Call Center Job Interview Questions
& How to Best Answer Them (with exam tips)
What is a call center?
A call centre or call center is a centralised office used for receiving or transmitting a large volume of requests by telephone. An inbound call centre is operated by a company to administer incoming product support or information inquiries from consumers. Outbound call centers are operated for telemarketing, solicitation of charitable or political donations, debt collection and market research. A contact centre is a location for centralised handling of individual communications, including letters, faxes, live support software, social media, instant message, and e-mail.
A call centre has an open workspace for call centre agents, with work stations that include a computer for each agent, a telephone set/headset connected to a telecom switch, and one or more supervisor stations. It can be independently operated or networked with additional centres, often linked to a corporate computer network, including mainframes, microcomputers and LANs. Increasingly, the voice and data pathways into the centre are linked through a set of new technologies called computer telephony integration.
The contact centre is a central point from which all customer contacts are managed. Through contact centres, valuable information about company are routed to appropriate people, contacts to be tracked and data to be gathered. It is generally a part of company’s customer relationship management.
A contact centre can be defined as a coordinated system of people, processes, technologies and strategies that provides access to information, resources, and expertise, through appropriate channels of communication, enabling interactions that create value for the customer and organization.[2] Contact centres, along with call centres and communication centres all fall under a larger umbrella labelled as the contact centre management industry. This is becoming a rapidly growing recruitment sector in itself, as the capabilities of contact centres expand and thus require ever more complex systems and highly skilled operational and management staff.
The majority of large companies use contact centres as a means of managing their customer interaction. These centres can be operated by either an in house department responsible or outsourcing customer interaction to a third party agency (known as Outsourcing Call Centres).
What is the difference between CSR and TSR?
In the call center industry, customer service is the most common service provided by the agents. Customer service essentially pertains to the provision of all types of service to clients of another company before, during and after a purchase of a product or service from the call center’s account. This service is comprised by different activities designed to increase the customer satisfaction particularly to address or meet customerexpectation.
The term CSR (customer service representative) and TSR (technical support representative) are fundamentally encompassed under the umbrella concept of customer service. The major difference between the two is the type of customer service provided. CSR pertains to agents who usually provide support and assistance to customers in correct use and optimizing a product. This includes assistance in setting up, installation, fixing, maintenance and disposal of a product. CSR also pertains to agents that handle services like answering customer queries, taking orders, scheduling deliveries, confirming and following up orders, among many others.
TSR on the other hand refers to agents that provides technical support to products or services. This is especially applies to technology products such as cellular phones, computers, internet connection (ISP), software products and other electronic or mechanical commodities. The support provided by TSR like using or installing software application or trouble shooting one’s internet connection are essentially technical in nature.
Common Call Center Interview Questions in the Philippines
Before your interview
It is essential to conduct background research on the job and company to develop answers that are relevant and focused. Work through the recommended background research strategies and use the listed resources to gather the information you need before the job interview.
Interviewers are consistently impressed by candidates who are well informed and able to demonstrate the relevance of their skills and experience in answering a job interview question.
The behavioral interview
A large number of interviewers use the behavioral interview to explore a candidate's job suitability. Develop a good understanding of this type of interview and familiarize yourself with a list of typical behavioral interview questions.
Go through the behavioral interview answer guidelines to plan expert answers and prove to the interviewer how your skills and abilities best meet the job requirements.
During a job interview, the interviewer’s goal is to find out whether the applicant is qualified for the position and can represent the company. They want to know whether the applicant has the qualifications that the company needs to perform the job.
Some of most important qualities that interviewers for call center jobs are looking for are:
- Ability to communicate in English spontaneously. This doesn’t mean fluency in English. It means both fluency and comfort speaking English in unpredictable conversations.
- Character plays a big role in every employment application. Answer all questions honestly. Giving any false information about yourself or your work experience can lead to termination of your application or worse, being black-listed by the company.
Most job seekers aim to work in call centers due the great job opportunity it offers. Who would’nt like to work in an industry that offers high salary, loads of benefits and out of town team buildings? Call center really offers a lot of tempting perks!
However, applying in a call center is not as easy as 1-2-3. Out of 10 people who apply in call center only 3-4 gets the job, so preparation is really a virtue!
To help you out with your preparations, here’s the most common interview process in call centers:
- Screening process- A Human Resource (HR) personnel would screen you to ask you basic questions. Some HR conducts reading comprehension, you will read a story and would re-tell the story based on your understanding. Some would just ask basic questions like your background, likes or any random questions just to test your communication skills.
