At Alvarez & Marsal we seek to hire those who can read between the lines in order to uncover our client's potential needs. Give me an example of how you have successfully done this.
The interviewer would like to know that you understand the nuances that come with this job. When you work for Alvarez & Marsal you must be able to think independently and out of the box at all times. This type of thinking will increase client happiness, sales results, and will help to expand your portfolio. Give one real-life example of how you helped a client by reading further into their potential needs.
"One example I can give is when one of my larger clients went through a corporate restructuring last year. I was able to help them fill in some gaps in their service needs as I saw potential shifts in their business. Because I have assisted many clients with restructuring projects in the past, I was able to foresee some of the roadblocks they may face and offered my assistance there. The client was very pleased with my proactive approach, and I was able to upsell additional services."
"With each new client that I take on, I conduct a detailed questionnaire with my primary contact. I ask tough questions regarding the pain points in their business. From these answers, I can predict some of their needs faster than they can. I believe this is because it's harder to see your needs when you are directly in the middle of the scenario. Sometimes, it's easier for outsiders to uncover your business' most significant needs."
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Anonymous Answer
During the early discussion of joining the California ISO's energy market, one of the potential participants within the balancing authority expressed concerns about joining and questioned the reliability of the approach of tracking the market performance. After several calls and emails with them, I understood that their concern is not about joining the market itself, but the potential financial exposure if someone does not carry their fair share. I then proposed to develop an internal capacity market in which entities and trade the spare capacity ahead of time, and pay for or get paid based on their position. The entity reviewed the approach and agreed to proceed with no further objections.
Amanda's Feedback
Fantastic! This is a great example that showcases your ability to ask probing questions and uncover a client's true need. It also illustrates your ability to take initiative and meet those needs in order to achieve a goal.
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