Top 100 Telesales Representative Interview Questions
Q – 1 What do you know about B2G?
Ans- B2G stands for business to government and is a derivative of B2B and is described as transaction between business and government in which a business entity supplies services or goods to a government sector or firm and can be stated as public sector marketing.
Q – 2 Explain what are the Most Important Sales Skills?
Ans- Not everyone can handle sales. You need to have the right attitude and abilities. At your job interview, the interviewer will be looking for your sales skills, and the aspects of the process that help close deals. An example of a good answer includes “The ability to recognize both verbal and non-verbal cues to adapt the sales strategies you implement to impress the prospective buyer.”
Q – 3 Why do you want to work here as Telesales Representative?
Ans- To answer this question you must have researched the company. Reply with the company’s attributes as you see them and how your qualities match them.
Q – 4 Explain how can a call be made successful?
Ans- Following tips can help in make a call successful :
☛ Make sure the first impression of the call is good as it is very important for the rest of the call.
☛ Be professional yet courteous.
☛ It is very important to be a dedicated to a call, the opposite can be sensed very easily on a call.
☛ Clear the objective of the call before you make one.
☛ At times it is important not to sell over the phone instead connect with the customer and make the deal in the business place.
Q – 5 Tell me what don’t you like about sales?
Ans- This can be a very difficult question to answer. It is designed to trip people up who are not too keen on sales specifically. In sales, a good answer would be that you sometimes dislike having to abandon a lead even when it starts to become clear that they will not commit. This answer should indicate that you are eager to close deals and pursue harder markets.
Q – 6 Tell us how will you make our telemarketing more effective?
Ans- This very ambitious question is designed to test the candidate. If you have a history in sales you may well have some good ideas, so share these and say that you will be able to see how your experience and knowledge can be used to enhance processes when you start in the role. If you have no experience, say that your enthusiasm and desire to learn from a great team will help the team to become more effective.
Q – 7 Tell us do you think unwanted marketing should be a crime?
Ans- Unwanted marketing is a crime by the law but one can opt out of it by filing a petition or a request in court. Only some firms are exempted from this law. To avoid unwanted marketing one can file a request in the court to be in the list of numbers which are not to be called by telemarketing firms.
I personally think that one should not barge into somebody’s private space causing any form of inconvenience to the end user. Telemarketing should be handled more responsibly to avoid such situations and maintain standards of marketing and not degrade them.
Q – 8 Tell me what is Auto dialer?
Ans- Telemarketing industries generally use an electronic device or a software to automatically dial phone numbers. These devices and softwares are called autodialers.
Q – 9 Tell us what Do You Dislike About Sales?
Ans- Any time you are asked to provide a negative trait about the position you are applying for, you should tread carefully. An example of an answer that effectively resolves the question is, “Walking away from a sale when I know the prospect could benefit from our solution.” This answer shows you know that there are times where you need to walk away and show that you understand that sales is about solutions.
Q – 10 Tell us how do you cope with rejection?
Ans- Say that in telesales, especially with cold calling, you should expect a high percentage of rejection. Explain that you never take it personally and simply move on to the next customer. Say that confidence is a vital asset in sales.
Q – 11 What do you know about B2C?
Ans- B2C stands for business to consumer and describes transaction between business and consumer. It can be best explained by defining retail in which tangible goods are sold from stores or fixed location directly to the consumer.
Q – 12 Tell us what is your biggest achievement?
Ans- If possible, think work related. There will hopefully be a number of things you are most proud of in your career to date. Think about your key achievements; were they commercial, people or process orientated? What was the cause and effect? How were you involved, what was improved, saved or developed?
Q – 13 Explain what are the common telemarketing fraud?
Ans- Following are the common telemarketing fraud :
☛ Charity purpose.
☛ Asking for advance payment or fee.
☛ Fraud by over capturing increased payments.
☛ Bank related frauds.
☛ Lottery
☛ False representation of office supplies.
☛ False verification calls.
Q – 14 Tell us how would you make a cold call to generate a lead?
