Support Agent Interview Questions And Answers

It’s important for customer service reps to be empathetic and people-oriented. Good answers might include “I like talking to people and finding out about their lives” or “I love the feeling of helping somebody solve a problem they’re having.”

Great candidates should have specific stories of interactions they’ve had with customers. It demonstrates that they really do empathize with the individuals they’re serving and understand the value of great service.

There are a lot of customer support systems out there. Some of the more common ones include Zendesk, Freshdesk, Desk.com (owned by Salesforce), Zoho Support, and Jira Service Desk.

I’d like to think I react to situations as opposed to stress. The reality is, when handled correctly, many problems avoid becoming unnecessarily stressful. Come to think of it, I belive I actually work better under pressure. It’s help me produce some of my best work and to be honest I like being challenged. From a stress management point of view, I like to burn off the day with a workout or by going for a run.

An easy question to answer well with one caveat – don’t slam your fellow interviewee’s. On the one hand, you have an opportunity to really stand out from the pack. Alternatively, You shouldn’t assume the skills of other applicants. Focus on your own strengths, and if the interviewer hasn’t given you an opportunity to mention that one “slam dunk” quality about yourself, now would be the time.

Is there a wrong way to answer this question? Consider the responses below:

☛ “I really need a job right now”
☛ “I need the money”
☛ “Your office is really close to my house”
☛ “I’ve always been interested in what you guys do”

So, I know that you guys make quality backpacks and other camping, travel, and outdoor gear. I haven’t bought any products from your company myself, but my sister is a big fan. I am also familiar with several of the brands that you sell, such as Kelty.

Well, you can watch out for an ellipsis (…); that to me seems like an indicator that the customer is waiting for you to say something (when standing alone), or that they’re hesitant in some respect (when at the end of a sentence). If a customer responds in all capital letters they are probably very upset. How they use exclamation marks and smiley faces can also be telling of satisfaction levels.

If an interviewee can tell you what they as a customer have enjoyed from customer service, then it is likely that they will strive to bring the same kind of service to the table. A candidate who can imagine being a customer can relate to your customers, and empathize with their struggles.

Here’s a successful example:
The best experiences that I have had as a customer have been when a representative was very warm and friendly. They had a good sense of humor, and were very helpful. It felt like a friend giving me advice, not an employee giving me assistance. Also, when they are able to show a lot of knowledge of the product, I walk away feeling great—like my purchase was a good decision.

At my last company, I noticed that a product that was often stolen was sports jerseys. Team sports was a department that was often targeted because it was so close to the exit. Since our company didn’t have any sort of tag or alarm on these jerseys, I suggested to management that we begin tagging this product, despite it being below the value that we usually tag. Two months later, our losses were down 25%.

If a candidate prefers to be a ‘lone wolf’, they’re probably not the right pick. Customer service reps are always communicating – with clients and customers, as well as with the rest of your team. They need to be easy to get along with, charismatic, and (almost always) extroverted. At the same time, you need a customer service agent who can work independently. They shouldn’t require constant supervision, but should enjoy teamwork.

One time, a customer criticized a tone that I used with her. At first I thought that she was just saying that because she wanted to criticize someone. But then, after she left I sort of started examining myself. I realized I was kind of having a rough day, and that my tone might not have come off as friendly as I had intended it. I perked up, and spent the rest of the day making sure to not transmit any negative energy onto my customers.

The most effective customer service teams tend to value first contact resolution before above many other metrics. This is because customers who have to make repeat contact will not only be considerably less satisfied – they will also end up increasing the queue and ultimately taking up more time and resources.

would stay longer and help the rest of my team take down the queue. It’s not like I’m going to skip lunch—I can always break a little later.

One time a customer had a coupon for 25% off, which they had gotten online. Unfortunately however, the coupon was only available for online purchases—not in-store sales. I took care of the customer by placing an order online for them, and helping them input the code. Although they couldn’t leave the store with their item, they got the discount that they were looking for.

I’m very comfortable with multitasking, and I believe that I am absolutely capable of that. As a waiter I had to take care of multiple tables at once, while making sure that all tables had an equally satisfying experience. I believe that this skill would translate well to live chat.

