Thursday, February 2, 2023

How many roads must a man walk down? And other, better, questions.

"The important thing is not to stop questioning¹"

Everyone assumes that customer service is all about answering questions. But people outside the field don't realize how much of customer service is about asking questions.

Trying to understand what someone means, what they need, why they are upset. Collecting the information you need in order to find not just the correct answer, but the right answer.

The best customer service staff are skilled at knowing the right question, the right words, and the right moment.

Asking questions, and answering questions.

The core of service.

It's also the core of job interviews, which are essentially a conversational attempt to figure out if each party can provide what the other party needs. Good questions are critical here too.

The right interview questions, at the right moments, make for better, more honest, more revealing, more surprising answers. And ultimately, help you make better decisions on who to hire.

That is why I am excited that our new customer service interview builder tool is now live, ready for you to try. Over 60 categorized interview questions to sort, edit, and use. There are sample job descriptions and question sets for 6 different customer service related roles, and you can export your interview in text or PDF formats.

Give it a try for your next round of interviews, and if you have any comments or suggestions let me know.

Build Your Interview

^1. A quote from Albert Einstein:
"The important thing is not to stop questioning. Curiosity has its own reason for existing. One cannot help but be in awe when he contemplates the mysteries of eternity, of life, of the marvelous structure of reality. It is enough if one tries merely to comprehend a little of this mystery every day."