We’ve already established in a previous blog post that call center recruitment is a customer service function. It needs to apply the same customer-centric practices that agents use so that recruiters can attract potential company assets instead of drive job applicants away. This is why outsourcing firms that provide global clients inbound customer service solutions from operations sites in the Philippines devote much thought and energy to their hiring activities.

Of course, every new hire will undergo training and orientation to get immersed into the work culture and become a productive part of the company. None of the trainings, however, would matter if the employees don t possess the innate makings of a good customer service representative (CSR): patient, empathetic, and willing to help.

These traits should be readily in place and not developed only after hiring. And there’s no better opportunity to spot an ideal candidate than through an interview. However, a generic set of questions won’t likely unearth the qualities of a natural CSR; what you need is to twist the queries a bit to squeeze out genuine answers that reflect the traits you’re looking for.

As a follow-up to the blog post mentioned earlier, here is a list of questions that would draw out ideal answers from CSR candidates and ultimately, the recruiter’s nod.

1. “Can you tell me about your hobbies and interests?”

While this question seems to be just an ice-breaker, it actually gives you an idea of how passionate the applicant is in extending a hand. Observe how enthusiastic he is when talking about his hobbies and see if his interests involve making others happy. If he’s into collaborative activities like sports, he’ll likely make up a good member of a CSR team.

 

2. “How’s our application and hiring process so far?”

It may not seem important, and this is probably a question applicants didn t expect to get nor prepare an answer for, which makes for a great measure of their true answering abilities. Plus, if they are able to mention the steps and the names of the people who processed their application, it will show how good they are in retaining details—a skill that they’d use every day as a CSR.

 

3. “What are the things you dislike about the brands you love?”

If they can’t list any flaw of a product they support, how can they find room for improvement when they represent your brand?

 

4. “What would you do when a customer points out a problem with the company you’re representing?”

Here, the candidate would take either of these two sides: the customer’s (they’ll admit the problem and apologize) or the company’s (they’ll defend the brand’s image). A more advisable thing to do, however, is to first confirm if the issue exists before owning up to it, and then make up for the inconvenience to win back the customer’s loyalty for the brand.

 

5. “Have you gone against a company’s policy just to deliver excellent customer service?”

Again, answers to questions like are subjective, so you should use your conscious judgment to tell if the violation is a justified one or if you personally believe that company regulations must be upheld all the time, regardless of surrounding circumstances.

More than the applicant’s impressive answer, it is the recruiter’s skill to identify talent that makes call center hiring successful. Do you have other interview questions in mind? Feel free to drop yours in the comment box and share what answers you were able to get.