That is a really great question. While I haven’t had the opportunity to develop within this particular role per se, I have actually become very involved in my local foodbank this year. This has taught me a great deal about community, teamwork, and taking initiative.
I took it upon myself to enroll in a summer business admin course at the local community college. Through this, I picked up some really great knowledge on communication and teamwork, as well as further develop overall managerial skills. Though it may not be directly applicable to this particular job, I believe the overall experience I gained could be a real asset here.

I have been working in the service industry since 2010, meaning I have more than five years of experience. During this time I have worked in food service and as a receptionist. I feel that this has given me a pretty broad range of service experience, and both jobs required me to interact with customers nearly constantly. My responsibilities included making sales, answering questions, solving customer problems and complaints, and directing customers. I certainly believe that I will be able to successfully apply these skills to this customer service agent position.

This question should give you a sense of the candidate’s ability to empathize with a customer. Good customer service reps should be able to apologize and acknowledge known problems while assuring customers that your team is working on a solution.

This question should give you a sense of how experienced the candidate is and whether the issues they’ve dealt with in the past have prepared them for the challenges they’re likely to face while supporting your product or service.

One of my previous jobs was as a receptionist, and I was surprised how consistently I encountered strange problems that clients had. While I was developing communication skills, I also quickly learned the critical thinking and problem-solving abilities that were necessary to help the people I interacted with on a daily basis. While it is impossible to help every single customer entirely solve their problems, I believe that I was able to do an exceptionally good job helping as many people as possible reach satisfaction.

☛ What are the main functions of BIAS?
☛ How would you respond to a customer who claims their website is loading too slowly?
☛ How would you access the Recovery Control in Windows?
☛ Mention any help desk tools that facilitate client communication.
☛ What do you find most intriguing about this position?
☛ Are you familiar with ERP software?
☛ What remote desktop tools have you used?
☛ Walk me through the process of a successful customer problem resolution. When is your role complete?
☛ Describe the procedure for installing antivirus software.
☛ What kind of customers have you dealt with most?
☛ Are you familiar with our products? What do you think are our most common customer queries?
☛ Have you ever faced a customer issue you’ve never heard of before? What did you do?
☛ Describe a situation where a customer was angry and blaming you for someone else’s mistake. How did you handle it?
☛ How do you keep up-to-date with current technology trends?

☛ How experienced are you with X technology?
☛ Do you consider yourself a ‘people person’? Why or why not?
☛ Share your previous experience working in customer service
☛ If a customer is using abusive language with you, but has a valid point, how would you handle it?
☛ What three words would your friends and family choose to describe you? Your co-workers? You?
☛ What type of work environment do you thrive in?
☛ Describe one customer service scenario you handled particularly well.
☛ What do you know about our company and services?
☛ How do you define customer service?
☛ If we meet again in three years, what goals do you need to have accomplished in order to feel successful?

Customer service isn’t only about fixing a customers’ problems – it’s a platform through which customers can express themselves and even give your company advice. While helping customers is a must, an agent who is willing to go the extra mile and help prevent these problems from happening in the first place takes the cake.

This question reveals whether your interviewee has the determination and communication skills it takes to make sure that problems get forwarded to the proper channels, and that systematic issues get geared towards permanent resolution.

When I worked at Allen’s Sporting Company, sometimes the checkout line would get slammed. If I got called to help out at the cash register, I was always there without fail. Also, in my restaurant experience, I would sometimes cover a colleague’s table if they had to leave early. To me teamwork means being there for your coworkers, and providing them support whenever necessary.

Yes, you could probably find this information on your candidate’s resume—but it’s most valuable to hear from them in person. This is because it gives your candidate the chance to explain the nuances of their experience, what their role was in their former position, whether they enjoyed it, and any information that they may not have included on paper.

Plus, not everyone will have previous work experience in a traditional call center or with live chat, and asking candidates this question gives them the chance to bring to light what parts of their former experience have prepped them for being a live chat agent.

The beauty of customer service is that it’s a vast field; any interaction where you help fulfill and serve a customer can count as customer service. This means that you can find valuable experience in candidates who come from a number of other areas, including waiting, teaching, cashier work, accounting, healthcare, and more. A lot of good communication principles applied to other settings are transferrable skills in customer service as well.