Businesses cannot survive without customers. And gaining a new customer is several times more expensive than retaining an existing one (based on results of numerous studies and experiments). No wonder that applying for many jobs (some of them having little to do with customers) you will have to answer questions such as “Tell us about a time you had to deal with a difficult customer”, or “Can you explain your best customer service experience”. Let me analyze such questions, and show you what to focus on in your answers.
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The Basics
- Most common interview questions belonging to this area: How would you define great customer service? Give an example of a time when you provided outstanding customer service.
- Less common questions belonging to the area: Tell us about your best customer service experience. Tell us about a time you had to deal with a difficult customer. Describe your most recent customer service experience. Is there any type of a customer you will find it difficult to work with?
- Out of 10 random jobs, in how many cases will this area be tested during the hiring process: 5/10. You will face at least one question belonging to this area in about every second interview. Obviously it is very common for any role in sales, customer service, technical support and similar. On the contrary, it isn’t common for IT and managerial roles, and also for typical entry level jobs in big corporations. Simply because you do not deal with customers in these jobs.
- Difficulty: 2/5. Relatively easy. Once you remember that “customer is always right, even when they are wrong”, and learn how to show this attitude while answering questions about customer service, you won’t find the questions particularly difficult to deal with. What’s more, since we are all customers in our life, it is easier for us to understand what good or bad customer service means, and to talk about it in the interviews. Regardless of whether we have any previous working experience or not. That’s not the case with many other areas of questions we discuss here on DifferentInterview.com.
- Main goals of the hiring managers with questions belonging to this area: Understanding your attitude to customers and whether you are willing to deliver a great customer service to their clients. Assessing whether you’re ready to deal with difficult customers, and how dealing with such a person impacts in your work.
- Your main goals with answers to questions belonging to this area: Convincing the interviewers that you understand what an excellent customer service means, and that you are ready and eager to deliver it. Showing that you can handle tricky situations with customers, such as someone being angry or even hostile to you, hard to understand, never happy with the price, and so on.
7 sample answers
Sample answer no. 1: A definition of a great customer service by a person applying for a job in a fashion store:
For me it means being attentive to the needs and wishes of the customer, from the moment they enter the place to the moment they leave. Not necessarily pressing them to buy this or that piece of fashion, but being around, giving recommendations, praising how good they look in this or that expensive piece of clothing, and so on. Simply trying to make them feel important in the store, and at the same time maximize the amount of money they spend for their shopping. That’s my definition of a good customer service, and I hope to deliver such while working for you.
- Quick thing to notice about this answer: The applicant used the question to show that they care first and foremost about the goals of their employer (“…trying to make them feel important in the store, and at the same time maximize the amount of money they spend…”). Every hiring manager will love such an attitude.
Sample answer no. 2: Talking about excellent customer service in a service industry:
More than anything it means to not forget the customer once they pay their first bill. I mean, it is hard to sign people up for the service, but the job really just starts in that moment. We have to stay in touch, remind them that we care, get feedback, and, of course, when the opportunity present itself, we should try to up-sell them on some extras. Statistics shows that it costs five times more to acquire a new customer than to retain existing one. That’s why excellent customer service–especially after the purchase, is absolutely pivotal in my view. We do not want to lose any customers.
- Quick thing to notice: In certain fields care for existing customers is way more important than acquisition of new customers. Notice how the applicant clearly outlines the activities they plan to do to retain the existing customers (“…to stay in touch, remind them that we care, get feedback…”).
Sample answer no. 3: Dealing with a difficult customer:
I remember a great example from my part time job in a restaurant. There was a man who came to place repeatedly and spent good money, but they were very difficult to deal with. Always complaining about prices, flirting with waitresses, and overall making more noise than necessary. However, I simply did my job and ignored their flirting. I simply tried to serve them as I did serve any other customer. Eventually when they saw no response from my end, they stopped with their remarks and it wasn’t that bad anymore. Another guy got very angry because they were not happy with the food quality. Well, I apologized, but didn’t get involved in any pointless argument, and went on with my work. Eventually they also calmed down.
- Quick thing to notice about this answer: It is always good saying that you do not mind apologizing to customers–even when there’s nothing to apologize for. Another key point to notice here is how the applicant says repeatedly that she simply continued her job (“…went on with my work…”). It is important to show that you can get over any interaction with a customer quickly and focus on the next one.
Sample answer no. 4: Talking about delivering good customer service in a fast food place:
In a fast food place like this, good customer service means to simply deliver the expected quality of food, in the shortest possible time. Customers do not want to be surprised–positively or negatively, when eating at Dunkin Donuts or McDonald’s. They want to get what they came for, the same size, taste, quality, and they want to be served with a smile. That’s what they expect, and that’s what I hope to deliver–if you decide to hire me, of course.
