Customer support first-round interview questions

Good support people stay steady with upset customers, find the real problem, and write or speak clearly. These questions ask for real examples of all three.

The questions

1Tell me about a time a customer was upset with you or your company. What did you do, and how did it end?Scores: Handling hard conversations
2Describe a time you had to tell a customer no. How did you handle it?Scores: Handling hard conversations
3Walk me through a tricky customer problem you solved. How did you work out what was really wrong?Scores: Finding the real problem
4Tell me about an issue you couldn't solve on your own. What did you try first, and what did you do next?Scores: Finding the real problem
5Tell me about a time you had to explain something technical to a customer. How did you make sure they understood?Scores: Clear communication

The rubric

Handling hard conversations: Stays calm and respectful with upset customers and moves the conversation toward a fix.; Listen for: A specific customer and situation, what they did to lower the temperature, and how it ended for the customer.
Finding the real problem: Asks good questions, works through the likely causes, and solves the issue rather than the symptom.; Listen for: The questions they asked and the steps they tried, in order, plus when they chose to hand the issue on.
Clear communication: Explains things simply and sets honest expectations about what happens next.; Listen for: Plain words, a check that the customer understood, and an honest note on what would happen next.

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