Call Center & BPO Interview Questions

A call centre or call center is a centralised office used for the purpose of receiving and transmitting a large volume of requests by telephone.
Filed Under Questions & Answers for Job Seekers


Why do you want a career in the BPO sector?  Telling your interviewer that you need the money or that you love the fast-and -easy BPO culture is a complete no no. There are other ways of convincing your employer to hire you. Think about personality traits that make you suitable for this job. On the other hand, you should have correct information about the growth rate and the size of the BPO industry. Quoting these make you look serious, knowledgeable and professional.  You can come up with an answer like -I would like to pursue a job in this sector since this is an industry that is growing very fast. According to this years Financial Times Report on the Indian Industry, the size of the BPO industry is around $ XX billion and it is growing at a rate of XX per cent. Not only this, I also feel that I have a personality that is well suited to this industry, since I love interacting with people and have great communication skills. I fell that I can utilize my potential to maximum in this industry while boosting and enhancing my skills and expertise at the same time. Moreover, it is a steady and a constant job. I fell that I will definitely prove to be an asset for any company as I can easily adapt to any ambience and make sure that it does not hinder my creative skills and abilities. I can easily work in a team. Will you be comfortable working in different shifts?  Yes, I can. I might have difficulties at the beginning, but I am sure that my body will easily adjust to working at odd hours. Staying up throughout the nights is not a problem for me. You can take this as an opportunity to talk about how well suited for the job you are by saying things like
 I am enthusiastic and energetic about my work.  I am very proficient and hard working.  I can work efficiently and with the same amount of zeal and energy at any

time in the day.

 I can strive hard to achieve my goals and at the same time manage other

aspects of the job.  One thing to keep in mind while praising yourself is to avoid the use of superlatives like extremely hardworking, the best at xyz, the most efficient etcetera. Selling yourself is good, but the subtler the trumpeting, the better it is. Are you confident of your communicative skills in convincing people?  Point number oneplease do not answer in negative to this questioneven if you are an absolute failure at convincing people to do anything. The answer has to be Yes, I think I can easily convince people. Then tell them how you convince people. Reading up on this aspect will help not only frame a good response to this question, but will also help you in doing your job better. Which one do you think web or voice suits your qualifications better?  If you are inclined towards one aspect, either web or voice, then there is no harm in telling your employer about your preference. They generally have enough vacancies in both and will hire you if you are good, irrespective of what you say here. Just make sure that you have a good reason for choosing one over the other.

REDIFF.COM
Get Ahead BPO training expert Nasha Fitter answers your queries. y Do you have a question for Nasha? Write to us!
Here is my question -- what kind of questions do they ask in call centre interviews? - Ketan They will ask you questions relating to your personality, communication ability, understanding of customer service, teamwork capabilities and how well you deal with pressure. I am currently working for the BPO sector in Bangalore as a Data Processing Executive (e-mail). My job here is completely non-voice and completely based on the Internet. I am here in this company from the passed one and a half years. Now I am trying to shift to another company. I have attended few interviews. I made it to the last rounds but I don't know what they are expecting. I thought I have communication skills to an extent, but I am not able to get a job in the BPO sector. I am looking for a non-voice job as I have experience in the same field like in back office and data processing. So, I would like to take some advice from you. I want to correct my mistakes through you. - Joseph It is very important when you go to interviews to ask where they think you can improve, as only then will you know what areas to work on.

How is your rate of speech? Do you pronounce sounds correctly when you speak? Watch English television shows and see if you can speak in a similar manner. Your e-mail to me has lots of grammatical errors, so you need to also work on your written communication skills. I know that call centres for banks, like ICICI [ Get Quote ], Citibank, etc, have back-office and data processing positions, so perhaps those would be good places for you to look at.

I have done my BSc in Biology and, after completing my MA in English, I am re-appearing for it. I have also done DCA(MSOfficeand Internet), Vb6.0and Oracle8. My previous experiences are that I have been teaching in the BCA department of a university since a year. As far as speaking English is concerned, I think I am fluent, especially after being to Sweden for two months for a youth exchange programme. Now, I want to go for a call centre job. The reason is very simple -- I want to earn more. But I was told by my friends that people start facing physical problems just after a couple of months into the job.

As I belong to Madhya Pradesh [ Images ], I have to relocate to Delhi [ Images ] or Mumbai [ Images ] so I was also told that I have buy a vehicle, but petrol allowance will not be paid by the company.

Can you please clarify these two issues with regards to call centres? - Anurag Samuel

Some call centres pay for transportation or provide it for you. If you move to Mumbai, you do not even need to purchase a car as the city has very good public transportation.

As for physical problems, there are people who encounter them and people who don't. You have to sit on a chair for a long period of time (during night hours if it is an international call centre). For many, this causes back problems and sleep disorders. But there are lots of jobs you have to sit for long periods of time so it just depends how your body handles it. If you relocate to Mumbai, there are lots of jobs available in this sector and you should not have trouble finding one.