- Quick thing to notice: In some places, excellent customer service means delivering the product/service fast. Very fast. Especially in the age we live in now, with patience becoming an ever-rarer virtue. Think about the job you are applying for, and what exactly a good customer service means in their place. Because it really differs from one place to another, and your answer should be relevant for the place where you will work.
Sample answer no. 5: Speaking about a great customer service received, and connecting it with the job application:
Good customer service means to me an individual approach to my needs. I do not enjoy to be treated like “just another customer”. And I do not like places where employees always say the same words, do the same things, regardless of whether they deal with a homeless guy, seven year old child, or a distinctive lady in her sixties. In my opinion, people are tired of such places. They look for individual approach. And it is one of the reasons why I want to work for your insurance company. Because I know–from reviews posted online, and from your corporate website, that you specialize in tailored services for each single customer. Such an attitude resonates with me, and I believe it is the future of customer service–at least in this sector of economy.
- Quick thin to notice about this one: Every question you get in an interview is an opportunity to make some connection with the job, and to showcase your motivation (“…individual approach … it is one of the reasons why I want to work for your insurance company…”). Try to make the most of each such opportunity.
Sample answer no. 6: To a question “Is there any type of customers you’ll find it difficult to work with?”:
Well, each of us has some preferences. My favorite demographic group are men in their fifties, since I know what works on them, and can make lot of sales. But I am also good with other demographic groups, and actually enjoy the variety of customers here. Having said that, I sometimes find it difficult to sell to generation Z, because of their impatience, and because they are always looking for discounts. But I understand they form an important demographic group, and you can be sure I will treat them just as well as I do treat any other customers.
- Quick thing to notice: It is completely natural to have your most favorite and least favorite demographic group of customers. The key is to show that you do not give up on anyone, and try to treat each customer well, regardless of your preferences.
Sample answer no. 7: Talking about customer service in desktop support:
I’ve worked in desktop support for last two years. In my field, good service, more than anything else, means to handle the issue as quickly as possible, with the minimal number of messages sent back and forth. Because people do not want to hear hundreds of words and pleasantries from a desktop support specialist. All they want is to see their computer, internet, TV set or whatever working again, with the issue resolved. But I do not want to imply that communication doesn’t matter at all in this field. You should still treat people nicely and talk politely. But you should really focus on solving the problem, instead of exchanging pleasantries with the person on the other end.
- Quick thing to notice about this answer: Relevancy is the key. The applicant realizes what matters the most to the customers in their field (desktop support), and they try to deliver it.
Advanced information
Mistakes people make while answering questions about customer service in the interview
- Considering it a bare necessity. Necessity isn’t the same as passion. And many people look at this as necessity only, which is a mistake. If you want to succeed in a competitive interview for a good customer service role, you have to show passion for delivering excellent service to customers. Try to talk with enthusiasm and convince us that trying your best for each customer is your second nature, and not just something that’s expected from you.
- Your interview answers not corresponding with your interview presence. It is nice saying that you’re an excellent listener, that you try to be attentive to every need of the customer. But we will find it hard to believe you, should you fail to make the same impression in the interviews. That means really listening to us, paying attention, answering the questions we ask you, instead of talking about something completely different. Of course this mistake proves costly also with many other interview questions…
- Forgetting that customer is always right. When talking about interactions with difficult customers, many job applicants have a tendency to blame the customer. They misunderstood the service, they expected more than the place could deliver, they had unrealistic expectations. All of this can be true, but it is a mistake focusing on it in your interview. You should focus on your role instead, and what exactly you did for the customer. It makes no sense talking about all the things the customer did wrong.
Few points from the perspective of the hiring managers/interviewers
- We do not expect perfection from you. But we expect a perfect (or close to perfect) attitude. When it comes to customer service jobs, you’ll always get a training. How to approach the customers, what to say or not say, how to deal with specific situations. These aren’t difficult things to learn, but we understand the instructions are hard to follow for anyone who lacks the right attitude to customer service, and who doesn’t want to change. Keep it on your mind. Regardless of the question you answer, regardless of the situation you present and whether you succeeded or failed to satisfy the customer, your attitude is the key. As long as we get the impression that you try your best, and that you actually care about the satisfaction of the customers, you’ll score the maximum number of points for your answer.
7 keywords to remember when answering questions belonging to this area
- Customer is always right, your attitude matters the most, we cannot make every customer happy, show that you get over any bad interaction quickly, stay relevant for the job you are trying to get, show passion for great customer service and not only necessity, great customer service means different things in different places.
So that’s it! You’ve just covered area no. 15 out of 25 areas that cover 99% of questions you may ever get in the interviews. Just 10 areas left! Check the next one: Going above and beyond, or go back to homepage for the full list of 25 areas and pick one you want to learn about and practice right now.
