When making a new hire, it’s important to take your time to determine which applicant will be the best fit for your business. You’ll want to hire someone who understands your business and will make a good impression on your customers. Additionally, it’s important to hire people who will stick around, be a good culture fit with your business, and be dedicated to the mission.
Being prepared with consistent interview questions is key to making the right hire. When hiring, you should ask interview questions for front desk personnel in the following categories; experience verification, behavioral, and competency questions. Additionally, you should supplement with any questions relevant to the position, such as requirements to be employed.
If you’re looking for additional data on who to hire, learn how Sprockets’ hiring solution can help you determine which applicants are the best fit for your business.
Front Desk Interview Questions:
Experience Verification
Experience verification is important in positions where certain certifications, training, or degrees are required.
Q: What experience do you have in customer facing positions?
Whether an applicant has direct experience in a front desk position or relevant customer-facing positions gives an indication on their potential training and ramp up time.
Q: What relevant software do you have experience with?
Answers may include Microsoft Word, Excel, CRM systems, email platforms, and more.
Behavioral Questions
Behavioral questions are designed to evaluate an applicant’s fit with the role and duties it entails. You can modify these interview questions for front desk personnel according to your open position.
Q: Describe how you have handled a difficult situation with a customer/client.
Learning how someone not only copes with difficult situations and upset customers but proactively works to resolve the problem is important. Do they automatically turn to a manager or stand their own?
Q: Tell me about a time you had to “sell” the company to a potential customer or to retain a customer?
This question will give you insights on an applicant’s aptitude to be bold and sell. It’s one thing to greet customers, but another to actively work to retain them.
Q: What motivates you during the workday?
Each applicant may answer this question differently. Answers may include getting off of work in time to pick up children from school, listening to music during a shift, or receiving a nice holiday bonus. The applicant’s answer allows you to determine which of your clients they may be the best fit to work with or if they will be a good fit for your business.
Competency Questions
Competency questions are designed to evaluate an applicant’s understanding of the position and the duties it entails.
Q: How do you prioritize tasks?
The way an applicant describes what their expectations of a clean house are gives you insight into whether they are detail-oriented and patient enough for this type of position.
It’s also important to weigh which category of questions is most important for that position. For example, when hiring for a caregiver, experience is very important. However, behavioral questions are always important to understand how someone will contribute to your team. When we hire people, so often do we say, “I feel like they’d be great for the job”. We base decisions off of how we feel about someone, because it is important.
Overall, it’s crucial to hire the best people for the sake of your business and your clients. Make the best hires for your business by being prepared with the interview questions for front desk personnel above. Plus, be sure to leave time in the interview for selling your company to the applicant. If you’re ready to take your hiring to the next level, learn how Sprockets can help you select the best hires, reduce employee turnover, and save you money.
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