Question: Give an example of a conflict you had with a customer and how you responded.

Alternative Question Phrasing:

Follow-up questions:

What was the outcome?
What did you learn from that experience?

Question Details:

Question Type:

Behavioral

Skills:

Basic – Critical Thinking,Basic – Science and Logic,Social – Coordination (Adjusting one’s own actions in relation to others),Social – Service Orientation (Customer Service/Focus),Social – Social Perceptiveness

Abilities:

Cognitive – Category Flexibility (Mental Flexibility)

Other Factors:

Personality-Job Fit

Work Activity (Task):

Information Input – Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events,Interacting with Others – Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others (Conflict Management)

Work Context (Person-Job/Team/Org Fit):

Interpersonal Relationships – Deal With External Customers

Work Style (Person-Job Fit):

Analytical Thinking,Assertiveness/Courage,Patience

Question Frequency

Question Difficulty

What to look for in an answer:

The candidate’s professionalism and conflict management skills.
The candidate’s critical thinking skills.

Red Flags to Watch For:

The candidate’s poor interpersonal and ineffective conflict management skills.
Answers that reveal poor critical thinking skills.

Sample Answer:

Last month there was this difficult customer who insisted on getting a refund even if he was at fault. I simply explained the store’s policy and escalated the issue to my direct superior. The customer ended up apologizing after realizing his mistake.

Question Source: Unknown