Ans- Turning a cold call into lead is not easy but it is not impossible either. If handled with the right motivation and skill a cold call can be changed into a lead. It can actually be put down as the way that cold calls are perceived by the person making the call and the fear of failure. The key should be to back track for a moment and then offer what you have when you have completely understood what is the landscape of the situation. Always step in with a positive attitude as for this situation it is very important.
Q – 15 Tell me what do you know about the centre/company/role?
Ans- You are not required to be an expert on the organisation or role, but a genuine interest and basic understanding is expected. If you are working with a recruitment consultant then they should be able to provide you with extra details and assist with preparation.
In addition, look for and use press releases, corporate and social websites. Ring the call centre to see how they handle your call: do they offer ‘up-sell’, ‘cross-sell’, how was the service? Read the job description to prepare for this question, a few key facts or some knowledge show a genuine interest and commercial awareness.
Q – 16 Explain how do you think telemarketing can be made more effective?
Ans- To make telemarketing more efficient every call should be planned with an objective in mind. The opening statements made by the telecaller should be made interesting to grab interest. It is the contribution of each tele-caller that makes telemarketing successful and thus each tele-caller should be motivated enough to make a deal and be clear with his objective. The objection for tele callers in the sector are easy to crack and thus a response to each should be prepared in advance to cross the hurdle and make sale.
Q – 17 Explain why do you want this job as Telesales Representative?
Ans- Whilst more money, shorter hours or less of a commute are all potential factors for your next role, they are unlikely to make you the ‘stand out’ candidate of the day.
Know what the company are looking for and the potential job available, and align this with your career to date. Highlight your relevant experience, goals and aspirations in line with the role, to showcase why you are the best person for the job.
Q – 18 Tell us what are good telephone etiquettes?
Ans- When attending a client or customer on phone some basic telephone etiquettes should be followed. Following are telephone etiquettes that should be followed by a tele caller :
☛ Be quick in answering the phone.
☛ Always make sure that the customer is greeted well.
☛ When putting a line on hold take permission prior to it from the customer on the other end.
☛ When transferring a call make sure you do it the right way and make it polite.
☛ At the end of a call make sure that the customer is satisfied and does not have any query or doubt in mind.
Q – 19 Explain what are your goals as a telemarketer?
Ans- My goal is to have a very short learning curve on this particular product portfolio. By doing this, I can aim to be among the top performers in the next 3-6 months. After showing consistent results for another 6 to 12 months, I will aim to become a team leader in the same company because I believe that growing with the same company will give me a strong foundation for my career growth.
Q – 20 Tell me how would your team/manager describe you?
Ans- Try to think about how you would describe yourself if someone asked you for your strengths, then relate these to what people say about you; peers, agents, managers and stakeholders. Have three or four at the ready, ideally in line with the role you are being interviewed for. Have examples or situations ready, in case your interviewer wants to drill down as to why you think or believe these are your key strengths.
Q – 21 Tell me when can you join?
Ans- If you are currently working, let the interviewer know and inform him that you will be resigning from there which may need you to serve the notice period.
If you promise to inform them the next day, do so. Do not delay.
Do not commit to join the next working day just to leave an impression when you have some chores left to be attended which will delay the process.
Be honest and straight as most of the firms are familiar with the procedure of resignation and will grant the time to join them when you have been relieved from your duty from your last working place.
Q – 22 Explain what are your strengths and weaknesses?
Ans- Your answer should be relevant to telemarketing, so you could say: I have the ability to talk effectively and persuade people. I am a good listener, and that helps me identify customer needs so I can sell more effectively. My one weakness is that I sometimes get too involved with customers, but I have counseled with my previous manager on this and I believe I no longer have that problem.
Q – 23 Tell me what are the key factors which make a successful call centre?
Ans- Fundamentally, if you look under the skin of the best teams and call centres, they do have certain things in common: clear communication, consistency, fun, performance management, leadership, engagement, incentives, etc.
Think what made up the best team or company you have been a part of or have seen. Have examples to back up any statements for how you would play a part in, or create, this team or environment yourself.
Q – 24 Tell us what are the characteristics that distinguish direct marketing?
Ans- Following are the characteristics that distinguish direct marketing :
☛ The customers are pre targeted.
☛ Customers are addressed directly.
☛ The response of direct marketing is scalable.
