Give an example of a situation where you had to deal with a difficult customer.
"I recently worked with a customer who was quite upset about the fees they were charged for their premium checking account. It was a monthly fee of twelve dollars. They insisted that they never once let their balance drop below the minimum balance of five thousand dollars. However, there was one day that month when they allowed the balance to drop, but they brought it back up above the minimum the same day. I waived the fee, but they were still upset, saying that wasn't the point, and they thought it was the balance at the end of the day that counted, not at any point of the day, and that they were misled. I asked them if they still had the account portfolio we sent home with them, and they did. So I guided them to the paragraph where it detailed all of this. I told them how these things can be frustrating and that I have trouble reading them thoroughly, let alone remembering all these details myself. I empathized with them, expressed how we valued them as customers, and reminded them I reversed the fee, considering how they did bring the balance back up. They later thanked me, and that was that."
"I had a customer who kept changing their mind about how they wanted to invest in their stock portfolio. I was trying to help them make smart decisions with their mutual fund, but they kept trying to move their money around, invest in risky ventures, and do the quick flip sell. They were acting like they were in the casino. I arranged a meeting with them, and we met over coffee across the street from the firm. I asked them what their endgame was. They said they wanted to maximize their retirement account. So I broke down the long game for them, again quoting Warren Buffett, 'If you aren't willing to own a stock for over ten years, down even think about owning it for ten minutes.' He was insistent that he has this friend who is an insider who keeps giving him tips. So I convinced him to leave his retirement alone, and we would create another portfolio to invest a small amount of money and see how his friend's tips play out. They agreed. Sadly, they lost this small amount in a brief time. They later thanked me for saving their retirement from themselves, and we left it alone."
This question aims to reveal the degree of your patience, ability to cope with stress, and ability to work with a wide variety of personalities. How you answer will indicate your experience level and job satisfaction. It will also reveal how well you will complement their environment and culture. "Serving our customers and communities: It doesn't happen with one transaction, in one day on the job, or in one quarter. It's earned relationship by relationship."
When delivering your answers, try not to be in the emotional state of that moment. Practice being in the emotional state you want to convey. If the example you've thought of doesn't allow you to remove yourself emotionally and observe it situationally, think of another. You want your answer to resonate with authentic sincerity.
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