Customer Communication

List whatever tasks you perform each day. Some of these may be among them: Answering requests, responding to calls, maintaining and updating records, providing service information, dealing with misapplied payments and billing.

Describe your style. Put your best foot forward - if applicable, use words such as friendly, enthusiastic, informed, quick, patient, and lucid.

These are just some of the commonly asked interview questions for customer service representatives.

During a difficult financial period, I was able to satisfactorily negotiate repayment schedules with multiple vendors.

When the software development of our new product stalled, I coordinated the team which managed to get the schedule back on track. We were able to successfully troubleshoot the issues and solve the problems, within a very short period of time.

A long-term client was about to take their business to a competitor. I met with the customer and was able to change how we handled the account on a day-to-day basis, in order to keep the business.

Keep your answers positive, Even though it was difficult when Jane Doe quit without notice, we were able to rearrange the department workload to cover the position until a replacement was hired, and be specific. Itemize what you did and how you did it.

The best way to prepare for questions where you will need to recall events and actions is to refresh your memory and consider some special situations you have dealt with or projects you have worked on. You can use them to help frame responses. Prepare stories that illustrate times when you have successfully solved a difficult situation.

You can relate success stories and any interesting interactions you had with clients, especially if it portrays good customer service skills. Explain how you have solved problems and created positive relationships with customers.

It's important because even if your role in the company doesn't require a lot of communication, you will still need to deal with those you work with in a professional and personable manner. Companies are as interested in your soft (people) skills as they are in your hard (quantifiable) skills. Here's more on hard skills vs. soft skills and what employers are seeking in applicants.