The ideal candidate should tell a story, explain the importance of the situation and follow-up with how they improved the difficult customer’s experience. A customer service manager who can identify past problems is someone likely to think about creating solutions before a situation arises. What to look for in an answer:

• Concise response without any delay
• Sincere willingness to help the customer with their dilemma
• Good communications skills and a well-organized answer

Change is an essential part of any company, and as industries continue to grow, the candidate must show how they are willing to implement change among their staff and within the workplace. The applicant should provide an example of how they personally oversaw change and what the goal was that they were aiming to achieve. Also, was there an outcome achieved, or did the workplace remain the same? What to look for in an answer:

• An understanding of the importance of company procedures and protocols
• Experience motivating customer service associates
• Positive approach to situations in the workplace

Customer service managers use a plethora of tools a day, such as CRM and collaboration systems. Identify the platforms that the candidate has experience with, focusing on how the individual utilizes each software and system in their daily routine in their current position. The candidate’s response should give you insight into how quickly they pick up new processes. What to look for in an answer:

• Experience with the CRM software that your company currently uses
• Knowledge of accounting software, such as Oracle
• Willingness to learn new processes and software

The candidate should identify the part of giving constructive feedback that is most challenging for them. It is important to note that difficult situations should not hold them back from providing feedback altogether. Look for ways that the individual tries to eliminate their challenge. What to look for in an answer:

• Honest awareness of difficult tasks as a customer service manager
• Ability and enthusiasm for problem-solving
• Ability to adjust the approach to fit specific situations

Customer service managers spend the majority of their day talking to customers and staff. It is imperative that such managers are able to decipher between what information is confidential and what is okay to share with customers and staff. What to look for in an answer:

• Understanding of the importance of confidential information
• Ability to create an open space for dialogue among staff and customers
• Actual experience withholding confidential information

Customer service managers have a responsibility to monitor customer feedback and report issues to quality control personnel. This question allows an interviewer to guage whether a candidate has the ability to notice trends in customer feedback and communicate with other departments to ensure they resolve product issues.

A candidate's answer should emphasize:

• Proactive action
• Detail-oriented mindset
• Verbal communication skills

Here is one example of a quality candidate answer: