Tell me about a time when you had to deliver difficult news to a customer.

Why the Interviewer Asks This Question
What to Avoid
How to Answer
Answer Example

There is often a disconnect between the needs of a client and the solutions that technology teams can actually deliver. IT business consultants are frequently called upon to moderate negotiations between the involved parties. Interviewers ask this question to ensure that a candidate has the necessary soft skills to understand their client's frustrations and develop alternative options to address solution gaps.

Avoid detailing a scenario in which you communicate bad news without providing a way forward. Additionally, refrain from examples that resulted in your being removed from a project due to a client's frustration.

The STAR (situation, task, action, results) method works well for this question. Be sure to select the news you delivered that had a sizable impact on your client and outline your efforts to deliver a positive result even though the situation was less than optimal.

"I had a customer who needed to automate a time-intensive data entry workflow by integrating with our company's payroll system. I had previous experience with this type of automation and knew that this initiative would add value in terms of time savings, accuracy, and employee satisfaction.

I facilitated meetings to discuss the integration possibilities with the technical team responsible for payroll. I was informed that they were in the process of reviewing a replacement payroll system and my project would not be eligible for consideration until the new system was in place. I knew that this meant it would be a long time before my client could meet their goals, and I knew they would be frustrated. I developed custom reporting solutions using Excel and other tools that saved time and eased pain points until they were allowed to integrate with payroll. I also suggested workflow changes and shifts in duties for some of their staff that would streamline the process. I explained the situation fully and my client appreciated that they were understood and that my team and I were willing to do whatever we could to help while they waited to integrate."