Hiring a great customer service representative for your company does not have to be difficult but you do need to make sure that you are looking for the right qualities.

Getting the right people for this type of role is imperative because they will be representing you and your company to your customers.

You want to make sure that you take the time to find the right person who brings the right fit for your company.

These are just a few things you should consider and look for during an interview when you are looking to hire a customer service representative.

1. Do they make eye contact?

Even if you are hiring someone to act as a customer service representative over the phone, this is still something you want to look for.

A person who makes good eye contact during an interaction demonstrates that they naturally seek to make a connection with the other. It may be an indicator that they are better listeners, and it certainly makes the other person feel valued and important.

This is something that can even translate over the phone which is why it is something you need to pay attention to.

If they make good eye contact during an interview, they should also do the same on the job which is something you definitely want in this type of employee, whether the contact is physical or metaphorical over the phone

2. Find someone who loves customer service

One of the things that you should look at from a candidate perspective is if they have had other customer service jobs in the past.

If they have been doing this for some time, you not only know that they like this type of job but you can also better determine if this is a career path they want.

If they absolutely love customer service and want to make this their career, you should prioritize them in the process.

Ideally, you want to find someone that loves this type of work and will stay with your company for more than 6 months.

The last thing you want to do is find a great candidate only to have to hire someone else in a few months because either they were experimenting, talking themselves into it, or they were not looking for a long-term job.

3. Can you hear them smile?

This is a tricky one for people to master but the right candidate will definitely be able to show their smile through the sound of their voice.

This is something that you can test before you bring someone in for a formal interview.

You can do this by conducting a phone interview and seeing what kind of impression they give you over the phone.

If they sound like they are smiling and can speak well, move them forward.

To help find your ideal candidate, use this customer service rep personality report as a guide.

4. Do they show empathy?

Lastly, you want to make sure your customer service representatives can show empathy to your customers.

Not only should they be able to show it but you should be able to hear it in their voice.

If it doesn’t sound like they care, then move on to the next candidate.

Your customers need to know you care and this is a big quality that your agents need to have.

Finding the right customer service representative for your business is crucial and by taking a look at these specific qualities, you should be able to find the right fit.

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What’s the most important thing for Customer Service representatives?

Getting it right the first time: the right candidate, with the right traits, and the right skills.

How do you get it right?

We’ve built an all-in-one platform to help sales managers hire for “fit first” – fit with the job, the manager, the company, and the customers.

CustomerServiceHiring.Guru incorporates years of scientific research, predictive analytics, and cutting age artificial intelligence to help you find the right fit.