- Listening and Reading Activity- An HR officer would test your hearing and reading ability since call center agents take calls. You will ask to listen to different kinds of voices, accents and phone feedbacks. You will also read series of sentences or stories and re-tell the story aloud.
- English and Typing Examination- If you pass this level, then you're few more steps closer to the job offer! English grammar, basic math and basic computer knowledge are often the scope of the examination. Aside from the exam, a typing test would also be done. Here, you will be ask to type a paragraph or series of words in as fast and accurate as you can.
- Phone Simulation- The phone simulation is said to be the toughest level since it will put you in the real scenario. You will be given a handbook where the services are noted. An HR officer who would act like a customer that would call you and ask for the services or would complain about his/her problem. All the possible answers are written on the handbook so its going to be how you would handle the conversation.
- Final Interview- If you reached this level, you are one step closer to your goal-the job offer. The head HR would interview you and ask series of questions. Never show pressure and never rattle because he/she would decide if you are deserving for the job offer.
- The Job Offer- After you succeeded the intense application process, you will receive a job offer. However, the process is not yet over. After you get the offer you will ask to be trained, and will still be graded based on your performance before they will ask you to be part of the company.
Why Do You Want to Work Here?
"Why work at a call center?" is a simple question. Yet, many fail to understand the simplicity of the answer, and I was one of them. I remember my first application to a call center company. During my initial interview, I was asked the same question.
With conviction I replied: "To practice and improve my communication skills."
To be honest, I wasn't really expecting that question, so I tried to answer it in a way I thought would give the interviewer the impression that I want to grow in the industry. But I was wrong.
From the moment I finished my answer, I could see the sudden change in expression on the interviewer's face. She told me that the they are not looking for people who are just here for practice and improve their communication skills. She also added that I could have done that at school or in an English training class.
At that point, I knew I flunked my interview and my confidence was shot. When I was told that I would receive a call and to just keep my lines open, my apprehension was validated.
First, you must understand that this is not a trick question. It does not need sugar-coated answers. You should be honest and truthful.
Job Availability
Now, this answer is a little tricky, it could play well or it can lead you to a disaster of follow-up questions. We all know there is no special course or degree needed to work in call centers. The interviewers will try to see if you are really serious about the job, and they will want to know if you are planning to commit for the long term. They know that most of the employees are there because they can't find a job pertaining to their degree, but they also want to hire an employee who will stay longer.
Be Honest
These are the most honest answers you can give to this question, and you don't have to sugarcoat every answer. All you need to do is answer in the most honest way you can so the interviewer will feel the sincerity of your application.
| Tell me about yourself. | ||||||||||||||
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In answering this question, don’t repeat details from your resume. This is the most common mistake applicants make. What the interviewer would like to see is your spontaneity when answering a question and the kinds of interests you have that relate to the job. Because this is the initial question, try to give an answer that will leave a positive impression.
|
Tell Me About Yourself
This is the dreaded, classic, open-ended interview question and likely to be among the first. It's your chance to introduce your qualifications, good work habits, etc. Keep it mostly work and career related.
Why do you want to leave your current job? (Why did you leave your last job?)
Be careful with this. Avoid trashing other employers and making statements like, "I need more money." Instead, make generic statements such as, "It's a career move."
What are your strengths?
Point out your positive attributes related to the job.
What are your weaknesses?
Everybody has weaknesses, but don't spend too much time on this one and keep it work related. Along with a minor weakness or two, try to point out a couple of weaknesses that the interviewer might see as strengths, such as sometimes being a little too meticulous about the quality of your work. (Avoid saying "I work too hard." It's a predictable, common answer.) For every weakness, offer a strength that compensates for it.
Which adjectives would you use to describe yourself?
Answer with positive, work-oriented adjectives, such as conscientious, hard-working, honest and courteous, plus a brief description or example of why each fits you well.
What do you know about our company?
To answer this one, research the company before you interview.
Why do you want to work for us?
Same as above. Research the company before you interview. Avoid the predictable, such as, "Because it's a great company." Say why you think it's a great company.
Why should I hire you?
Point out your positive attributes related to the job, and the good job you've done in the past. Include any compliments you've received from management.
What past accomplishments gave you satisfaction?
Briefly describe one to three work projects that made you proud or earned you pats on the back, promotions, raises, etc. Focus more on achievement than reward.
What makes you want to work hard?
Naturally, material rewards such as perks, salary and benefits come into play. But again, focus more on achievement and the satisfaction you derive from it.
EXAM TIPS
Typing test. Just practice typing. I think the passing score is 30 WPM (words per minute), You can visit http://learn2type.com/ or any typing program for practice
Computer exam
Computer simulation
English
Grammar
Business letter writing
Sample Exam
Computer Technology
Read each
question carefully prior to answering. Some questions may require multiple
answers. Those questions will be designated with a statement at the end of the
question as such: (Select all that apply)
1. Software is
defined as the non-physical part of a complete computer system.