☛ The whole process is action driven.
☛ Independent of business size.
Q – 25 Tell me how do you handle a customer who starts yelling at you as soon as they pick up and find out that you are a telemarketer?
Ans- Not every customer is in the right mood for a sales call, and I understand that. Irate customers are part of the game, and I can easily calm them down with an apology; however, I will usually attempt to get a callback time so a valuable potential customer doesn’t lose out on the great benefits your products can give them.
Q – 26 Explain how do you manage change?
Ans- Change is an essential part of life in any call centre environment, as the industry strives to achieve best practice for their customers and stakeholders. Have some examples on how you personally managed, or were affected by, some change. What was your focus, what were you aiming to achieve and how did you deliver the outcome? Know what the problems encountered were and what was learned through and following the transformation.
Q – 27 Tell us what is the biggest challenge you have faced in work in the past 12 months?
Ans- This is often an opening question, as it allows you to use one of your strongest examples and may help you relax. For the interviewer, it is also an indication of where your natural focus or achievements may be – people development, process, cost reduction, change etc.
Q – 28 Tell me what is deceptive telemarketing and how can it be avoided?
Ans- Telemarketing is termed deceptive when misleading information of product is conveyed to attract customers. Deceptive telemarketing can be avoided by taking the following measures :
☛ No telemarketer should represent a product with false or misleading information.
☛ Lottery, chance and skill based offers should not be offered where :
☛ Delivery of prize is conditional and is not conveyed at begining.
☛ Information about the prize is incorrect.
☛ Offering products at no cost or less price when based on terms and conditions not specified before purchase should not be carried out.
☛ Selling products at a very high rate.
Q – 29 Explain how would you handle a high pressure environment?
Ans- I am highly organized, and I prioritize my workload so that everything gets done on time and with high quality. I also leave room for urgent tasks that might be assigned to me so that my schedule is basically unaffected by emergencies.
Q – 30 Explain what was your reason for leaving as Telesales Representative?
Ans- Wherever possible be positive, even if your role was short term or didn’t quite work out as expected, as it will have added extra experience or skills to your career history.
Although you are now looking to move on, acknowledge what you learned and what was on offer at the time. Demonstrate good reasons for the decisions you made and show that you understood what was to be gained, or acknowledge what you have learned from your past employer.
Q – 31 General Telesales Representative Job Interview Questions:
Ans- ☛ What is ASA? What does it offer to companies?
☛ What are market connections?
☛ How are market connections used to establish their status in market?
☛ How to find out the client type with which the company is working?
☛ How to check about the calling status and dependency of the company on consumers?
☛ What is the purpose of auto dialer?
☛ When to use auto dialer?
☛ What are the methods through which the customers are charged to avail the services?
Q – 38 Tell me what are the different categories and sub-categories of telemarketing?
Ans- Marketing can be broadly classified into two categories :
B2B – business to business
B2C – business to customer
The categories can be further classified into four categories based on the process carried out which are :
Generating lead – Process of identifying a potential customer to make sale.
Sales – Selling out products
Outbound – Calls are made to the customers.
Inbound – Calls are received from the customer.
Q – 39 Explain what are the disclosures required in telemarketing?
Ans- There are a few disclosures which are must before a person engages in telemarketing. Listed below are a list of things that need to be disclosed.
☛ Disclosure of identity on behalf of which the call is made at the starting of the call in a polite and fair manner.
☛ There should be a proper description of the product or business being put forward.
☛ The price and terms and conditions related to the product should be made very clear.
☛ Any other information related to the product prescribed should be conveyed.
Q – 40 Tell us how many calls per hour can you make on an average campaign?
Ans- Make sure you do your homework/research before you answer: My average call handle time was about X minutes at my previous job. On a similar campaign I can typically make 60/X calls per hour. On a predictive dialer I can usually make 10 to 20 percent more calls.
Q – 41 Explain me an example of how you have dealt with an under-performing team member in the past?
Ans- This question is a typical example of competency-based interviewing (CBI) in practice. It is the most popular interview approach, based on the premise that future performance can be predicted by past behaviour.
