Our clients here at State Street expect top-tier service and products, and we will expect you to provide that in this role. Have you ever went the extra mile for a client when it wasn't expected? Why did you do so?
State Street looks to set themselves apart from their competition by delivering top-notch service, a solid understanding of the gold standards of customer service is paramount. If your experience in customer service is limited, spend some time researching the most important qualities of customer service within the financial services industry.
No matter what example you use, explain why you felt it was important to take that action and what tangible outcomes it produced. Remember: show, don't tell. Use a specific example if you have one.
"A couple of years ago when I was working customer service in retail, a customer was looking for what happened to be a discontinued item of clothing. It was intended for her sick mother. The easy route would have been simply looking it up, telling her it was discontinued, and having her be on her way. I took down the customer's contact information and let her know that I could contact our person who handled archived products. If we could track it down, I would be in touch. My colleague could track the item down from the supplier and have it coordinated to ship directly with a simple phone call. We put the customer in direct contact with the supplier, and she was ecstatic. Looking back on that situation, her story spoke to me, and I felt that it was the right thing to do."
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
I've had clients that needed internet service at a specific site with very short notice. While typically we wouldn't be able to do much until a provider was able to mitigate the situation, in this particular instance, we had a piece of equipment on hand that I personally drove out to the customer. Long story short, I got there and the customer expressed they had found a short-term solution but I would like to believe that my effort left a lasting impression on the customer.
Marcie's Feedback
Nice! This is a great example of a time when you went above and beyond for a customer. Consider rephrasing your response like below:
I consider it very important to make sure all clients feel well taken care of and appreciated. I do my best to provide them with quick and helpful service at all times. In one of my past roles, an instance arose when a customer needed internet service at a specific site with very short notice. In many cases, we weren't able to do much in this type of situation until a provider was able to respond and move forward. This time, however, I discovered that we had a piece of equipment on hand that I knew would remedy the problem. I took it upon myself to personally drive it to the customer. Although they had already found a short-term solution, they were very appreciative of the gesture and impressed by the high level of customer service.
Anonymous Answer
When I was a Client Service Associate, I remember when this lady called in to tell us her husband (our client) had passed away. She explained English was her second language and that her husband usually did all the finances. After talking with her more, I realized some other financial companies did not want to deal with the paperwork and just sent her the money without her understanding the tax consequences. Though I could have done the same, I instead took the time to explain her options and even called the other companies with her to reduce her tax liabilities.
Marcie's Feedback
Great! This is a strong example that emphasizes your caring nature and willingness to go above and beyond for customers. Don't forget to answer the second part of the question, however. Why did you decide to help the lady? You might talk about your integrity, work ethic, and/or compassion. Good job!
Unlock all 31 State Street questions
Prepare for behavioral and technical questions specific to State Street's institutional focus.
Get Started