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Int erviewing 8 Common Call Cent er Int erview Quest ions (Plus Example Answers)

8 Common Call Center Interview Questions

(Plus Example Answers)
Indeed Edit orial Team

Updat ed November 30, 2023

Call cent ers offer assist ance on behalf of companies for cust omers wit h quest ions, concerns or
feedback about product s or services. Int erviewing for a call cent er posit ion is an opport unit y t o
showcase your problem-solving skills and demonst rat e your abilit y t o build t rust wit h
cust omers. In t his art icle, we review some common call cent er int erview quest ions and provide
examples of impact ful responses.
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Call center interview questions and answers

Here are eight common quest ions and example answers t o prepare you for your upcoming call
cent er int erview:

1. How would you describe the role of a call center

representative?
Career Guide

The role of a call cent er represent at ive is t o answer quest ions and provide solut ions t o
cust omers over t he phone. When you int erview for a call cent er posit ion, it ’s import ant t o know
t he expect at ions of t he role and underst and what value you will bring t o t he organizat ion. Review
t he job descript ion and answer t his quest ion by explaining t he skills you can use t o address t he
requirement s of t he posit ion. Highlight experiences t hat demonst rat e your abilit y t o navigat e t he
role's responsibilit ies and meet company goals.

Example: “As a call center representative, I would be the first point of contact for incoming callers.
I am skilled at actively listening to customer questions or concerns and identifying the best
solution. For example, if a caller needed to refill a prescription but did not know how to do it on the
website, I would first help the caller complete the refill over the phone. Then, I would provide
instructions on navigating the website and prescription portal so that the caller could complete
the task online in the future.

I have strong communication skills with which I can teach customers how to use the
company's helpful online tools and assist them in completing tasks they may not know how to
do.”
2. What are the most important skills for a call center
representative?
Skills such as empat hy, act ive list ening , speaking, problem-solving and t ime management are
key t o helping cust omers effect ively. The job descript ion may ment ion specific skills t he company
is looking for, so be sure t o address t hose skills wit h examples when possible.

Example: “I would say the most important skills are listening, critical thinking and multitasking. In
this position, I would be able to listen to a customer's concern, identify a solution and talk them
through my process of solving their issue. I also think a good attitude is crucial in this role
because it makes customers feel heard and supported, and it gives them a positive impression of
the company.”

Related: 8 Call Center Skills to Include on Your Resume (With Tips and Example)

3. How do you define quality customer service?

Successful call cent ers require qualit y cust omer service from kind, knowledgeable and helpful
represent at ives who support a st rong company reput at ion. Your answer should demonst rat e your
experience t reat ing cust omers wit h respect , resolving conflict and put t ing t heir needs first . If
you do not have much cust omer service experience, it can be helpful t o answer t his quest ion in
t erms of how you prefer t o be t reat ed as a cust omer.
In bot h cases, you should illust rat e what qualit y cust omer service looks like, what value it brings
t o t he company and how you ensure qualit y cust omer service t o each caller.

Example: “Quality customer service is being able to empathize with a customer and view their
issues as your own. For example, the caller who wanted to refill a prescription online might not
have understood how the online portal worked. If I were in the customer’s position, I would want
the representative to explain the online system so that next time I could do it myself.

As the representative, I would understand the fact that the caller might not be familiar with the
online portal, and I would be patient as I walked through each step. A thoughtful, comprehensive
solution is what I would appreciate as a customer, so I would aim to provide the same for my
callers.”

4. What steps do you take when speaking with a customer?

Some call cent ers provide script s for represent at ives t o use when on a call, while ot hers t rain
represent at ives on st andard pract ices. Call guidelines ensure represent at ives meet qualit y service
st andards and allow t he cust omer t o ask more quest ions.

During your int erview, demonst rat e your process from t he beginning of t he call t o t he end. Be sure
t o ment ion each st ep and what purpose t hat st ep serves. Some st eps might include int roducing
yourself t o t he caller, asking for t he caller's name and necessary personal informat ion, inquiring
about how you can help t hem and ending t he call wit h an opport unit y for you t o provide any
addit ional help.

Example: “I begin each call by introducing myself, thanking the customer for calling and asking for
their name. Exchanging our names helps me personalize the customer's experience. I also find
that thanking the customer for taking the time to call us lets them know they are valued. After
learning the customer’s name, I ask how I can be of service and then reassure them that I can
help. If they are calling to address an issue they have, I also apologize for any inconvenience it
may have caused. These steps allow me to build trust with the customer.

