Interviewer: Tell about the last time a co-worker or customer got angry with you and how you dealt with it.
Karen: Six months ago, while I was working as the manager of an Italian restaurant, one customer got very angry. The waiter got the customer’s order wrong and then the waiter accidentally spilled water on the customer. The customer started to raise his voice, so I had to intervene and deal with the situation.
Interviewer: So, how did you handle the situation?
Karen: I listened as the customer explained the situation, and then I tried to calm him down by promising him the best service from then on, and by giving him some free service. If I remember correctly, I think I gave him a 25% discount.
Interviewer: Do you think that was the best way to handle the situation?
Karen: Yes, I do. To be honest, I thought the customer was rude. The waiter made an honest mistake and there was no reason to get so angry. But it is better to calm the customer down than to argue and make the situation worse. You know what they say, the customer is always right.
Interviewer: That sounds like a really tough job.
Patterns and Examples
About ____________________, a customer got angry because ____________________. I dealt with this situation by ____________________.
- About a year ago, a customer got angry because they received the wrong order. I dealt with this situation by apologizing to the customer, sending them the correct order, and giving them a discount on their next purchase.
- About two years ago, a customer got angry because they thought their order was filled to slowly. I disagreed with them, but I did not say anything like that. I dealt with this situation by apologizing for the inconvenience and promising them that their order would be filled soon.
One time, a colleague became angry with me because ____________________. I ____________________.
- One time, a colleague became angry with me because I did not finish my work on time. I explained that some unexpected and unavoidable problem occurred and that I would finish as soon as possible. I did this in a calm and respectful way, and my colleague accepted my explanation.
- One time, a colleague became angry with me because I made a mistake on the project. I took responsibility for the mistake, and I promised to fix it. My colleague seemed satisfied with my promise.
My ____________________ got angry with me for ____________________. I just ____________________.
- My manager got angry with me for not completing my work on time. I just told him that I would do better in the future, and that I would finish the work soon.
- My former colleague got angry with me for not inviting him to my wedding. I just explained to him that it was a small private wedding, but that I was sorry that he felt bad.