A. True
B. False
2. Modem is an acronym for
Modulate and Demodulate.
A. True
B. false
3. Windows XP is an example
of a (an)?
A. Software application
B. Modem
C. Hardware application
D. Operating System
4. Hardware is defined as
the non-physical part of a complete computer system.
A. True
B. false
5. An example of a browser
is?
A. word
B. Outlook Express
C. Windows XP
D. Internet Explorer
E. Explorer
6. Device drivers are?
A. Little cars that move
the electrons around the computer
B. Small programs that
control a particular piece of hardware
C. A program that allows
the user to perform various tasks within a Microsoft application
D. None of the above
7. A kilobyte is [ giga ] bytes.
8. From the list below,
select the largest storage location.
A. Byte
B. Bit
C. Terabyte
D. Kilobyte
E. Megabyte
9. A Firewall is designed to protect a computer
from?
A. unauthorized access by
another computer
B. hot components that may
cause a fire
C. SPAM entering the email
D. all of the above
10. A computer virus is a
program that causes damage to a computer system’s hardware
A. True
B. False
Networking Technology
Read each question
carefully prior to answering. Some questions may require multiple answers. Those
questions will be designated with a statement at the end of the question as
such: (Select all that apply)
1. Highlighted text that
links you to another website is called a …?
A. Hyperlink
B. Hypertext Markup
Language
C. Word Wrap
D. There is no term for
this type of text
2. The cord or cable
between the computer system and the network is referred to as a (n)? (Select
all that apply)
A. Ethernet.cord
B. Cat-Cable
C. Coaxial Cable
D. RJ-45
3. IP addresses can be
issued in how many different ways?
A. 1
B. 2
C. 3
D. 10
4. TCT/IP is a (n)?
A. Communication software
package
B. The initials of the
standardizing committee that create the internet
C. abbreviation for
Transistor Controlled Protocol / Internet Protocol
D. Suite of protocols that
allow for communication
5. When two or more
computers can communicate together, you have a [internet]
6. The proper format for an
email address is?
A. User.company.com
B. User/company.com
C. User.company.com
7. A network Interface Card
(NIC) is used to connect sections of the computer system together.
A. True
B. False
8. An active Modem is
needed to connect to the internet
A. True
B. False
9. An extension on a web
address that tells what type of group owns the website is called a domain.
A. True
B. False
10. The term that refers to
“checking out” websites on the Internet is called?
A. Cruising
B. Checking out
C. Surfing
D. Gaming
SAMPLE EXAM RELATED TO CALL CENTER
1. Which of the following
is the most representative of customer satisfaction in a call center
environment?
A. Accuracy of service is
delivered
B. Call coaching scores
C. Service levels
D. Average handle time
E. Customer appreciation
e-mails
2. Which of the following
is an appropriate way to handle as upset customer?
A. Talk at the customers
tone to make sure they can hear you
B. Put the customer on hold
and wait until they cool off
C. Listen to the customer,
show empathy, and paraphrase their issue
D. None of the above
3. If a customer begins to
belittle the agent or use offensive language while on the phone, the agent
should _________.
A. Disconnect the call
immediately
B. Transfer the customer to
his/her manager.
C. Mark the customers
account --- expire all support contracts, disconnect with the customer, and
notify your manager
D. Inform the customer that
the call needs to remain on a professional level and may be disconnected if
he/she continues
4. Which of the following
is not considered good “customer care”?
A. Using the customers name
frequently throughout the call
B. Properly identifying the
company, department and self.
C. Using poor active
listening skills
D. Setting customers
expectations correctly
E. A and C
5. Which of the following
is not typically necessary to connect to the Internet?
A. Computer
B. Modem
C. Search Engine
D. Internet Service
Provider (ISP)
6. There are times in this
position where you will need to say “no” to a customer. Which of the following
is the best technique to do so positively?
A. Bend the truth
B. Tell them what you can
do
C. Refer them to another
department
D. Tell them what our
policy is
7. A location on the hard
drive where browsers temporarily store web pages and images is called:
A. swap space
B. cache
C. temp
D. memory
8. File, Edit and View are
usually part of the:
A. status bar
B. tool bar
C. view bar
D. menu bar
9. Which of the following
is not an internet protocol?
A. Excite
B. TCP/IP
C. Telnet
D. Hypertext Transfer
10. Which of the following
is a trait of good call handling?
