CallCenterLife102: Interview Questions and Answers - Part 1

Applying back to the BPO world or one of its branch, the Call Center or Service HelpDesk after a long period of time you haven't been in this environment is quite hard. You need to practice all your skills garnered from the previous programs you have worked for.

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Introduce yourself

Tell me something about yourself?

This question is always present in any of the company that is hiring. They would want to know things that you are willing to tell them aside from their first impression from what your resume says about you and their overall assessment in your application process. It will be a make it or break it answer so give them what you really got and give them an impression that all the qualities that you have are the ones they need to fill that post they are offering.

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After the know-about-me and my-previous-work-history part, well go to the process-wise in which your skills will be gauged if you are fit to be in the customer service program.

How would you handle irate customers?

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This question is always the basic and should be answered direct to the point.
We need to know that our customers are the ones maintaining the account we are working for so we should always consider that they are the ones paying us indirectly. We need to relax and just think that if we place ourselves in their shoes, and not getting the great service that we are paying for, then it is really something to worry about and call us for some help. We need to hear them out and find the problem, gather all the possible solutions that we can offer and be able to quickly think of a solution to their problem. Let them know the things you will do for them. Pacify them with your firm tone of voice to assure them with your genuine help. Make this paragraph a great statement as an answer for this generic question.

Are you ready for the environment dealing with high level of pressure and constant changes?

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Your current account now being shut-off and you will be transferred to a different one or in different site location. Are you going to be adaptable to all the changes that this industry is operating? Answer the question with some instances that you experienced before. These are situations that involved sudden changes in everything you could possible think of. Assure them that you are an organized person and ready for all the surprises of the company. In your answer, exude a firmness that you are a dynamic individual.

How will you handle multiple concerns from one single call?

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If you know how to prioritize things according to what's the most important thing to do first, Time management, working efficiently and multitasking then this situation is just gonna be very easy for you. Let the interviewer perceive that your previous work experiences are the factors that mold you to do your tasks in a fast and accurate manner to save time, be productive and not have pending tasks that would result to some problems later on.

What are your strengths and weaknesses? How would you be able to make your strength to make the company successful?

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You need to cite at least three qualities that you have and make sure it is relevant to the position you are applying for. These attributes will be your strengths. Make sure that you can connect it with how the company will make that in use for its profitability, success and growth of the organization. For your weaknesses, be honest enough to say what are the things that is a room for your improvement or your current challenges that you are having. Assure the interviewer that you are always willing change bad habits, adapt to what is the right thing to do to minimize the risks that the organization would encounter.

Where do you see yourself five years from now?

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This type of question is to gauge until when you are willing to work for the company. This will give the impression of your application totality if you are really willing to work for the organization on the long term.

You may assure the company that you are hungry for success in your chosen career and will grow with the company as years pass by.

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With these stated questions and the possible answers that you could provide them will ace your initial interview and the next part would just be a piece of cake. Usually the second part is the process-wise or account-related interview.

The second part of my upcoming blog will tackle:
Your billing-related knowledge, your customer support skills, call-handling abilities, First-call-resolution perception, integrity, Total customer-experience practices.

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You may want to try to record your voice on how you will answer each of the following interview questions so that you will know if your tone is just fine, to test your fluency if the words are properly enunciated, pronounced properly and be able to assess yourself if you are even satisfied with your answers.

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Best of luck to everyone who wishes to work in the call center! It's really a fun environment and very rewarding. We all get paid even in the training, which includes all the fun part just before you will be immersed to the production floor and start taking calls.

Thank you for reading my blog and I hope you will constantly follow this section of the #callcenterlife
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