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164 COMPETENCY-BASED QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

Action: I took full responsibility for my oversight and promised that her

products would ship first thing in the morning.

Result: She was surprised that I did not make excuses and she com-

mended me for not passing the buck. From that moment forward, any time
she placed an order she asked for me to manage the shipment.

Question 177. Tell me about your most memorable customer-service

experience. What were the circumstances?

Situation: When I was a patient advocate at St. Mary’s Memorial

Hospital, I assisted a wonderful woman who came into the hospital for heart
surgery. She was scared and had no family to help her through the crisis.

Action: The hospital had a shortage of volunteers. I took the liberty of

calling a local community center to ask whether there was someone who
could visit her at the hospital.

Result: The next day, two volunteers showed up with books and

games in hand. They helped the patient take her mind off her troubles. The
doctors indicated that her good spirits assisted in her speedy recovery.

Question 178. Recall the last time a client was dissatisfied with your

customer service.

Situation: I was going to be at an all-day training session and forgot

to change my voice mail to reflect that. When I returned to the office, there
were five messages from a prospect who needed information about our prod-
uct line. By the last message, I could tell from the tone of her voice that she
was agitated.

Action: I called her immediately and was not able to reach her. Then I

e-mailed a quick note explaining the situation and gave her my private cell-
phone number.

Result: When we finally communicated, she still seemed put off. She

was distant on the phone, and I knew I had to resell her on our products. Un-
derstanding that she had a reason to be upset, I did not become defensive
and I responded to her concerns respectfully. Ultimately, her company de-
cided to go with another vendor, but she did e-mail me to let me know that
she appreciated my professionalism and that she would keep the company
in mind for future purchases. Three months later, she called again and I was
able to close the deal on another service.

American Management Association
www.amanet.org