Examples of Strengths for a Customer Service Interview

by Neil Kokemuller

Millions of Americans work in customer service jobs in a variety of industries and trade companies. Manufacturers, distributors, retailers and service organizations all rely heavily on service representatives or associates. To succeed in getting a customer service job, you want to align your best qualities and experiences to the needs of the job. Several critical strengths, if you have them, are most beneficial to bring up in an interview.

Communication Skills

Communication is integral to providing customer service. You can talk broadly about your communication skills, or emphasize special strengths in interpersonal or verbal communication or listening. Examples of times when you helped a specific customer with a problem can demonstrate your interpersonal abilities. Similarly, you can show off your listening and communication strengths by talking of a time when you listened effectively during a challenging situation and communicated a satisfying resolution to a customer.


Empathy is the ability and willingness to understand the perspective of someone dealing with a situation. This is a highly valued personal quality in customer service. Sharing and showing that you have strong empathy skills is especially beneficial for a service job. For a bank service employee, for instance, showing that you can empathize with each customer's financial situation and needs is beneficial.

Helpful Attitude

Showing that you have a helpful attitude is a great follow-up strength to empathy. This shows that you not only understand someone's perspective, but you have a high degree of interest in helping. A desire to help a customer, especially when he may be upset and scream at you, is a quality that is highly valued by employers. Sharing examples of how you have helped to resolve difficult customer situations can reinforce this strength.

Selling Ability

Customer service and sales functions often overlap in product and service environments. Service associates in call centers or in stores are often asked to sell on top of resolving customer problems. For a call center job, for instance, you might recommend additional products once you resolve a customer's problem. Demonstrating that you have strong selling skills can be a difference-maker if all other candidate strengths are equal.

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