The best way to prepare for CBI questions is to revisit the job description and person specification before your interview. You should then ensure that you have covered all bases and can comfortably provide examples for each competency. You must also be able to describe the particular scenario, the actions you took and the impact it had on the business.
Approach this particular question by outlining the processes you followed to investigate and resolve this issue. It is also important to explain the outcome. For example, you may have set an agenda of required actions following on from the meeting you held with the particular team member – can you describe what that was? If you created a performance plan that included clear training and development objectives make sure you say so.
Always finish by explaining how the action you took impacted the business. For example, the team member started to meet all targets and bring in more revenue.
Q – 42 Please Explain How Do You Move On From a Rejection?
Ans- Rejections are common within sales jobs, and one of the primary reasons that most personalities could not handle sales roles. Try to downplay how hard you take rejections, but feel free and be honest about a technique you use to handle rejection or answer with something like, “I simply move on to the next prospect, because a rejection is simply a sign that the individual was not yet ready for our solution.”
Q – 43 Explain what do you consider the most important sales skills?
Ans- Sales is partly a skill and partly an art. You should answer that you should know the product well enough to be able to answer most questions about it. You should also be a good listener and be able to read a person’s mood and intention. You also need to be patient and not allow rejection to get you down.
Q – 44 Tell me what is Cold calling?
Ans- Cold calling is the process in which customers are called for business interaction who have not been expecting so.
Q – 45 Tell me what are the techniques that help build the trust of the caller?
Ans- The following techniques help you build the trust of the customer on the other end of the telephone.
☛ Speak confidently
☛ Take control of the situation
☛ Show genuine interest
☛ Go above and beyond the call of duty
Q – 46 Tell me are you able to work with multiple phone lines?
Ans- Yes, this has been part of my training, and my previous job entailed handling several lines. I have good multi-tasking skills and my previous employer can vouch for this.
Q – 47 Tell me can you give me an example of a time when you had to motivate and develop a team in a challenging work environment?
Ans- During interviews, difficult or awkward questions could come your way. The intention is not to catch you out, but to test how you operate under pressure.
This question is (again) in the format of competency-based interviewing, so remember to outline the specific actions you took to motivate your team, as interviewers want to see evidence of hands-on experience.
Make sure to describe all processes undertaken. For example: Did you use incentives to motivate the team? Did you implement training programmes? Did you improve internal communications to help engage staff? Did you implement or revisit career development plans to make the team feel valued? Did you take the time to understand each individual’s motivations?
Be clear and precise and be sure to convey any previous first-hand experience you have – they will want to feel confident that you can handle similar issues within the new role.
Q – 48 Tell us do you like making cold calls?
Ans- Obviously, the answer has to be yes. Go on to explain that you enjoy the challenge of calling a new person and trying to close a deal. Say that cold calling can teach you sales skills that can be transferred effectively to when you call previous customers. You can quickly learn to become better at sales when cold calling.
Q – 49 Tell me within the interview process you may be required to perform a role-play. A popular example of this is being asked to role-play an escalated call with an unhappy customer?
Ans- It is vital to have clear objectives before initiating conversation with the customer; what is your end goal? Ensure you are aware of the parameters, rules and regulations within the company. For example, if the issue is over money, can you refund it? What else can you offer to pacify the customer?
It is important to remain calm, confident, be clear and always remember to ask questions. The interviewer is looking for a patient and composed response. If you are still unsure about how best to approach role-plays contact your local recruitment consultant who should be able to offer you thorough advice.
Q – 50 Explain & list some of the effective listening strategies that would be helpful in the telemarketing industry?
Ans- For survival in the telemarketing industry it is extremely essential that one possesses or acquires the ability to effectively listen and comprehend. Some of the effective listening strategies are as follows:
☛ Understanding yourself
☛ Being yourself
☛ Never losing the personal touch
☛ Your attitude
☛ Be willing to listen
☛ Setting personal goals
☛ Being motivated
☛ Listening actively
☛ Paying attention
☛ Asking questions
☛ Sending appropriate feedback
Q – 51 Explain what do you do if the dialer puts a Do Not Call number through to you by mistake?
