Call Center Representative interview questions and answers
This Call Center Representative interview profile brings together a snapshot of what to look for in candidates with a balanced sample of suitable interview questions.
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Call Center Representative Interview Questions
Although call center responsibilities vary a little from company to company (inbound calls versus outbound calls, for instance), the essential requirements for this position are the same nearly everywhere. Candidates for this position should have exceptionally strong written and verbal communication skills. They should be able to listen closely to their customers and record conversations in accurate detail. They should also be able to solve problems efficiently while maintaining a high standard of customer service. Previous customer-facing experience is very desirable for this role.
Candidates can be trained to have the desired hard skills for this position, e.g. handling multi-line phones. As a rule, it’s good if they are comfortable with computers, have some basic knowledge of databases, and can type at least 30-45 words per minute.
Exceptional call center representatives are good at working in teams. They respect and motivate their coworkers and can work together with them to achieve a common goal. They can work together to manage stress and turn to each other for day-to-day problem-solving. Use the following interview questions to discern these hard and soft skills in your candidates.
Operational and Situational questions
- What software programs are you familiar with?
- What tools have you used to record details from your calls?
- How large was the customer database at your previous company?
- What do you know about our customers?
- Describe a time you solved a problem with a coworker.
- Describe a time you worked with a team to achieve a common goal.
- How do you manage your time? How many calls per hour do you usually make on a campaign?
- Describe a time you calmed down an angry customer.
- How do you manage stress after talking to difficult customers?
- Describe a time you successfully upsold a customer.
- What’s your approach to delivering great customer service?
- If you don’t know the answer to a customer’s question, what do you do?
- What would you do if you were on the phone with a customer while experiencing a system crash?
- This job tends to be repetitive. How do you stay motivated? What do you hope to get out of this job?