Marketing Consultant

This is similar to the previous question in that it helps assess whether a candidate cares about the team or themselves. However, it also gives you a sense of how well they understand your business.

Applicant should be able to manage customer complaints without being dominated; should not be over-whelmed by a disapproving customer.

Say that it depends on the structure of the team and how long the co-worker has been at the company. If somebody new, you might speak to them to suggest that they maintain a more professional attitude. If you feel that this might cause confrontation, inform the team leader of your concerns.

Good answers will include a concrete example that goes beyond simply apologizing to a customer -- it should demonstrate how they used understanding and rapport-building to build a strong relationship with a customer -- and help solve their problem effectively.

If you have first-hand experience talk about this, otherwise say that you have not had to deal with angry customers but if it did arise you would remain calm and professional and listen to the complaint and try to provide a response that addresses their problems. It is important to not take it personally and to always apologise to the customer.

Listen for an answer that speaks to the candidate's empathy and appreciation for customers, demonstrates their ability to teach without patronizing, and shows their commitment to contributing to a company's mission by helping and advocating for others.

This is particularly useful when interviewing a customer service rep, where being able to explain step-by-step processes is an essential part of the job. Look for answers that you can understand and follow yourself, as well as steps are detailed and contextualized enough to be helpful for even a brand-new user of your product or service.

Whether their previous role was in customer service or not, it's important to understand how they viewed success. You're looking for whether this person cares more about their individual success or their team's success.

Applicant should appear to have the skills to build a healthy, professional relationship with customers and co-workers; should be enthusiastic to build a larger customer base.

The ability to negotiate and sell products may be an important part of the job. If so, mention any experience with selling, telemarketing and promotions.

Candidate should want to put in the extra effort to provide better and more complete service to customers.

☛ How has your previous experience prepared you for this position?

☛ How do you prioritize when you have to meet different clients under strict deadlines?

☛ How do you prepare your presentations?

☛ What brand or sector would you most want to work for and why?

☛ Describe your previous experience as part of a team. What was your role?

☛ Are you familiar with / Have you ever used our products?

☛ Who do you think our customers are?

☛ How would you advise us to increase our market share?

Both are extremely important. A good product is essential but without the customer service to back it up, there is no reason for someone to buy it here as opposed to somewhere else or on line.

☛ Describe a marketing campaign you worked on that failed. What happened and what did you learn from the experience?

☛ Have you ever suggested a new marketing strategy that the company didn’t want to follow? What happened?

☛ What has been your most significant achievement so far?

☛ What is your experience in marketing?

☛ Are you familiar with market analysis and market segmentation?

☛ How familiar are you with statistical analysis software? Name any relevant tools you have used before.

☛ Describe the relationship between content marketing and SEO.

☛ Talk about your experience with mobile marketing.

☛ Between blogs, ebooks, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, what medium would you choose to engage more customers?

☛ Describe the process of positioning.

☛ What steps would you follow to launch a new product within three months?

I would call my supervisor to let her/him know and would stay until I was sure the selling floor was covered or I would try calling him to see when he would be coming and I would make arrangements to stay until he arrived.

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.