FACTS
You have heard that BPOs lack efficient managers, and would like to apply to one such BPO. You have a host of such questions on the BPO industry but didn't know whom to ask. Stop here. BPO training expert Nasha Fitter clears your doubts on the industry.
y

Do you have a question for Nasha? Write to us!

I have heard about BPOs lacking efficient managers, but seldom find these companies looking for managers from outside the industry (at least they don't advertise). I have an MBA from a UK university and have dealt with international business development and operations for the last seven years. I want to move into the BPO industry, but they only seem to hiring for entry level positions. What do you suggest I do? I think this industry has lot to offer me and vice versa. - Avnish Soni From my conversations and interactions with HR personnel at various BPO companies, they do not necessarily only hire managers from within the industry. But they would prefer someone from within the industry because they would have an inherent understanding of client expectations and the nuances of the outsourcing industry from the get-go. I agree that starting at an entry level would be a waste of your time but, perhaps, starting as a team leader would not. It may be difficult to attain a position in a BPO at an operational manager level without former experience in the industry. Make sure you have strong grammar comprehension. Before going to another interview in a BPO company, brush up on your communication skills -- they are very important. I am a network system administrator in Dubai [ Images ]. I plan to come back to India [ Images ]. What are my chances in the technical support department in a BPO? - Kazim

Depending on your skillsets and the city you plan to live in, there are a number of BPOs you could work at. Wipro [ Get Quote ] Spectramind is a great BPO with technical support processes. I suggest that you visit their web site to see if your skills match their requirements. If not, do research on the web. Mumbai [ Images ], Pune, Bangalore, Chennai and Delhi [ Images ] all have a slew of BPO companies. Does age matter? - Narasimha No, age is not an issue. There are 27-year olds running divisions in many companies as well as 27-year olds answering phone calls at low levels. It all depends on how you project yourself. Are your communication skills strong? Are your interpersonal skills strong? Have you managed people, held leadership positions in the past or accomplished anything noteworthy? How do you project yourself at interviews? Do you wear a suit, sit up straight and speak intelligently? How well is your CV put together? These are the things that are important. Work on them and no job should be out of reach.

How to handle abusive BPO customers

Call centre employee Steena was. She was abused in filthy language by two US-based RJs. If you work at a call centre, you might be exposed to the choicest expletives every day! Belligerent customers will call in to complain about a service, lose their cool, lash out, get abusive and put your patience to the test. How do you deal with such a situation? How do you maintain your cool when all you really want to do is explode, dig into your own vocabulary of obscenities and yell back? But your job includes keeping your cool; tackling irate customers is part of the deal. Nasha Fitter, of Fitter Solutions, which imparts training to BPO personnel, has some useful tips to offer: 1. Perfect the art of counting from one to 10. This will help you to become more patient as well as increase your level of concentration. After all, the objective is to resolve the customer's problem. y 2. Keep your voice calm. It has a calming effect on the customer and conveys that you are in control. 3. Request the customer politely to speak slowly, clearly and lower his/ her volume. Want a free foreign trip? Work in a BPO!

This way, you can understand and resolve the problem faster. y Get paid to earn an MBA

4. If you are getting very agitated, keep the customer on hold. Do this for a second or two, take a deep breath and get back to your call. 5. Keep a photograph of someone you love or a picture that calms you on your desktop or next to you. Look at it for reassurance and moral support. 6. In case a call gets out of hand, transfer it to your team leader or supervisor. S/ he could step in and tackle the customer. y Four reasons why youngsters quit BPOs

7. Some organisations allow you to ask the customer to refrain from using abusive language. Check with your company's policy. 8. After an abusive phone call, de-stress with a breathing technique or yoga. Use the de-stressing facilities at your workplace. For instance, take a short break to play a spot of table tennis, slam dunk at the basketball court, vent your anger on a punching bag or play with your organisation's new pup (this is a new innovation adopted by certain call centres)! 9. Press the mute button and swear back. As your customer rattles off the abuses, you may be tempted to press the mute button and swear back silently, even as you switch to your sweetest tone when talking to him or her! 10. If you have had a very taxing day with too many distressing calls, chat with your team leader. S/ he will play counsellor and reassure you that the abuse was directed at the company, not at you. y The last word As a customer service executive, it is important to empathise with the customer, rather than view him/ her as the enemy. A positive and mature attitude is what will really make you excel at your job and climb the echelons in the service industry! How do I join a BPO?

Why do people want to work in BPOs?

The letters BPO sound like music enough to your ears. You want to cash in on available opportunities, but don't know whom to ask. Our BPO training expert, Nasha Fitter, spoke to Get Ahead readers in an hour-long chat. This is a transcript of the chat:
y y

Part I: Got the skills for a BPO career? Part II: Assess your BPO skills!

Rutul : I am an MBA student. What prospects could I look out for if I were to enter a BPO concern? Why should one opt for a BPO? Nasha Fitter : BPOs don't tend to hire MBAs for agent positions, as most MBA graduates leave after a few months. If you can convince your interviewer you are serious about growing within the company, you have a chance. BPOs are challenging and dynamic, which is why people opt to work in BPOs.

