve it. How did you determine the most appropriate solution?
☛ Tell me about a time where you encountered something new and needed to work backwards from the end point
☛ What's the best idea you have ever had and successfully implemented?
☛ Talk about a project did not go as planned? What did you do to rectify it?
☛ Tell me about a time where you needed to consult several different groups to come up with an answer to an issue? What was the outcome?
☛ What's the most challenging workplace problem that you've encountered? What did you do to come up with a solution?
☛ If you inherited a team that you sensed was not performing optimally, what would you do to begin to solve the problem? Provide a case study to illustrate where you have done this.
☛ Describe the steps you normally take to make a decision. Tell us about a time where this did not result in the answer you anticipated and how you handled that.
☛ How do you assess the quality of decisions or recommendations that other people present to you? Provide an example?
☛ Describe a time where you needed to choose between a number of ideas? What criteria did you use?
32. Leadership Based Delivery Job Interview Questions:
☛ Describe the most challenging group you have needed to manage. What did you do to get the results you needed from the group? What was the result?
☛ What do you think it takes to be a truly effective leader? Provide an example of where you have demonstrated this.
☛ Leadership can sometimes be about being unpopular. When have you been unpopular? Why?
☛ Tell me about a time when you have needed to lead a group of peers. What did you do in this situation?
☛ Do you think leaders are born or made? What's made you an effective leader?
☛ Give an example of where you have had someone challenge your authority or ability to lead. What did you do in this situation?
☛ Describe a time where you needed to juggle your own commitments with your leadership responsibilities. What did you do?
☛ Give an example of a time where you have needed to manage in a time of uncertainty, either restructuring, redundancies or a time where there has been a merge of organisations.
☛ What do you use as an indicator that people follow you? Provide an example.
☛ Describe an obstacle you have had in becoming a leader? What did you do?
☛ Tell me about a leadership role that you have had that was not part of your formal work, perhaps in the community or in sport. What approach did you take? Why did you commit your time to this?
☛ Who do you admire as a leader and what lessons have you learned and applied from this example?
☛ You have two team members having dispute. How do you ensure that you come up with a solution that is fair to all? Provide an example.
☛ In any team you have people that do not perform. Describe the toughest person you have had to manage where it ultimately led to that person leaving. How did you handle this situation?
33. Attention to detail Based Delivery Job Interview Questions:
☛ Describe a time where you made a mistake in your work. How did you find the mistake?
☛ What tools do you use to check your work? Why do you use these tools? Provide an example of where you have applied these.
☛ How do you go about ensuring quality when there are time pressures? Describe a time where you have managed to produce quality work when you were under pressure.
☛ Describe a time where you found an error that was not immediately obvious.
☛ Have you ever discovered a mistake that was overlooked by everyone else? How did you find this? What was the result?
☛ Tell me about a time that you were confused by a customer's request. What steps did you take to clarify things?
☛ Have you ever needed to persuade someone above you that they had made a mistake? What did you do in this situation? How did it turn out?
34. Customer or client Based Delivery Job Interview Questions:
☛ Describe a time where you have gone out of your way to help a customer. What did you do and what was the result?
☛ In any role you can have people you don't want to deal with. Describe your worst example of this and how you managed that person.
☛ Tell me about a time where a customer did not accept the information you were providing and you needed to explain it in different terms.
☛ How have you ensured that your team or direct reports have managed to keep delivering high levels of customer service in challenging circumstances? Please provide an example.
☛ Give me an example of a time where you have needed to ensure that the organisation kept focussed on a particular customer. Why was that necessary? What steps did you take?
☛ Describe a time where you took over a difficult client. What did you do to ensure the relationship ran smoothly? What made a difference in this circumstance?
☛ Give me an example of where you have needed to say no to a customer. How did you do this, and still maintain a positive relationship?
☛ Have you ever had a client change their mind during a negotiation around a service you provide? What did you do to handle this situation?
☛ How do you determine whether a team member has client orientation? Provide an example of this.
35. Team work Based Job Interview Questions:
☛ Tell me about a time where others you were working with on a project disagreed with your ideas, yet you needed to work with them all? What did you do?
☛ Give me an example when you worked with a colleague who was not doing their share of the work. How did you handle it?
☛ We have all had times where we've worked in teams that did not get along. Describe a time this has happened to you. What happened? What role did you take? What was the result?