Ans- As soon as I know that this is a DNC number, I will apologize at once to the customer for the error and assure them that their number will be immediately included in our internal DNC list. I will also make a note in the CRM application so even if the system error happens again the next agent won’t be forced to deal with an escalated problem. I will also report the problem to my team leader or manager as soon as I hang up.
Q – 52 Explain have you ever had conflict with your team leader or manager?
Ans- This can be your answer: No, my work ethic is strong, so there’s been no reason for conflict. However, at times I have had disagreements on how to resolve a particular problem for a customer, but I have always been able to talk it out and find a solution that my team leader has supported.
Q – 53 Please tell me what are your strengths and weaknesses?
Ans- Many interviewers will ask you to name your strengths and weaknesses. Typically, people find it easier to express their strengths, but struggle when it comes to identifying even one weakness. Part of the reason for this may be that they do not want to disclose a particular weakness, as this may result in them failing to be successful in getting the job.
A good initial answer (bearing in mind you are applying for a telephone position) to the ‘strengths’ part would be “I have been told that I am an excellent communicator, especially on the telephone, but I feel I have good interpersonal skills generally and find it easy to get along with all sorts of people”.
For weaknesses you need to think of something which is really a strength but put it across as a weakness. It is also important to make it clear what you are doing to address that ‘weakness’.
A good example would be “I am a very conscientious worker and I get irritated by colleagues who don’t share this value and take any opportunity to take time off work or do the minimum required when they are there. I am learning, however, that these people generally get found out and I leave it to my supervisor to recognise these problems and address them”.
An answer such as this would probably make the interviewer think “well that’s not such a bad thing, actually”.
Q – 54 Explain what have you done to promote great customer service?
Ans- Firstly, know what you think great customer service looks like. Look for situations and examples when you had an idea, a client, or customer call, where you personally went that extra mile.
Did you change a process or procedure? Or perhaps a staff member you mentored, coached or advised delivered a great customer service win or result for your team, brand or business.
Q – 55 Explain What Do You See Are the Key Skills In?
Ans- Common sales interview questions and answers revolve around how you view the skills involved in a specific sales technique or aspect of the sales process. For example, “What do you see are the key skills in closing a sale?” Answers to these types of questions should always focus on responding to the buyer’s concerns and on how the product or service will benefit the recipient.
Q – 56 Explain why do you want to work in telesales?
Ans- If you are new to this career you can expect this question early on. This is where your preparation comes into play. Provide an answer that provides some personal reasons why you want to work in telesales and give a reason that is relevant to the specific job. If, for example, the job is with an insurance company, say that you are keen to enter the insurance industry because it is an interesting and constantly developing market.
Q – 57 Tell me what is Spamming?
Ans- Random bulk messages used for telemarketing purposes are called spam and the process is termed as spamming
Q – 58 Suppose you just called a customer then what are the steps you will follow during the call?
Ans- When making a call to a customer the call should be directed in the following way:
Greet customer politely.
Introduce yourself to the customer.
Make clear the objective of the call
☛ Who are you calling?
☛ What are you calling for?
Give complete information of the product or business you are promoting.
Make the customer understand how the objective of the call can be beneficial for him/her.
Close the call with a warm end note.
Q – 59 Tell us what are the factors that contribute to projecting a positive image of yourself to the customer?
Ans- In the telemarketing industry it is critical that you know how to use your voice and choose your words to project a positive image while placing or taking a call.
Factors that impact image over the telephone are:
☛ Vocal quality
☛ Vocal tone
☛ Rate of speech
☛ Pitch of the tone
☛ Attitude
☛ Body language
☛ Use of appropriate words
Q – 60 What do you know about B2B?
Ans- B2B stands for business to business which describes commercial transactions between businesses such as between a web development firm and a reseller. Such transactions are big in volume and thus b2b is flourishing today the most.
Q – 61 Why did you leave your last position as Telesales Representative?
Ans- This is a tricky question because “anything you say can and will be held against you!” Be careful and only answer with a positive tone. You can say that you didn’t find the job challenging enough for your skills, or that the workload was sporadic and you spent, say 40%, of your time on ‘idle’ mode. Never speak ill of your last employer because it shows that you will do exactly the same once you leave this one! Protect the image of your previous employer, and your current one will respect you for it.
