What is the most challenging client issue you have faced this year? How did you overcome the situation?
This question aims to help your interviewer assess your level of experience and the responsibilities you currently have. Share your clients' pain points and how you overcame them while making them relatable to this role with PwC. If applicable, offer examples where you helped others navigate such hurdles with professionalism and poise. Here is a value proposition from PwC's website that might offer some insights on what to focus your answer on;
"Real-world experience. Our community of solvers has a long history of figuring out some of the world's most important problems. They bring diverse perspectives, curiosity and ingenuity to every challenge, asking the right questions to deliver human-led, tech-powered products made for your specific needs."
"I recently had a client who wanted to control every aspect of my work rather than being open to the process. He was very hands-on, which is great; however, he was not receptive to change. I held a one-on-one meeting with him to discuss the situation head-on. Professionally, I let him know that if he disallowed my process, he would not get the return he was seeking. I then offered him another solution; I had him join a separate Workforce group where he could monitor my progress in real-time. I would offer notes and give them updates with calendar info. I anticipated his questions and gave him the feeling of control he seemed to need. From that point, he gave me the room to work that I needed."
"The most challenging client profile is, for certain, the defensive client. I am sure you know the type - the client who argues everything and refuses to look at the hard data while bringing emotion into every conversation and process. When this occurs, I firmly yet professionally remind the client that past behavior will yield past results. I ask them to revisit why they hired my firm. Then, I have them recommit to our process before I proceed."
Community answers are written by other candidates practicing this set. Reading how others frame the same question is one of the fastest ways to sharpen your own.
Anonymous Answer
Every project has a challenging client/situation. As a product owner, our client is usually our internal professional services team. I faced a situation where Salesforce had made a critical update for the winter release that was affecting a lot of our clients who were on different versions and were likely to be affected by the update. For every release, we add a buffer to the actual planning to accommodate any ad-hoc requests. Because we made this plan, we were able to patch the different versions ahead of time for the client to review and make the testing plan on their side
Marcie's Feedback
Nice! So you and your team overcame the anticipated challenge by preemptively adding a buffer. Were you actively involved in the decision to add the buffer? If so, definitely make sure to emphasize this point. Also, in what way(s) was the client challenging (or expected to be challenging)? Be sure to talk about this since the question specifically asks about overcoming a difficult client.
Anonymous Answer
My team was in the final stages of planning for a diversity collaboration event and a key person who worked at a school was MIA despite our reaching out for over a month. I reached out to others in the community who worked with those on his team and found a work colleague that was able to help get the ball rolling quickly so that we could get the event on track again. Once that was established, everything flowed well again.
Amanda's Feedback
This is a solid start, but we can make it better by giving more detail about the event. How many people were supposed to attend? How many months had you been planning it? Ultimately, it sounds like you averted a disaster. Consider giving this answer more impact by explaining what role the missing person was supposed to play in the event and why his or her absences were a big problem. This helps the interviewer understand the magnitude of the challenge you were facing. You can also clarify how you ultimately solved the problem and what skills helped you do so - Did the colleague you reached out to replace the missing person or encourage the person to respond? Did you leverage articulate communication, perseverance, adaptability, or other skills/characteristics to get the event back on track?
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