Interview Questions For an Ideal Contact Center Employee

Written by KOVA Corp

Hiring a new employee to join your contact center workforce is never easy. There are resumes to read through and choose from, interviews to schedule and conduct, references to check – and even after going through the entire process, sometimes your new hire still just isn’t the right fit. But by asking the right questions during the interviews, and knowing what to look for in your ideal candidate’s answers, you can make the process a little more likely to yield the results you want.

We’ve put together a list of some of the best questions to ask your prospective new employees, along with recommendations as to what their answers should contain.

Why do you want to work here?

I want to work for XYZ because your company understands the value of its employees: With a week’s paid vacation after only six months of employment, company-paid training courses and workshops, and teambuilding outings, I know that I will be treated as a human and not a means to an end. I also wish to work for XYZ because I believe my talents are best suited in this company. My previous experience at ABC, where I worked in and led team, reinforced the idea that teamwork is essential to a company’s growth. Because XYZ’s culture emphasizes teamwork, I know that other employees will not only pull their own weight but help others who may be struggling with various aspects of their position.

In order to answer this question well, the candidate will have to have done some research about your company. If he is able to speak intelligently about various aspects of your contact center and why his qualities make him a good fit, it means he is willing to go that extra mile - and you can consider that a great start.

What was the biggest challenge you faced at work this past year, and how did you overcome it?

“I’ve never been one to shy away from technology. Having grown up in the dawn of the super computer and cell phones, I’ve seen technology change and experienced the conception of some incredible products. So when my company switched over to a newer, more efficient ERP software, I was prepared to learn. I had a coworker though, a bit older, who still needed help with the old software. So whenever I had some free time, I would sit down with him and show him how to perform various actions. I made some step-by-step instructions and printed them out so he would have them when needed. It took a long time to get him to the point where he was confident to add in data on his own. But after a few months, he had a better grasp on it.”

This question is perfect for giving you insight into the candidate’s strengths and weaknesses. Listen also for the focus of the example she gives – is it related to people skills? Technology? Change? Process? Her answer will give you clues as to her priorities and her abilities.

This particular answer allows you to expand on your question: You can follow up by asking, “Why did you take on the responsibility of helping him?” or “Why was this experience in particular the most challenging?” Her response will answer questions regarding her thought process and even attitudes towards working with others.

What have you done to provide great customer service?

Great customer service is really just about following the Golden Rule: Treat others how you want to be treated. If I go into a store and get to the checkout line, I don’t want the cashier to be sour towards me—monotone, even. It doesn’t take much to smile at someone and ask if they were able to find everything they needed.

There was this one time I was on the floor stocking items and I noticed he kept looking at a piece of paper in his hand and back up at the shelf. I walk towards him and asked if he needed help. He pointed to an item on the list and I realized he was in the wrong aisle. I walked with him to the correct one and helped him find what he was looking for. I helped him find the rest of the items on his list, too, and carried the bags to his car. He smiled and told me thank you, that I had saved him a lot of time. It only pulled me away from my stocking duties for ten minutes and it made the man’s day.

What you’re looking for here is an answer that tells you this person is willing to go over and above to ensure that each customer has a great experience. Whether it’s a situation where he personally took responsibility for a customer call to make sure that things got resolved, or maybe one where he helped to get a procedure changed in order to provide better customer service to everyone, his answer will demonstrate his commitment level.

Role-play a call with an unhappy customer.

Interviewer/Unhappy Customer: I need to speak with a manager, now!
Interviewee/Associate: Hello! Is there anything I can help you with?
Int./UC: Every time I come in here you people always mess up my order!
Int./A: I’m so sorry to hear about that. I will definitely grab a manager for you so that you may speak with them. In the meantime, please let me know how you wanted your order versus how it was made.
Int./UC: I asked for NO pickles and EXTRA ketchup and they did the exact opposite! And not even to mention that the fries are disgusting. Over salted and stale!
Int./A: I am terribly sorry about the mistake on your order. I will have a fresh one made for you—no pickles and extra ketchup—and ask them to drop a new batch of fries. I’ll also go get my manager to speak with you.
Int./UC: Thank you.”

It’s important here that the candidate remains calm and patient while role-playing, that she asks plenty of questions to clarify the situation, and that she gives a poised response. It’s even better if she asks you for parameters beforehand, to ensure that she’ll be in compliance with company rules regarding refunds and other methods of satisfying the customer. That shows an attention to detail and a healthy regard for rule-following.

Can you give me an example of an unusually difficult customer you dealt with in the past, and how you used your skills to solve the problem they had?

There was always this regular customer who just was not a happy individual. I’ve seen him get mad over the littlest things—like being out of the bagel he wanted—so whenever I would serve him I made sure to triple check what I was doing.

One day he came in an ordered a sandwich and a drink to eat in-store. I repeated his order, made sure the ticket read exactly what he wanted, and sent it to the kitchen. We had a new cook training that time, and unfortunately, the order was messed up. When it was brought to his table he started yelling at the girl who gave it to him. She’s very sweet but also quiet, and I could tell that she wasn’t sure what to do. I went over there and told her I would handle it. I waited for him to finish yelling. I apologized for the order being incorrect and assured him I would personally make his new sandwich myself. I double-checked the sandwich order as well, just in case I had made a mistake previously. I asked if he would like a free dessert for the trouble. He snapped and said yes. I said I would be back immediately with both sandwich and dessert. After delivering the items, he told me thank you. It’s a matter of not interrupting customers when they are angry. Mistakes happen, and you shouldn’t place the blame on anyone in particular. Just stay calm, listen to what they have to say, and work to fix their problem so they are happy when they leave.

After seeing his response to an irate customer in action while role-playing, this question allows you to see whether the candidate can also articulate the steps necessary to handling a difficult customer. The ideal answer would include carefully listening, empathizing, confirming his understanding of the situation, offering a solution - and maybe alternatives, confirming the customer was satisfied with the plan, and then taking immediate action. If your candidate already knows these steps to dealing with tricky calls, you won’t be starting from scratch in your training.

By asking each job candidate these interview questions, you can get a good feel for what they’d be like as part of your contact center workforce. And if their answers correspond with your expectations, then there’s a good chance you’ve found your ideal contact center employee.

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