Give an example of a time that you had to resolve a difficult situation with a client or customer. What were the keys to coming to a successful solution?
In a front-facing role with State Street, where you will be interacting with clients daily, your interviewer wants to be ensured that you have the skills to resolve client issues with ease, and they'll look to do so with this question. In your answer, let your interviewer know that you can take ownership of any situation by talking about a specific time where you did what was necessary to alleviate a complex problem with a client. Talk about the resources you used and your interpersonal skills that helped turn a potentially harmful situation into a successful one. Demonstrate to your interviewer your understanding of State Street's mission of putting clients' needs and goals first.
"Having worked in customer service for one of the area's largest auto dealerships for the last six years, handling difficult customers was a situation I had to learn to handle pretty quickly. A few weeks ago, I was covering our front desk on a Saturday afternoon when our sales staff was still open for business. I recognized the person approaching the door as a customer that had recently purchased a new vehicle. He stormed through the door, placed his keys on the counter in front of me, and said that he demanded a refund on his new purchase because the check engine light had already come on inside of the car. Already knowing his new vehicle was under a full warranty, I calmly let him know that his car was under warranty and that I'd have a member of our sales staff come out and take a quick look. I also let him know that our service department was not working that afternoon but, if needed, we could schedule him for a diagnostic test at his earliest convenience. We ended up giving him a loaner vehicle so his new car could be taken care of on Monday morning. I can tell you that he left happier than he arrived, and he thanked me for my help. I know my attitude was partially responsible for that. I understand that at State Street, putting clients first is of the utmost importance. As I've explained, maintaining excellent customer service in my work is central for me."
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Anonymous Answer
I would say the same situation as when a client needed a quick solution. Again, the keys to overcoming this type of situation were understanding the problem, escalating to someone who could help me solve it, identifying the best way to go about it as well as establishing a schedule on which we could adhere and provide the proper solution.
Marcie's Feedback
Consider talking about a specific example here instead of speaking vaguely. It will make your response much more powerful. You can still discuss how you identified and escalated the problem but perhaps include a mention of following up to make sure there was a resolution. Clearly indicate that you resolved the issue for the customer and how you went about doing this.
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