How do you handle customer complaints?
Responding effectively to customer complaints and providing excellent customer service are essential skills in the food and beverage industry. Your interviewer wants to hear that you have a strong foundation in customer service and will use these skills to excel in a customer-facing role with PepsiCo.
"If I have a customer complaint, I have been trained to actively listen, not interrupt, and repeat the problem to the client in their own words. This technique prevents further misunderstanding and helps the client to feel they are listened to and cared for."
"In my current role, I've completed a great deal of customer service training focused on dealing with difficult or angry customers. I am patient with customers and let them voice their concerns before jumping in to help. I maintain a positive attitude and tone, even if the customer is not kind. I always try to put myself in their shoes. You never know what kind of day someone has had, so I don't take their anger or frustration personally. I do all that I can to self-help and assist them, including utilizing my resources or checking with team members. I want every customer to be happy, and if I cannot find an acceptable resolution, I will escalate it immediately to my team lead or supervisor."
For those looking to work in a customer-facing role with PepsiCo, it's essential to show off your ability to deal with conflict, solve customer problems and nurture professional relationships. Give an example of a time you helped resolve a customer's issue, highlighting how your actions helped resolve the problem
"A customer called me very frustrated about a problem with a shipment. I listened and told them I would be happy to help. I asked more questions to understand the problem and then suggested a path forward once I had a better idea of what might solve it. The customer was very relieved and grateful that I took the time to listen and make sense of the issue, and we were able to find an acceptable solution to the problem."