A. Controlling the pace of
the call
B. Using acronyms to
present information
C. Making assumptions for
the customer
D. Telling the customer
what you need
11. Which of the following
could be a valid Internet email address?
A. bob@home
12. One gigabyte is
equivalent to:
A. 10 megabytes
B. 1000 kilobytes
C. 1024 megabytes
D. 1000 bytes
13. HTML stands for:
A. Hardy-type Mega Link
B. Hyper Text Mark-up
Language
C. High Throughput Machine
Language
D. Hardy Tested Machine
Language
E. Back the driver to the
previous installed version
14. Web pages are connected
to each other by:
A. Internet threads
B. Search Engines
C. Hyperlinks
D. Web spiders
15. What is the best
description of the control panel in Windows?
A. It is a program for
backing up Windows
B. Its main function is to
start Windows in Safe mode for troubleshooting
C. It is a collection of
utilities for changing aspects of your computer
D. It is a program you can
use to control the moving of files between folders
16. Who is the top two
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) in the world? _______________________
17. How can you determine
the version of Windows running on your computer?
A. Run a DOS shell and then
type ver and hit enter
B. Right click on the “My
Computer” icon and select properties
C. Start, Run and type in
DXDIAG
D. All of the above
18. Cookies are:
A. text files placed on
your hard drive by a remote server
B. better with milk
C. no longer implemented on
the Internet
D. small but very damaging
viruses on the internet
19. Where is the easiest
place to go find out the version of a piece of software?
A. The headquarters of the
manufacturer
B. call Microsoft
C. File and then properties in
the menu bar
D. Help and then about in
the menu bar
20. With any product in the
Microsoft XP family and above, what needs to be done within 30 days of the
software installation?
A. You must activate the
product either on-line or by contacting the Product Activation Center
B. You must register the
product with Microsoft
C. The hard drive on the PC
must be backed-up
D. The user needs to reboot
into Safe Mode to modify their documents
21. When a customer wants
something that are not able to provide we should:
A. Explain it is our policy
B. Tell them is it not your
job
C. Explain additional
options to them
D. None of the above
22. When dealing with a
difficult customer, it is not good to ______.
A. Express empathy to the
customer
B. Use clarifying words of
acknowledgement to show you understand
C. Take it personally
D. Avoid using negative
words or actions
23. Of the following
answers, which is not a good example of “phone etiquette”?
A. Greeting the caller
B. Placing the customer on
hold without their consent
C. Picking up the phone
within 3 rings
D. Providing your name to
the customer
24. Which of the following
applications is used to manage email?
A. Microsoft Publisher
B. Microsoft Entourage
C. Microsoft Powerpoint
D. Microsoft Excel
E. Microsoft Outlook
25. What is a modem used
for?
A. Playing music while
typing a letter
B. Burning CD’s to share
with another computer
C. Converting DVD movies to
be displayed on the computer
D. Communicating with
another computer through a phone line
Basic Knowledge about the INTERNET
The Internet is the largest computer network in the world, connecting millions of computers. A network is a group of two or more computer systems linked together
There are two types of computer networks:
1. Local Area Network (LAN): A LAN is two or more connected computers sharing certain resources in a relatively small geographic location (the same building, for example).
2. Wide Area Network (WAN): A WAN typically consists of 2 or more LANs. The computers are farther apart and are linked by telephone lines, dedicated telephone lines, or radio waves. The Internet is the largest Wide Area Network (WAN) in existence.
All computers on the Internet (a wide area network, or WAN) can be lumped into two groups: servers and clients. In a network, clients and servers communicate with one another.
A server is the common source that :
Provides shared services (for example, network security measures) with other machines
AND Manages resources (for example, one printer many people use) in a network.
The term server is often used to describe the hardware (computer), but the term also refers to the software (application) running on the computer. Many servers are dedicated, meaning they only perform specific tasks.
What is a cookie?
A cookie (also tracking cookie, browser cookie, and HTTP cookie) is a small piece of text stored on a user's computer by a web browser.
IP address
Users may be tracked based on the IP address of the computer requesting the page. This technique has been available since the introduction of the World Wide Web, as downloading pages requires the server to know the IP address of the computer running the browser or the proxy, if any is used.
An e-mail address identifies an email box to which e-mail messages may be delivered. An e-mail address on the modern Internet looks like, for example, jsmith@example.com and is usually read as "jsmith at example dot com".
Hardware and software work together in digital devices and systems to provide computerized functionality. Hardware includes the physical components, such as the motherboard, chips, memory, and hard drives, while software includes the programs that run on the hardware. Ergo, a computer is hardware, while an operating system such as Microsoft XP is the software that makes the hardware functional.
