Providing consistently exceptional customer support can create real business advantages for your organization. When you have the right service personnel in place, you can retain more customers, generate free positive word-of-mouth advertising (because well-treated customers are likely to tell others about their great experiences) and build a better bottom line.
So when it’s time to hire the best CSRs for your company, how do you identify the traits needed for success?
We’d like to offer you a little help. In an earlier post, we covered the qualities you should look for when hiring TN customer service representatives. Today, we’re providing examples of the questions you should ask to decide whether or not your candidates have the right stuff:
Passion. Look for evidence that a candidate is enthusiastic about helping people and solving their problems.
- Why do you love the field of customer service?
- How have you improved your customer service skills within the last year?
- What do you enjoy most about working in customer service?
Empathy. Determine whether or not the job seeker can put himself in the customer’s shoes.
- Tell me about a time when you were unable to help a customer with his problem. What was the issue, and how did you handle the situation? (See whether the candidate explains the problem from the customer’s perspective.)
- What does good customer service mean to you? (Again, look for an understanding of the customer’s viewpoint.)
- If a customer points out a known problem with your product, what do you do?
Communication skills. Identify individuals who are both articulate and good listeners.
- How do you determine what a customer really wants or needs?
- Explain a multi-step solution you provided for a customer. (Look for logical thinking and a clear explanation.)
- In what areas are you truly an expert? (This has less to do with experience, and more with the candidate’s ability to clearly explain how and why they’re an expert at something.)
Problem-solving abilities. Look for evidence of the candidate’s ability to diagnose problems, overcome objections.
- If you were faced with a technical product question or difficulty in which you aren’t well-versed, what would you do?
- Under what circumstances would you escalate a customer’s query or problem to your supervisor or boss?
- Describe a time when you transformed an unhappy customer into a raving fan.
People skills. Â Find candidates who are attentive, calm, respectful and courteous – to defuse tough situations and focus on resolution.
- How do you deal with extremely upset customers?
- If a customer provided you with severely negative feedback about your company’s products or services, how would you handle it?
CSRs are a vital part of your business. So take care when hiring them! Use these questions to identify customer service superstars who can effectively solve your customers’ issues and positively represent your company, every day.
As Middle Tennessee’s staffing, recruiting and employment leader, Wood Personnel has the resources, skills and processes to help you hire the best customer service reps in Nashville and beyond. Whether you need to find a single CSR temporary for a day, or to hire an entire customer service department, we’re ready to help. Contact Wood today.
