Tell me about a time you dealt with an unhappy customer or patient. How did you handle the situation and what was the outcome?
Each day, the team at UnitedHealth Group has to communicate with frustrated, mad, or distraught members and patients who are facing very difficult situations. With compassion as one of their care values, the staff there are expected to listen, advocate, and act with urgency for those they serve no matter what situation a member finds themselves in. It will be important for your interviewer to have the sense that you will always take this empathetic approach and maintain a positive attitude no matter what mood a person you are working with is in. If you will be in a direct member or patient-facing role with UHG, remember that a current health condition or financial situation regarding billing can cause some extreme emotions. Be sure that you think about a time you encountered someone in the past in a similar situation and talk through what the situation was, how you responded, and the positive result that came from your actions.
"Just a couple of months ago, I was seeing an emergency patient that was experiencing some very severe tooth and gum pain and the examination was one of the toughest I've faced throughout my career. Their pain was very visible, but their anger was honestly a bit out of line. When my colleague and I were trying to get them to open their mouth for examination, the patient was writhing in pain and calling us some pretty bad names. Rather than take things personally, I could immediately see that they had severe inflammation and I put myself in their shoes. I kept a calm voice and explained what we were doing every step of the way so the patient knew when we'd be poking or prodding. The patient slowly began to calm down and by the time the dentist was ready to see them, the patient apologized and thanked us for helping. This empathetic approach is something I pride myself on and know it will be important for the UnitedHealth Group members I will be seeing in this role."
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
We had a guest upset as he did not like the room he had reserved. I sat down with him in our lobby, listened to his concerns, and personally showed him a couple of other available room options. He accepted one of the rooms offered and was very pleased with his stay.
Rachelle's Feedback
It's terrific that you jumped on a solution so quickly! If you have received training on customer service or creative customer solutions, this question would be a good time to mention this training.
Anonymous Answer
I had a member that was upset about a procedure that was not covered by her insurance. I was able to look at the claims and benefits and find the information about why the benefit had changed. I apologized that the benefits had changed, explained the old and new benefits, and explained that this can often happen.
Cindy's Feedback
Good start. You're demonstrating how you were able to explain the disconnect. Can you also give more detail about the customer's reaction? Did you succeed in calming him down?
Anonymous Answer
The greatest tool in my toolbelt would be the knowledge of my work. Ultimately, most people don't know every detail about their health plan as it can be very confusing for some people. With me by their side, I can be the beacon of hope by gaining knowledge of their particular health plan, I might be able to find things that they didn't know their health plan covered. In case their health plan falls short, I will use other resources to bring about a solution to their plight
Marcie's Feedback
Excellent! You sound perfectly cut out for this job. :) Just make sure to provide a specific example as well of a time when you handled a customer who was unhappy. Talk about how you turned around the situation. The interviewer will want you to provide a specific example and show that you are capable of dealing with this type of situation.
Anonymous Answer
There was a time a patient called me irate about an outrageous bill she received from LabCorp. Understanding and showing empathy towards the patient, I reviewed her lab requisition, and all she needed was a dx code. I followed up with the physician and LabCorp to add the correct codes, and her bill was cleared. The patient was so thankful, and that's what makes my day; being able to help people find solutions to their problems.
Amanda's Feedback
This is a great answer that showcases your ability to provide exceptional service, take initiative to resolve the issue, and delight the customer.
Anonymous Answer
A new client that was being implemented under my partnership was not happy with the way their implementation was going so I stepped in to be extra hands, eyes, and ears in the implementation which provided the client with more confidence in the process which made them at ease and happy.
Marcie's Feedback
Great! Why weren't they happy with the implementation? What did you do exactly to make them more confident in the process? How could you tell that this made them more satisfied? Give more details to further strengthen your answer. Good job!
Anonymous Answer
I sometimes have unhappy clients when I have to advise against certain things based on my legal assessment, but my job is not to say no, it is to find solutions. I try to assess the situation, and then understand what the objective really is. I explain my concerns and try to come up with a workable solution that will satisfy my client. This often happens when internal clients want to agree to contract provisions with third parties that I think are not acceptable, but I am able to talk through this and find a way to address the concern.
Marcie's Feedback
Excellent! You have done a good job walking the interviewer through your process in this situation. Add an example of a time when you successfully handled an unhappy client to further improve your answer. Nice job!
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