1. Why did you leave your last position?
This is a tricky question because "anything you say can and will be held against you!" Be careful and only answer with a positive tone. You can say that you didn't find the job challenging enough for your skills, or that the workload was sporadic and you spent, say 40%, of your time on 'idle' mode. Never speak ill of your last employer because it shows that you will do exactly the same once you leave this one! Protect the image of your previous employer, and your current one will respect you for it.
2. Are you comfortable making some cold calls?
I am comfortable making cold calls. I have found that some of my most interesting sales have been the result of a cold call, to someone who was rather unsure of their interest in my product at our first meeting.
Not every customer is in the right mood for a sales call, and I understand that. Irate customers are part of the game, and I can easily calm them down with an apology; however, I will usually attempt to get a callback time so a valuable potential customer doesn't lose out on the great benefits your products can give them.
4. How to handle an angry call from a customer?
First, you need to allow them to vent their anger. If they are abusive, tell them you're willing to listen, but only if they stop using profanities. Next, hear what they have to say and note down key points. Third, re-state the main points so both of you are clear about the situation. Fourth, find a solution that fits within your company's policies and can redress the customer's problem. Fifth, confirm that the problem has been solved and that the customer is satisfied with the solution. You may not be able to do all of this in one phone call, but this is the essential process. The important part is to keep your cool at all times, and genuinely try to find a solution that will make the customer happy.
5. What are the Most Important TSR Skills?
Not everyone can handle sales. You need to have the right attitude and abilities. At your job interview, the interviewer will be looking for your sales skills, and the aspects of the process that help close deals. An example of a good answer includes "The ability to recognize both verbal and non-verbal cues to adapt the sales strategies you implement to impress the prospective buyer."
6. Have you ever had conflict with your team leader or manager?
This can be your answer: No, my work ethic is strong, so there's been no reason for conflict. However, at times I have had disagreements on how to resolve a particular problem for a customer, but I have always been able to talk it out and find a solution that my team leader has supported.
7. What Do You See Are the Key Skills In?
Common sales interview questions and answers revolve around how you view the skills involved in a specific sales technique or aspect of the sales process. For example, "What do you see are the key skills in closing a sale?" Answers to these types of questions should always focus on responding to the buyer's concerns and on how the product or service will benefit the recipient.
8. Are you able to work with multiple phone lines?
Your answer: Yes, this has been part of my training, and my previous job entailed handling several lines. I have good multi-tasking skills and my previous employer can vouch for this.
9. Tell Me How Do You Move On From a Rejection?
Rejections are common within sales jobs, and one of the primary reasons that most personalities could not handle sales roles. Try to downplay how hard you take rejections, but feel free and be honest about a technique you use to handle rejection or answer with something like, "I simply move on to the next prospect, because a rejection is simply a sign that the individual was not yet ready for our solution."
10. How to handle a high pressure environment?
Your answer: I am highly organized, and I prioritize my workload so that everything gets done on time and with high quality. I also leave room for urgent tasks that might be assigned to me so that my schedule is basically unaffected by emergencies.
11. What do you think are the most important skills for sales success?
Put a number on the skills so that you can structure your sales interview answer around this. For example:
"I think the 3 most important sales skills are ..."
Rather than referring to specific sales techniques focus on competencies and abilities that every successful salesperson needs, such as:
► the ability to adjust your approach to different people and situations
► the ability to ask the right questions and listen carefully
► the ability to deal with disappointment and rejection
► the ability to stay motivated with a high energy level
► the ability to plan and prepare
► the ability to influence and persuade
► the ability to negotiate and reach agreement
12. How many calls per hour can you make on an average campaign?
Make sure you do your homework/research before you answer: My average call handle time was about X minutes at my previous job. On a similar campaign I can typically make 60/X calls per hour. On a predictive dialer I can usually make 10 to 20 percent more calls.
13. What To Expect In Your Interview in TSR - Telesales Representatives Job?
You will find that many employers are now using Competency Based Interviewing techniques when recruiting for Legal jobs. For Sales positions expect Competency Based and Behavioral questions exploring competencies such as:
► Excellent interpersonal skills
► Good planning and organisation skills
► Excellent communication and persuasion skills
► Determined and enthusiastic
► Ability to build relationships and make sales
Core competencies required in Marketing jobs include:
► Strong Analytical Thinking skills
► Ability to carry out research and develop plans
► Excellent communication skills
► An ability to build and maintain relationships
For each of the above you should expect 3-4 questions along with standard questions exploring your legal training and qualifications, reasons for choosing your career and reasons for applying.
