Possible Questions in BPO or Call Center Interview
1. Tell me something about yourself.
I am Florendo B. Doculara, 29 years old, from Cavite and I graduated with a Bachelor of
Secondary Education Major in Music, Art, Physical Education, and Health. I also worked
in a private institution for about 2 years. I attended call center training in JKY
Clairvoyance. I am a hardworking person, patient, and good listener. I am very eager to
learn new things, and helping other people is my passion.
2. Why should we hire you?
You should hire me because I am a very dedicated person. I am flexible, I can do
multitasking tasks. I am a good and attentive listener and most of all I can be a best
asset to your company.
3. What is the word that best describes yourself?
PATIENCE. I am the kind of person who’s always willing to wait as I believe that good
results take time to happen.
4. Why did you apply here?
I applied here because your company has a great career environment, friendly work
environment, great incentives and most of all your company has great salary-based pay.
5. What is your greatest strength and weakness?
My greatest strength is that I am a very dedicated person and I don’t have any call
center background so I am so eager to work with your company that I will go the extra
mile, perform really well and exceed your expectations.
My greatest weakness is that I work so hard that I have no time to go out with my
friends anymore.
6. Why do you want to work in a call center?
I want to work in a call center because this is the only industry where I know I could earn
enough to help my parents.
7. Why did you choose our company?
I chose your company because I heard a lot of good feedback. I also wanted to
experience all the great opportunities and benefits that this company has to offer.
8. Where do you see yourself for the next 5 years?
If I’m lucky enough to be accepted in this industry, then I will give my next 5
years to learn the art of customer service. If not, then I’ll pursue my teaching career.
The reason why a call center is very important for me over my career is that
career-wise. I feel that there’s a better opportunity for me being a call center agent than
being a teacher. If I continue teaching, I would go abroad to have a decent salary.
The thing is, I don’t want to go abroad. I want to be with my family, and your
industry is the only way to make that happen for me. So, in the next 5 years, I see myself
being a highly skilled agent and if I’m qualified enough, I’ll probably aim for a promotion.
9. How do you handle stress?
For me, the most effective way to deal with stress is by having a healthy routine.
Every day I should eat healthy foods, exercise, and have enough sleep.
In this industry, stress is a common denominator of all, so if I always follow my
daily healthy routine. I can talk to any customer in a good mood and feel capable of
handling any issue. I can also sing and dance like in Tiktok because this is also my stress
reliever whenever I’m free.
10. What is a call center or BPO?
It is a place where people make or take calls for their company or for another
company. It is to fulfill a certain task. It could be customer service, technical support or
sales.
BPO is Business Process Outsourcing. In this kind of industry, companies
outsource a part of their business to another company.
Aside from that, I know that the schedule is not the usual 8am – 5pm job
because it has its own time frame. I know also that there is a team leader and as an
agent, from time to time my calls will be listened to and evaluated for performance.
11. What is Customer Service?
Customer service is one of the best aspects for a business. The customers are the
bread and butter of a business so it is important that they get an excellent service they
deserve whenever they need it or even, they don’t ask for it.
It is not only for business; it also builds a good relationship. Building a long-term
relationship to the customer and their loyalty is the most important.
12. How would you handle a call from an irate customer?
First of all, I will listen to my customer’s questions and do my best to understand
his/her issues or concerns. I will keep calm the whole time. Then, after the customer’s
concern is done, I will acknowledge his/her feelings and give empathy statements like I
will say “I understand why you are frustrated Ms/Mr customer. I am here to help you
resolve your concerns.” Then after that, I will start taking action or do what needs to be
done.
I know that the customer is angry and I will not take it personally because I have
to understand that they call because they need help from us.
13. What has been your most significant achievement?
When I graduated from college and passed the board exam. I say this because for how
many years that I've encountered so many struggles. All my hardships gave me good
results. I also include the years when I entered seminary because this good opportunity
helped me to know myself better and I was able to really know my strengths and
weaknesses clearly.
14. What is your goal in life?
My goal is to become a regular employee in your company, and probably see myself
taking more responsibilities like becoming a team leader or a trainer.
15. How do you encourage customers to buy additional products or services?
I will listen to what they need and try to identify similar or additional products that they
would get interested in. I will provide first all the benefits and build a relationship with
the customer. Get their attention first so they would have more interest in buying the
products.
16. Do you enjoy working in a team?
Yes, I really enjoy working together with a team to gain ideas as well. Nobody is a
monopoly of an idea. We need each other to be able to reach a certain goal as a team.
17. Do you like multitasking or do you prefer to tackle one problem at a time?
It depends on the situation. I could do multi-tasking or tackle one problem at a time but
most of the time I like multitasking because it increases my efficiency when it comes to
resolution.
