How do you handle an unhappy stakeholder?

Why the Interviewer Asks This Question
How to Answer
1st Answer Example
2nd Answer Example

Nonprofit employees will occasionally encounter an unsatisfied volunteer, donor, strategic partner, or community stakeholder. The interviewer wants to know that you handle yourself with professionalism and poise in the face of high-stress situations or environments.

Share with the interviewer how you remain focused and engaged in this situation. Describe how you acknowledge the person's complaint, and then lay out the steps you take to address the situation. Remember, the goal is to show how you would be an excellent representative of the Salvation Army in any situation.

"Last year, I managed a group of 20 volunteers for a special concert intended to raise funds for our organization. The volunteers were assigned to different posts, and I floated between stations to check in on them regularly. When I reached the concession stand, I checked in with one of the volunteers. She insisted that she'd signed up to staff the VIP access tent, a position she had held at the previous year's event. I allowed her to assist some customers, and then I shared with her the sign-up document that showed her signature on the concession stand slot. I then respectfully reminded her of the volunteer policy of rotating positions at each event to allow people to serve different stations if they would like to. She was frustrated by her mistake but she appreciated the private and calm way I brought it to her attention."

"A few years ago, a client called to complain that the volunteer scheduled to deliver her weekly box of supplemental, shelf-stable food supplies had not been delivering her food. I assured her I would investigate the issue and return her call within the hour. I contacted the volunteer, who insisted he had been making the deliveries. I opened the client's file and saw that her address had been mistakenly altered in a recent software update, so the volunteer had been delivering to the wrong home. I called the client and apologized for the mistake, contacted IT to correct the issue, alerted the volunteer to the address change, and sent the client enough food to make up for the days lost. She was happy with my quick attention to her concern."