Q – 62 Explain an example of this behaviour?
Ans- Having given your strengths and weaknesses, you are then likely to be asked to give examples of when you have displayed this behaviour. Your credibility will plummet if you cannot give an example of the strengths you have stated.
With the strengths listed above, a good response would be: “In my present job, I am often asked to handle difficult customer situations because my supervisor knows that I will handle them politely, efficiently and diplomatically and therefore only a few cases would ever get referred to her. Also, because of my strong interpersonal skills, I have often been asked to buddy-up with new team members, to make them comfortable in their new role at the earliest stage possible”.
When asked to give examples on the weaknesses, you need to think very carefully, and plan in advance what your response will be, as many people dig a very deep hole here. A good response to the weakness quoted would be: “I had a situation once where I knew that a more experienced colleague was regularly absent from work following nights out drinking, but she would say that she had a migraine. When this happened my workload increased significantly.
I undertook this willingly but I must admit I was annoyed that this person was taking advantage of me and the company. However, I decided to let the supervisor do their job and just get on with mine. In quite a short space of time, the issue was addressed and the problem was resolved”.
Q – 63 Explain Are You Uncomfortable Making Cold Calls?
Ans- Any interview questions about your discomfort in sales should always be responded to with a “no” without any elaboration. If you are uncomfortable, reevaluate whether the position is right for you.
Q – 64 Explain what is the difference between telesales and telemarketing?
Ans- If you are new to telesales you will probably be asked this; they wish to see that you understand the different roles. The main objective of telesales is to close a deal following every call; it is to sell a product or service. Telemarketing is more concerned with raising brand awareness and carrying out market research.
Q – 65 Tell us what issues can rise from paying per appointment?
Ans- Here are a list of problems which are associated with paying per appointment:
☛ Poor quality.
☛ Rate of conversion is low.
☛ Requirements for more meetings is not solved.
☛ High competition.
☛ Suppliers face a lot of problems.
☛ Quality is deteriorated by quantity.
Q – 66 Explain what will you do when a customer needs to be put on hold but is not agreeing to it?
Ans- Many times the customer on the end line objects to be put on hold as he fears to be kept long on hold, in such situations following tips can be helpful :
☛ Request the customer that it is important that he is put on hold. Make sure this is conveyed in a very polite way.
☛ Clear out the objective due to which the line needs to be put on hold.
☛ If the customer is very persistent on being on line as a co employee to retrieve the information that requires you to put the line on hold. During this be on line and keep the customer attended.
☛ You can also ask the customer to disconnect the line for now and that you will give him a call back.
Q – 67 Explain what should be the priority in telemarketing according to you?
Ans- According to me customers should be the priority, if they do not buy we can not sell and thus they should be the foremost priority. The whole marketing sector runs due to end consumer so it should be our responsibility to make sure we have our customers satisfied and deliver what they expect from us. This can be only achieved if every individual from a telecaller to the ceo takes up the responsibility of delivering to the customer and works on their part the right way. If this little bit is done then telemarketing can be made more effective, easy and set to the right perspective.
Q – 68 Tell me what do you understand by b2b, b2c and b2g?
Ans- B2B stands for business to business which describes commercial transactions between businesses such as between a web development firm and a reseller. Such transactions are big in volume and thus b2b is flourishing today the most.
B2C stands for business to consumer and describes transaction between business and consumer. It can be best explained by defining retail in which tangible goods are sold from stores or fixed location directly to the consumer.
B2G stands for business to government and is a derivative of B2B and is described as transaction between business and government in which a business entity supplies services or goods to a government sector or firm and can be stated as public sector marketing.
Q – 69 Tell me how would you handle an angry call from a customer?
Ans- First, you need to allow them to vent their anger. If they are abusive, tell them you’re willing to listen, but only if they stop using profanities. Next, hear what they have to say and note down key points. Third, re-state the main points so both of you are clear about the situation.
Fourth, find a solution that fits within your company’s policies and can redress the customer’s problem. Fifth, confirm that the problem has been solved and that the customer is satisfied with the solution. You may not be able to do all of this in one phone call, but this is the essential process. The important part is to keep your cool at all times, and genuinely try to find a solution that will make the customer happy.