18. What if the customer is not happy with your answer or solution?
If the customer is not happy with my answer or solution, I will ask him/her to stay on the
line and pass on the call to my manager or team leader for further investigation on how
to make them satisfied.
19. What will you do in a situation where the system shuts down and you are still
handling customers on the phone?
If that happens, I will ask the customer to stay on the line while I am looking for a better
solution until I get the power back up. I should sound confident and try to build rapport
with the customer so I won't panic.
20. How to deal with abusive slang using customers?
I should give a positive response and keep in mind that my job is to be nice to him/her. I
assure the customer that I am here to help him/her and tell them that I require specific
information.
If I really don’t understand what the customer is saying I will humbly ask to speak a little
bit slower because I am having a hard time understanding him/her.
21. How do you deal with a question you don’t know the answer to?
I will sound confident and never say “I don’t know” but rather ask to remain on the line
while I am looking for a better solution.
22. Why did you leave your last job?
I wanted a new opportunity where I could learn new things and grow my career but also
where I could work more directly with people and find an enjoyable working
environment.
23. What is your expected salary?
IQOR Company: Earn up to P37k* per month + P64k* performance incentives*
24. Why should we not hire you?
If you are not looking for a fast learner or a goal-oriented employee then probably you
should not hire me.
25. What kind of work environment do you prefer?
An enjoyable and friendly environment would be better, wherein…..
26. How would you describe yourself?
I am passionate about my work and get the job on time to make my boss proud of me. I
will listen to instructions and I know in my heart that if you perform well you might be
commended or promoted to a higher position.
27. Can you work under pressure?
Yes, I can. I believe that pressure is always present in any working environment. That's
why I do my best to cope up with it.
28. What do you know about our company?
(do research about the company and highlight positive impact)
29. Differentiate Inbound and Outbound calls?
There are two types of call center, the inbound and outbound.
In INBOUND, the customers are the ones who give calls to inquire or to raise a certain
concern about the product or services which they avail.
And OUTBOUND, the agents are the ones who call the customer. Usually it is for a
business call like upgrading, cross-selling or up-selling.
30. Can you work night shifts?
Yes, and I don’t have complaints with shift work or working at nights and even with split
days off.
31. How often were you absent from your previous job?
Honestly, I seldom do that from my previous job because I value my attendance and I
always wanted to report to work everyday as much as possible.
32. What is integrity for you?
Integrity is the foundation on which coworkers build relationships and trust, and
it is one of the fundamental values that employers seek in the employees that they hire.
To have integrity means that a person is self-aware, accountable, responsible,
and truthful and that their actions are internally consistent. A person who has integrity
can be trusted by coworkers, customers, and stakeholders.
Out of the Box Questions
1. What weighs more? 100 pounds of feathers or 100 pounds of quarters/coins?
Both feathers and quarters/coins weigh the same. It both weighs 100 pounds,
regardless of the fact that feathers COULD weigh less than the other.
2. If you will win $1Million tomorrow, what would you do with it?
If I have been given the luck or the chance to win a huge amount of fortune, I will use it
to pay off my debts, share some of it to charitable causes, and invest it in a business that
will help me and my family to earn good income in the future. Even so, I won’t quit my
job and still work in this company because I firmly believe that we shouldn’t rely on pure
luck but rather on hard work as well.
3. Sell me this pen?
Question:
What is the number one thing that annoys you most when using a pen?
Sample Answer:
I have a pen here. This pen matches everything you need from a pen. This pen is
with an eraser. Think of this as a breed between a pen and a pencil. It has the high
definition ink of a pen but with the capacity to erase typos like a pencil.
When it comes to reliability, our company has been selling pens for two
centuries and we will never survive this alone if we do not prioritize the quality of our
pens.
4. Describe colors to a blind person:
You should try to use other senses such as smell, taste, touch, and emotion.
Red – it is something warm and nourishing. It’s what you feel when you’re warming
yourself up by a fireplace. It’s like sipping a hot Tinola or noodles on a rainy day. It could
also be the warm hug of your mother or father. It could also be the passionate kiss of a
lover. Red is love.
Green – it is the melody you hear when you are in the middle of the forest. The singing
of birds, the fresh air you breathe, the sounds of the river. When you are stressed, these
melodies will relax you because green nurtures life. It is slow but it moves with purpose.
It is gentle yet powerful. When there is no green, it’s hot, dry, and dusty. Green is life.
Blue – it is the feeling you get when you are having a massage while listening to your
favorite music. It washes away your stress and lets you live in the moment. It is also
confidence, when you do something very exceptional, that is blue. You become cool,
calm, and collected. In short, blue is tranquility and confidence combined.
