You’ve landed an interview for a Customer Service Advisor role, but you’re not quite sure what to expect. Well don’t worry, we’ve put together a handy guide to help you smash the interview and get the job!
What is a Customer Service Advisor?
If you’re a self-confessed chatterbox and you love speaking to people, then a Call Centre Customer Services role could be perfect for you.
As a Customer Service Advisor, you’ll spend most of your working day speaking to customers over the phone, resolving issues, answering questions and providing support relating to products or services. It will be down to you to ensure that customers receive a satisfactory resolution, the best possible service and are left with a positive impression of the company.
To be successful in a Customer Service role, you’ll need great communication skills, the ability to build rapport with customers, strong problem-solving skills, resilience and a natural ability to show empathy.
Alternative Job titles include: Customer Service Executive, After Sales Advisor or Customer Relations Advisor, Customer Support.
Tips for your Customer Service Advisor job interview
Build rapport from the off
A large part of Customer Service is rapport building, so whether you’ve got a telephone interview or a face to face interview, it’s important to demonstrate your ability to build rapport. If you can communicate clearly, pay interest in what’s being said and try and find common ground with the interviewer then you’re off to a great start
Communication is key
Being able to communicate effectively is essential, as within the role, you’ll need to listen to customers, gain an understanding of their issue and explain a resolution clearly. You could be speaking to customers of different ages or differing levels of knowledge, as well as customers who are angry or irate, so you’ll need to show that you can adapt your communications style accordingly. During the interview, make sure you listen carefully to the questions to and provide your answers clearly and concisely.
Think about what great customer service looks like to you
You’re almost certainly going to get asked questions around Customer Service. These could be examples of when you’ve delivered exceptional customer service, when you’ve experienced great customer service or what excellent customer service means to you. So get thinking about examples that really showcases your understanding and abilities.
You can use the format below to explain your answer:
- Explain the situation (the Issue or problem the customer had)
- How you communicated with the customer (listened, empathised, understood etc)
- What steps you took to resolve the issue
- The positive outcome (how the customer was left feeling after the call)
If you’ve never worked in Customer Service role before, think about what great service looks like to you. When you experienced it, why was it so good and how would you ensure you offered the same level to other customers.
Put yourself in the customer’s shoes
Whether it’s telecoms equipment or motor insurance, understanding the company’s product or service is a must. Do your research, visit their website and have a look at their online reviews (Google, Trust Pilot etc). By putting yourself in the shoes of the customer, you’ll get an idea of the challenges, questions and queries that you may face on a daily basis.
The customers you speak to may often be unhappy or angry, so putting yourself in their shoes will allow you to understand their issue, show empathy and resolve their issue in a way that leaves the customer feeling valued and appreciated.
Understand the other elements of Customer Service
If you’re naturally chatty and love speaking to people, then you’re off to a good start but there’s often more to a Customer Service role than just talking to customers. Some service roles can involve objection handling, working towards targets, upselling and dealing with customers via email online chat. Make sure you have a good look through the Job Description so you know exactly what’s going to be expected of you.
What questions will I get asked for a Customer Service Job Interview?
- Why do you want to work in a Customer Service role?
- What do you consider the most important skills in Customer Service?
- Give me an example of a time you’ve delivered exceptional customer service
- What does great customer service look like to you?
- How do you feel about working towards targets and deadlines?
- Tell me about a time you dealt with an angry customer? How did you handle the situation?
- Tell me about a time you dealt with a particularly difficult customer and explain how you handled the situation?
- How would you feel about spending long periods of time talking on the phone?
Now you’ve read our handy guide you should be fully prepped to smash the Job interview!
If you have any other questions or you’d like to have a quick chat with one of Logic Resourcing Team, feel free to get in touch. We’re more than happy to help.