For interviews for Sales and Marketing Management positions you should expect questions exploring:
► ► Your ability to motivate and inspire a team
► Your record with delivering against targets
► Skills with developing and building relationships with clients
► An ability to develop new sales leads, products and markets
14. Tell us what are your strengths and weaknesses?
Your answer should be relevant to telemarketing, so you could say: I have the ability to talk effectively and persuade people. I am a good listener, and that helps me identify customer needs so I can sell more effectively. My one weakness is that I sometimes get too involved with customers, but I have counseled with my previous manager on this and I believe I no longer have that problem.
Cold calling is the process in which customers are called for business interaction who have not been expecting so.
Random bulk messages used for telemarketing purposes are called spam and the process is termed as spamming
Telemarketing industries generally use an electronic device or a software to automatically dial phone numbers. These devices and softwares are called autodialers.
18. Telesales Representatives (TSR) Interview Questions Part One:
► What is the best way to sell a product?
► What is done in business-to-business telemarketing?
► How can you increase the customers to buy your products more?
► What is the difference between direct mail and cold calling?
► Why is it necessary to send announcements to the customers before calling them?
► How can you define a good prospect?
► Where can a list of good prospects be generated from?
► What are the sources through which communication can be done?
► What is the appropriate information required before contacting the customers?
► What are the sources of motivation in this field?
19. Telesales Representatives (TSR) Job Interview Questions:
► What are the two major categories that are used with telemarketing?
► What is the difference between outbound and inbound?
► What are the negative impacts associated with telemarketing?
► What are the regulations that are being formed on the use of telemarketing?
► What does one understand by outsourcing the telemarketing activities?
► What are the optimizations methods used for telemarketers?
► What are the different types of scripts used in telemarketing?
► How to persuade customers to take up the product even if they are not interested?
► Why telemarketers should know about the process of catalog creation?
► Why is telemarketing associated with various types of scams and frauds?
20. TSR (Telesales Representatives) Interview Questions:
► What does FCC mean? How does it help in handling the complaints done by user?
► What are the rules and regulations made by which telemarketers are limited to use the services?
► What are the laws that are present regarding recorded messages calls?
► What are the different methods to monitor the telemarketing?
► What will be the output of telemarketing in terms of the company's gains?
► What is ASA? What does it offer to companies?
► What are market connections?
► How are market connections used to establish their status in market?
► How to find out the client type with which the company is working?
► How to check about the calling status and dependency of the company on consumers?
21. Telesales Representatives (TSR) Interview Questions Part Two:
► What are the ways in which one can keep focus in telemarketing?
► What are the precautions that have to be taken when being a representative?
► What are the questions that have to be asked prior to dealing with them?
► What are the strategies adopted to call the customers?
► How essential is to call the customer after explaining about your product?
► What do you understand by do not call registry?
► What are the different methods through which a user can register for do not call registry?
► How to check the status of it?
► What does the term "Robocalling" implies?
► What are the different methods to file a complaint on receiving the call from telemarketing people after being listed on do not call registry?
22. TSR (Telesales Representatives) Job Interview Questions:
► What is the purpose of auto dialer?
► When to use auto dialer?
► What are the methods through which the customers are charged to avail the services?
► What is the difference between commission and pay per appointment?
► What are the differences between tele-sales and telemarketing?
► What are the tools available to compare the telemarketing result with mail shots?
► What are the provisions does ASA provide for delivering the project on behalf of clients?
► What are the rules and regulations ASA follows for their projects?
► How can one manage sales for a company?
► How does a company become aware of the requirements of the customers?
23. Business Development based Telesales Representatives Interview Questions:
How much time do you spend on the different parts of your job?
What have you learned from the different sales jobs you've had?
How would you break in a new territory for an employer?
How many accounts do you like to handle at one time?
When do you find silence to be useful in selling?
What are the skills needed to be successful on the telephone?
How detailed are the sales reports you prepare?
What do you feel are your personal limitations?
How do you get people to work in cooperation with you?
24. Your approach to sales in Telesales Representatives Interview Questions:
What makes a successful sales person?
How do you define a new customer's needs and expectations?
What kind of problems do you have to solve as a salesperson?
How do you get a reading of people upon first meeting them?
How do you approach understanding your customer's needs?
How do you establish rapport with a stranger on the telephone?
What do you consider the most crucial part of your job?
What kind of rewards are most satisfying to you?
25. Telesales Representatives Relationships Based Interview Questions:
Explain your role as a team member of a sales force.
How do you deal with disagreements with others?
How do you organise yourself for daily activities?
What kind of people do you like to sell to?
How do you turn a buyer into a regular customer?
Why do people buy a product or service from you?
Describe the best and worst manager you've ever had.
How do you deal with angry and upset customers?