Yellow – it is a warm soft color like a baby chick or the warmth of sunlight in springtime,
streaming through a window warming up a patch on the carpet.
Purple – a type of color between hot and cold. Red and blue and it will give a feeling as
though it is between the heat of fire and the coldness of ice.
Brown – is that peace you feel when you’re indoors and curled up with a warm blanket
while outside, the storm is raging. You think you ought to be scared but you’re not
because you feel warm and safe inside your own home.
It’s also the feeling of belongingness when you’re laughing among friends and
families. Brown is security and stability.
Orange – imagine a freshly picked orange. Now, smell its aroma and taste its flesh.
That’s how the orange color looks. It’s sour, yet sweet.
When you think of an orange, think of the most talkative yet most likable person
in your life. Orange always makes itself known. It's never shy nor dull.
Pink – imagine touching the skin of a new born baby at the back of your hand. That’s
how pink feels like. Or imagine eating a freshly baked salmon or a medium-rare beef
steak. It’s tender, soft, and juicy.
White – it is the sound of a gentle breeze blowing through your hair. It’s the melody
that milk makes when its being poured on a glass. It’s the smell of freshly cooked rice.
Gray – is the sensation of dust and sweat clinging to your body when you are riding a
jeepney on a hot summer day. It’s the smell of mold in an abandoned building. It’s the
emptiness you feel when you are longing for someone.
Black – is the rich taste of chocolate in a hot champorado. It’s the smell of fresh rain on
fertile soil. It’s the heaviness of your eyelids and muscles when sleep is about to come.
5. What is the funniest thing that happened to you?
When I was in my 4th year college, I was going home from our school. While walking on
the street going to the bus terminal I slipped on the road. That street has plenty of
stores for clothes, foods, gadgets and so on. All the people there were busy selling
products to their customers and many people were also walking at that time then
suddenly I stepped on a small kind of a toy. I fell down and my legs were like in a split
position though I don’t do splits. Many people saw what happened to me. Some were
shocked, some were like they wanted to help me and some were just looking at me with
no emotions.
It was so embarrassing for me because even my pants got torn. So, what I did was I
stood up and acted like nothing happened. I put my jacket around my waist and I
continued walking to the bus terminal. And the next day, I already wore new pants and I
walked on the street again but I already watched my steps.
6. How would you describe the world to a blind person?
By using our other senses: touch, smell, taste, and hearing
For the sense of TOUCH, I will use water and soil, in order to imagine that the world is
composed of land and water.
For the sense of SMELL, the fragrance of any kind of flower.
For the sense of HEARING, the waves of the ocean, the noise of transportation and
people laughing in joy.
For a sense of TASTE, using sugar and salt in order to emphasize that the world is not all
about sweetness and joy, it also gives bitterness and failure.
7. If the turtle has no shell, is it naked or homeless?
The Turtle is just naked. The shell is just his armor to protect himself from attackers and
threats.
He is not homeless. His home is the ocean. I will just say the turtle is homeless when the
water in the ocean dried out.
8. Why is the building called a building if it’s already built?
It is because of the people who are working there. Building is built for the people to
build their dreams.
9. Describe your home?
My home is the most comfortable place I know. I can do whatever I want, I can sleep
anytime I want, and I can eat every time I want. And I’m surrounded by the people that I
love which made the home comfortable to live in.
10. Why does a round pizza come in a square box?
The box made it square for the customer’s benefit and convenient way of picking the
pizza out of the box. It is important that you always consider the customers
convenience, for them to be able to be a satisfied and a happy customer.
11. What are you going to do if today is the end of the world?
I will make my day the happiest day I have ever experienced. I will do the things
that will surely give me joy and contentment. I will forgive those people who commit
sins to me and at the same time I’ll say sorry to those I’ve hurt.
I will express my genuine love that I’ve been hiding for the rest of my life. And
lastly, I will pray. I believe that God has a purpose to all of this.
12. If you were to remove one word in the dictionary, what would it be and why?
I will not remove any single word in the dictionary because those words have a purpose
in our lives. It may be bad or good but it is still meaningful. It still has a lot of
contributions for every one of us.
13. If you weren’t born in the Philippines, what nationality would you like to be and why?
I would like to be Japanese, because as we know they are the most disciplined people.
They spend their money wisely and they always prioritize their job, they are workaholics
too.
14. How come it doesn’t have a moon in the Philippine flag if they put stars?
Three stars represent: Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao, and the sun represents freedom
that shines into it. They didn’t include the moon because it only borrows the light that
comes from the sun.
15. If you were given a chance to become a president for a day, what would you do?
I will continue what our Pres. Rodrigo Duterte did to our country. For me, he is the best
president among the others.
