Telesales Representative interview questions and answers

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Telesales Representative Interview Questions

Telesales reps have the difficult task of selling over the phone. Without the benefit of face-to-face contact, their job can be challenging but infinitely more rewarding. They are highly motivated people who excel in planning and customer service.

The role can be found in many industries and involve B2B or B2C sales. It generally has two aspects: inbound and outbound. An inbound rep receives calls from potential customers while outbound reps call prospects to close sales.

Some customer service experience is usually desirable. Familiarity with technology should also be part of the candidates’ profile. During the interview, try to assess core traits like verbal eloquence, persuasion and perseverance. Asking about their past experience can help you in this task. The ideal candidate should also have a likable attitude and some knowledge of your company or industry.

Operational and Situational questions

• Here is a script that can be used during a call. What do you like about it and what would you change?
• Choose one of our products and sell it to me
• If you needed to put a prospect on hold, what would you do to avoid upsetting them?
• Walk me through a call assuming the prospect is moderately interested

Role-specific questions

• What is your experience in sales/customer service?
• What telecom technologies have you used in the past?
• In telemarketing you don’t have the benefit of face-to-face contact. How can you fill this gap?
• Have you worked with quotas? Did you manage to meet them?
• What is the difference between B2B and B2C? How does each concept change how you approach a prospect?
• How do you engage the prospect’s attention?
• What do you have to say when answering a call?
• What factors, in your opinion, are more likely to close a deal?
• How do you deal with rejection?
• What do you know of our company’s products?

Behavioral questions

• Sometimes telesales reps are faced with suspiciousness. How do you overcome this barrier?
• Have you ever had to deal with an aggressive prospect? How did you handle it?
• What was the most successful sale you made in your previous job?
• Have you ever implemented a change that resulted in higher sales?
• Have you ever made a mistake during a call? What did you learn?
• Have you ever had to call someone more than once to make a sale?