When the call comes to a close, I always ask if there is anything else I can help them with. This
opportunity allows them to ask any follow-up questions. I end the call by thanking them for their
call and continued patronage. This is my last opportunity to ensure they had a positive
experience.”

Related: Learn About Being a Call Center Manager

5. How do you handle calls from dissatisfied customers?
In order t o be successful as a call cent er represent at ive, you should know how t o navigat e handle
challenging cust omer conversat ions. It is import ant t o remain respect ful and focused on t he
cust omer's needs while resolving t heir issue and creat ing a posit ive experience for t he caller. In
some cases, you may need t o follow a cert ain prot ocol or bring in your supervisor t o help you find
a solut ion.

When answering t his int erview quest ion, use t he STAR met hod t o describe t he sit uat ion,
illust rat e what t ask you needed t o complet e, explain what act ion you t ook and provide t he result s
of your effort s. You can use an example from your own experience or discuss a hypot het ical
scenario.

Example: “I had a customer who was very upset about his subscription service which did not
meet his expectations. As the representative, I apologized for the inconvenience and assured him
that I would research his issue. After gathering more details, I discovered he was having
connectivity issues due to a lapse in updating his software. I explained the issue and the solution
to update his software, but he explained that he was considering canceling his service altogether.

The customer agreed to a brief hold while I discussed with my supervisor possible reparation for
the inconvenience. I was able to give the customer an additional month of service at no charge.
The customer seemed pleased with my solution and thanked me for solving his issue. He even
agreed to sign up for additional service with us.”

Related: 9 Ways to Provide Excellent Customer Service

6. Describe a complex issue you helped a customer solve.

Your job is t o provide t he cust omer wit h an efficient solut ion t o t heir problem and encourage t hem
t o cont inue using your product or service. In your answer, demonst rat e your abilit y t o t roubleshoot
issues, solve problems and sat isfy cust omer needs. Use t he STAR met hod t o describe t he
sit uat ion, act ions t aken and result s achieved. If you do not have an example t o discuss, consider
using your knowledge of t he company t o explain possible scenarios cust omers might encount er
t hat you might help solve.

Example: “I once had a customer call about having his subscription terminated without his
consent. I apologized for the inconvenience and asked for his account information. I reviewed his
account and discovered there was a billing error. I explained to the customer that he would need to
update his credit card information so it could be charged and his service resumed. I offered to
update his billing information over the phone and helped him resume his service.”
Related: Situational Interview Questions and Answers

7. How do you work to improve your customer interactions?

When it comes t o providing t he best possible cust omer service, t here is always opport unit y for
improvement . Addit ional or advanced t raining, asking a supervisor for feedback and reviewing
your cust omer sat isfact ion survey numbers are all ways t o improve how you int eract wit h
cust omers and address t heir needs. In your answer, discuss your willingness t o learn and adapt t o
new t echniques and policies in order t o make t he cust omer experience t he best it can be.

Example: “In my previous position, I met with my supervisor every quarter to review my customer
satisfaction survey results. I asked for additional training on the specific service and advanced
customer interaction techniques. For this position, I want to expand on that practice through your
customer service training program and continue to improve my survey numbers.”

8. How do you encourage customers to buy additional products

or services?
You might be asked t o offer new or exist ing product s and services t o callers as addit ions t o t heir
current account wit h t he company. These roles include sales posit ions and cust omer service
helplines t hat handle cust omer account s.

When answering t his quest ion, demonst rat e t hat you can share your in-dept h knowledge of a
product or service and emphasize t o t he cust omer how t hey would benefit from purchasing it . You
can even discuss one of t he company's product s or services and explain how you would sell it t o
one of your pot ent ial cust omers. This st rat egy shows you have researched t he company and t hat
you are capable of helping t hem meet sales goals.

Example: “If customers call about a certain product, I listen to what they need and try to identify
similar or additional products that would further help them. For example, let's say a customer was
interested in your bookkeeping software and was planning to use it for billing at her small
company. As the representative, I would answer any questions she had about the bookkeeping
software and its compatibility for her company. I would also be sure to mention the add-on
software that makes bookkeeping in a small company much simpler.

By explaining the benefits, the customer can see how the combination of the main software and
the add-on can solve her billing issues. She can then make her own informed decision to purchase
without feeling that I have pushed her to do so.”
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