Call Center Manager interview questions and answers
This Call Center Manager interview profile brings together a snapshot of what to look for in candidates with a balanced sample of suitable interview questions.
10 good call center manager interview questions
- How many people have you managed in the past?
- Describe your relevant call center experience.
- How would you familiarize yourself with our customers and product during your first week on the job?
- What interests you about being a call center manager for our organization?
- Describe your familiarity with call center equipment.
- What recruiting strategies worked well at your previous company? What didn’t work so well?
- What do you typically include in new employee training?
- What would you do if your team was falling behind on performance standards? How would you fix it?
- How do you know how well your team is doing? What metrics do you look at?
- How would you get a team to collaborate on a new project in the face of tight deadlines?
Here are 10 essential interview questions and sample answers to help identify the best candidates for this role.
1. How many people have you managed in the past?
Understanding the scale at which a candidate has managed can give insights into their capability to handle teams of different sizes.
Sample answer:
“In my previous role, I managed a team of 50 agents. I believe in providing individual attention while ensuring collective team growth.”
2. Describe your relevant call center experience.
This helps gauge the depth and breadth of the candidate’s experience in the call center industry.
Sample answer:
“I’ve been in the call center industry for over 10 years, starting as an agent and working my way up. I’ve handled inbound, outbound, and blended processes, giving me a holistic view of operations.”
3. How would you familiarize yourself with our customers and product during your first week on the job?
A proactive approach to understanding the company’s offerings and customer base is essential.
Sample answer:
“I’d start by undergoing the same training as a new agent. Additionally, I’d spend time with product teams and review customer feedback to get a comprehensive understanding.”
4. What interests you about being a call center manager for our organization?
This question gauges the candidate’s motivation and alignment with the company’s values.
Sample answer:
“Your company’s reputation for valuing both customers and employees resonates with my management philosophy. I’m excited about the opportunity to contribute to such a progressive environment.”
5. Describe your familiarity with call center equipment.
Technical know-how is crucial for ensuring seamless operations.
Sample answer:
“I’m well-versed with various call center tools and platforms, including IVRs, predictive dialers, and CRM systems. I believe in leveraging technology to enhance efficiency and customer experience.”
6. What recruiting strategies worked well at your previous company? What didn’t work so well?
Insights into recruitment strategies can help in streamlining the hiring process.
Sample answer:
“Referral programs worked wonders for us, bringing in quality candidates. However, mass hiring events often led to a mismatch in candidate profiles.”
7. What do you typically include in new employee training?
A comprehensive training program is the foundation of a successful call center.
Sample answer:
“Apart from product and process training, I emphasize soft skills, handling difficult customers, and time management. Regular assessments and feedback sessions are also integral.”
8. What would you do if your team was falling behind on performance standards? How would you fix it?
Problem-solving and a proactive approach are key traits of a good manager.
Sample answer:
“I’d first analyze performance metrics to identify gaps. Then, I’d conduct focused training sessions, and if needed, one-on-one coaching to address specific issues.”
9. How do you know how well your team is doing? What metrics do you look at?
Understanding of KPIs indicates a results-driven approach.
Sample answer:
“I regularly monitor metrics like First Call Resolution, Average Handling Time, and Customer Satisfaction Scores. These give a comprehensive view of both efficiency and service quality.”
10. How would you get a team to collaborate on a new project in the face of tight deadlines?
Team management and motivation skills come to the fore here.
Sample answer:
“I’d start with a kickoff meeting to align everyone on the project’s importance. Clear role definition, regular check-ins, and fostering a collaborative environment would be my approach.”
What does a good Call Center Manager candidate look like?
A competent Call Center Manager is a blend of technical expertise, leadership skills, and a customer-centric mindset. They should be adept at multitasking, managing teams, and driving performance while ensuring customer satisfaction.
Red flags
Beware of candidates who lack clear communication skills, are resistant to feedback, or don’t prioritize team development. A good Call Center Manager should be adaptable, proactive, and always have an eye on continuous improvement.
Call Center Manager Interview Questions
The Call Center Manager is responsible for hiring, training, monitoring, and motivating call center agents. The person you want to hire will have excellent interpersonal skills and a solid grasp of your customers and product. They will be persistent, resourceful, detail-oriented, and metrics-driven. They will have proven call center experience and may even have been a call center agent themselves.
Encourage your candidates to speak at length about their relevant call center experience with these open-ended and situational interview questions. Your goal will be to distinguish hands-on experience from merely theoretical experience. For best results, tailor the questions to the exact working environment. For example, if your call center does mostly outbound calls instead of inbound calls, you may want to add some questions about that.
Great candidates will have will have tried-and-true techniques for recruiting candidates (in call centers, the hiring cycle is constant), designing training programs, and motivating members of their team. Similar to hiring for sales positions, the very best candidates for this position will work for you because they believe in the solution that you provide.
Let’s summarize some of the questions and add a few more divided into specific types.
Operational and Situational questions
- How many people have you managed in the past?
- Describe your relevant call center experience.
- How would you familiarize yourself with our customers and product during your first week on the job?
- What interests you about being a call center manager for our organization?
- Describe your familiarity with call center equipment.
- What recruiting strategies worked well your previous company? What didn’t work so well?
- What do you typically include in new employee training?
- What would you do if your team was falling behind on performance standards? How would you fix it?
- How do you know how well your team is doing? What metrics do you look at?
- How would you get a team to collaborate on a new project in the face of tight deadlines?
- How would you resolve a dispute between two colleagues?
- Describe a time a difficult customer call was escalated to your attention. How did you handle it?
- Describe your approach to disciplining employees.
- How do you motivate your team to meet their goals?