Computer software, or just software is a general term primarily used for digitally stored data such as computer programs and other kinds of information read and written by computers. Today, this includes data that has not traditionally been associated with computers, such as film, tapes and records.
Practical computer systems divide software systems into three major classes: system software, programming software and application software, although the distinction is arbitrary, and often blurred.
1. System software
System software helps run the computer hardware and computer system. It includes a combination of the following:
device drivers
operating systems
servers
utilities
windowing systems
The purpose of systems software is to unburden the applications programmer from the often complex details of the particular computer being used, including such accessories as communications devices, printers, device readers, displays and keyboards, and also to partition the computer's resources such as memory and processor time in a safe and stable manner. Examples are- Windows XP, Linux, and Mac OS X.
2. Programming software
Programming software usually provides tools to assist a programmer in writing computer programs, and software using different programming languages in a more convenient way. The tools include:
compilers
debuggers
interpreters
linkers
text editors
An Integrated development environment (IDE) is a single application that attempts to manage all these functions.
3. Application software
Application software allows end users to accomplish one or more specific (not directly computer development related) tasks. Typical applications include:
industrial automation
business software
video games
quantum chemistry and solid state physics software
telecommunications (i.e., the Internet and everything that flows on it)
databases
educational software
medical software
military software
molecular modeling software
image editing
spreadsheet
simulation software
Word processing
Decision making software
Basic Knowledge about the Computer and Internet/Networking
What is (Computer) Networking?
In the world of computers, networking is the practice of linking two or more computing devices together for the purpose of sharing data. Networks are built with a mix of computer hardware and computer software.
Area Networks
Networks can be categorized in several different ways. One approach defines the type of network according to the geographic area it spans. Local area networks (LANs) , for example, typically span a single home, school, or small office building, whereas wide area networks (WANs), reach across cities, states, or even across the world. The Internet is the world's largest public WAN.
Common Computer Abbreviations
Following are some of the numerous computer abbreviations in use today.
Operating Systems and Data Storage
BIOS - This is the Basic Input Output System which controls the computer, telling it what operations to perform. These instructions are on a chip that connects to the motherboard.
BYTE - A byte is a storage unit for data.
"K" is a Kilobyte which is 1024 bytes.
"MB" is a Megabyte which is a million bytes.
"GB" is a Gigabyte, which equals 1000 megabytes.
CPU - This stands for the Central Processing Unit of the computer. This is like the computer’s brain.
MAC - This is an abbreviation for Macintosh, which is a type of personal computer made by the Apple Computer company.
OS - This is the Operating System of the computer. It is the main program that runs on a computer and begins automatically when the computer is turned on.
PC - This is the abbreviation for personal computer. It refers to computers that are IBM compatible.
PDF - This represents the Portable Document Format which displays files in a format that is ready for the web.
RAM - This stands for Random Access Memory which is the space inside the computer that can be accessed at one time. If you increase the amount of RAM, then you will increase the computer’s speed. This is because more of a particular program is able to be loaded at one time.
ROM - This is Read Only Memory which is the instruction for the computer and can not be altered.
VGA - The Video Graphics Array is a system for displaying graphics. It was developed by IBM.
WYSIWYG - This initialism stands for What You See Is What You Get. It is pronounced "wizziwig" and basically means that the printer will print what you see on your monitor.
Connecting to the Internet
FTP - This is a service called File Transport Protocol which moves a file between computers using the Internet.
HTML - HyperText Markup Language formats information so it can be transported on the Internet.
HTTP - Hypertext Transfer Protocol is a set of instructions for the software that controls the movement of files on the Internet.
IP - This stands for Internet Protocol which is the set of rules that govern the systems connected to the Internet. IP Address is a digital code specific to each computer that is hooked up to the Internet.
ISP - The Internet Service Provider is the company which provides Internet service so you can connect your computer to the Internet.
LAN - This stands for Local Area Network which is the servers that your computer connects to in your geographic area.
PPP - Point-to-Point Protocol is the set of rules that allow your computer to use the Internet protocols using a phone line and modem.
URL - This is the Universal Resource Locator which is a path to a certain file on the World Wide Web.
USB - The Universal Serial Bus is used for communications between certain devices. It can connect keyboards, cameras, printers, mice, flash drives, and other devices. Its use has expanded from personal computers to PDAs, smartphones, and video games, and is used as a power cord to connect devices to a wall outlet to charge them.
VR - Virtual Reality simulates a three-dimensional scene on the computer and has the capability of interaction. This is widely used in gaming.
VRML - Virtual Reality Mark-up Language allows the display of 3D images.
________________________________________________________________________________________
GOOD LUCK ON YOUR APPLICATION!
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