6 Common Senior Customer Service Interview Questions & Answers

I believe there are a few elements that contribute to quality customer service. If I were to sum them up, I would say that having a personable demeanor, listening and being able to problem solve are the key aspects that attribute to a good customer service experience. I think the most important aspect out of the three is listening, because it can help you to solve problems, as well as gain the trust of the customer.

In my previous company, our departments were split up, and a customer came into the store with an issue that had to be addressed by another department. However, there was no way for the customer to directly contact that department, so he demanded that he be assisted at our location. I explained the situation to the gentleman and though he became noticeably frustrated, I remained calm, heard him out and contacted my manager to see what options we had for assisting him. I was informed that he could only be assisted over the phone, but since he was in our store he would be able to get through quicker than if he called from home. I kept the gentleman abreast of everything and was able to connect him with a representative from the other department to resolve his issue.

Along with the characteristics of a general customer service professional, including problem solving, communications and sales skills, a senior customer service professional takes on additional management duties. Project and personnel management are key characteristics in being able to support the role. Mediation and negotiation abilities may also be helpful, depending upon the scope of the role.

This position is directly related to my goals. My short-term goal is to advance into management. As a senior customer service representative, I would be taking on greater responsibility and would be able to demonstrate my managerial abilities. I hope to then advance higher within the company. Long-term, I would love to become an executive at the corporate level. I feel that this job is a step in that direction.

I view skills similar to muscles; they need to be built up through constant training and use. Therefore, I try to utilize as much of my skill set as possible in my customer service efforts. I also stay abreast of industry standards through my subscription to a customer service newsletter and through articles in different business magazines. In my current position, I took a mediation course last year, which I believe helped to strengthen my issue-resolution skills.

I have had the opportunity to supervise and train a few new employees at my current store. So far, I have trained five employees, and I oversee their daily activities to ensure they are following company protocol correctly. I have also had to address a few issues with work performance, and thankfully I have able to assist the employees to get back on the right track.