Hitesh : I work at a healthcare company as a sales representative. I did my MBA in marketing. Can I join a BPO firm? Will I get a chance to grow and utilise my past experience in any way? Nasha Fitter : If you are a sales representative, I assume your communication skills are fairly strong. These are the skills that will help you get into a contact centre. To grow in a contact centre, your team building and motivational skills need to be important. If you have these, I think you will have a good chance. Also, an MBA in marketing is a versatile degree.

Pranab : I manage Training & Operations with Tata Indicom. What are my prospects in the BPO industry? Nasha Fitter : I would say you have a good chance in both training and operations in a BPO. Many BPOs don't require previous experience in an actual BPO, but just training or operational experience in general.

INTERVIEW QUESTIONS.IN
Call centre interview questions can cover a wide array of subjects and aspects to check your suitability for a job. While some interview questions may focus on the behavioral and personality aspects, others may test your proficiency, work experience and yet others may test your loyalty and commitment to stay on in the organization. Generally the questions are aimed at testing your oral and written skills, computer knowledge, and customer relationship practices. Interview questions can also focus on certain basic requirements for a call centre job which include, customer service skills, team work capability, problem solving ability, learning skills, stress handling capability and ability to persuade and convince customers, and most importantly, effective listening and communication skills. Questions may also test your familiarity of the required software applications, computer knowledge, your proficiency in administrative and customer relationship procedures and principles. It is good to be prepared to tackle questions on your leadership ability and style and your motivational methods.

While preparing for call centre interview questions remember to keep them short and straight-forward. Do not hesitate to quote specific examples to bring out your positive aspects and how they have helped you to handle difficult situations.

Outbound Call Centre Interview Questions

advertisement An outbound call centre job involves a desire to communicate with customers or companies, as the case may be, and to create in them a need for a specific product. This involves succinct convincing skills. Outbound call centre interview questions must assess a candidates technical skills as well as his personnel management capacity. advertisement

Sample Outbound Call Centre Interview Questions

1. Is this your first experience in a call centre? How aware are you of the technicalities of the job? 2. How would you differentiate between an inbound call centre and an outbound call centre? Elucidate with an example of each type 3. How familiar are you with the various types of technology that are associated with call canters? How would you differentiate between premise based call centre technology and virtual call centre technology? 4. Call centers have faced the criticism of inept handlers and inefficient personnel before. How do you plan on combating this negative stereotype? 5. Research about the product is an extremely important aspect of an outbound call centre employee in order to sell and market it to his customer. What is your take on this? What is your idea of thorough research? 6. Are you satisfied with your pay packet? Are you willing to make any suggestions that you would like us to take into account? 7. How do plan on handling the customers who misbehave with you? What is your notion of job stress, a term associated rather frequently with call centers? 8. Tell us why we should hire you despite having candidates with greater experience?

Inbound Call Centre Interview Questions

advertisement In inbound call centre, an employee must not only have sufficient knowledge about his or product but must also have the technical resource

to handle a large volume of callers. He or she must deal with irate customers with patience and courtesy but also be firm when the need arises. Inbound call centre interview questions must focus on these issues. advertisement

Sample Inbound Call Centre Interview Questions

1. How would you differentiate between an inbound call centre and an outbound call centre? Do you think the client profile of each is different? If so, how? 2. Is this your first experience working in a call centre? What has prompted you to apply for this post? 3. How familiar are you with your space of operation? For example, are you aware of terms like mainframes and telecom switches? 4. How do you propose to deal with abusive and irate customers without being impolite or rude yourself? 5. What is your idea of product research, essential to an inbound call centre employee? 6. How do you seek to handle technical glitches which are an inevitable part of a call centre employees life? 7. What particular skill will you be bringing into this job? What are your views on accent training? Have you ever had such training before? 8. How important would you consider ones communication skills in this sort of a job? Where do you see yourself in this job as far as professional growth is concerned? 9. Are you satisfied with your proposed salary? What other benefits, apart from the ones already recommended, would you suggest be incorporated?

Call Centre Representative Interview Questions

advertisement Call centre representative interview questions are widely used by the interview experts to screen an interested contender, who is willing to work as a call centre representative. By measuring the educational skills, professional experience and knowledge of conducting the diverse call centre procedures, a deserving candidate can be appointed. advertisement

Sample Call Centre Representative Interview Questions:



 

 

Please mention something about your overall experience as a call centre representative. Why did you resign from your previous call centre job? Talk about any three major job functions of a call centre representative. What do you understand from modes of communication? How good are you in understanding customer queries? What is the difference between inbound and outbound call centres? Mention something about our call centre? How do you greet a customer over the phone and e-mail? Do you think an effective telephonic script helps a lot to pin out the exact demand of clients? What strategy do you follow to deal with the highly discontented clients? Tell us the products or services offered by our company. How do you enter the routine remarks and other data in the ERP system? Do you know how to use a password for personalized record shelves? Are you aware about the chat format widely used in the call centres to answer the customer calls? Do you keep a hard copy of product description or do you learn essential information by heart? Why do you think you are the suitable candidate for this job profile?