16. If you are given a chance to become invisible for 30 minutes, what will you do?
I would sneak around the BPO company and observe an actual call, like how an agent is
handling his calls, take notes of everything I would find useful and helpful for my future
application.
17. What’s more painful: Hugging a cactus or imagining getting hugged by your ex?
Hugging your ex is more painful than a cactus, because if you really love your ex it is very
hard to move on and it takes so long to heal the heart wound that your ex caused you
the pain. Hugging a cactus is a temporary pain, using the medicine can heal all the
wounds.
18. Do you believe that there are bigger sea animals than whales? and explain.
I refuse to believe that there are bigger sea animals than whales unless I see them with
my two eyes.
19. How can you save a drowning man if you cannot swim?
I will get anything that can help him like a life vest or anything that can make him float
for a while and I will call for someone’s help near to us.
20. How can you tell me that the black chair you are sitting in is white?
This is white. The color faded because it’s old. It’s already eaten up by the dirt and dust
that’s why it turns black. But no matter how it changes, it is still white.
21. Is cheating a mistake or a choice?
Cheating is always a choice, because cheating is a decision. I believe that anything that
we do in life is our choice. Anything that happened to us now is the result of our choice
in life.
22. How’s life being single so far?
Being single would allow you to do things that you cannot do while you are in a
relationship. You can explore new things and would allow you to love yourself more,
also enjoy things and have fun with your friends. You will have more time with your
family and of course you will learn to take care of yourself.
23. How do you thaw/melt a frozen egg?
Running water can help but it takes a lot of time so the best way to thaw a frozen egg is
to remove its shell first then put the egg in a glass jar or in a plastic with ziplock then
soak it with warm water for about 5 minutes.
24. What if you’re on a beach and you saw a crab on the sand? What will you do?
I will just ignore it and continue what I am doing because for me, you should not mind
others' activity if it’s not bothering you. Learn not to judge how it looks like or how
impression it to you, perhaps let own their life as it be and it’s their rights to freely
express themselves. What you should more focus on is your own progress not others.
25. How would you hide a dead body?
(it’s all about your experience that you get pressured)
It is something that I would not try sir/mam, and I assure you that literally I
haven’t done that before. But if I were to relate that to my work before, I could share to
you some experience at work that I felt pressured at something.
(add the experience)
26. How can you sell a camera to a blind person?
Hi! I have a special product made just right for you! It is our latest model of
camera. It has two exciting features in it – it’s capable of generating excellent photo
quality as it has high resolution. Same goes with its ability to take videos at its finest
quality.
I believe your family loves capturing memories with you and so this is going to be
a perfect option for you. On top of that, this camera offers oh-so-clear voice recording
so you can definitely playback all your future recordings and reminisce those lovely
moments with your loved ones.
27. How can you sell a cigarette to a non-smoker?
If I were to sell cigarettes to a non-smoker, I’d convince him in a way that I will not let
him feel offended.
ME: “Hi! I have a product here that will help you in a way. Whenever you’re sad, you can
just grab one and use it. And, if you are bored or something, you can use it too. I have
here one pack of cigarettes for you.
FRIEND: “No, Thanks, but I don’t smoke.”
ME: “Ok, it’s not a problem if you are not a smoker. I know that you are looking for extra
income, especially these days. Here’s the deal, you can buy this for me at a cheaper
price, then resell it. You will get good commission out of it. Sounds good?”
28. How to sell a rotten apple?
“Hi! I have something to offer to you. I know you will love this because this is extremely
beneficial. I have rotten apples here. I know I am fond of gardening and so you may use
these as natural fertilizers so that your plant will grow healthy. Plus, you can get these at
a cheaper price compared to you buying fertilizer from the store.”
29. How would you sell ice to an eskimo?
“Hi! I have something to offer to you. There are a lot of varying shapes to choose from –
giant, crescent, cylindrical, shaved, and more! These are ice made extra special for you.
It may be cold in here already, but having these tiny crystals with you will make you feel
cozy.”
30. How would you sell a blank sheet of paper for 500.00 pesos?
My blank sheet of paper is waterproof and smooth. It can generate 5 - 10 pcs. When you
try to expose it directly to the sun. You can use it for your sketching or writing a love
letter. You can keep it for a longer time because it cannot get wet easily by the rain or
water.
31. How do you sell the internet to a blind old man?
“Hi! I have an interesting fact to share with you. Do you know that the internet these
days is so powerful, that you can listen to all of your favourite songs from your favourite
singers using a digital product that works using voice command?”
32. How are you going to explain the Blue Sky to a blind person?
I will tell him that a blue sky is just like a bit of a flash of light in the morning and its like
a cold ice when it touches our skin.
33. How can you sell an Ice Cream in the North Pole?
I will put some spicy flavor on the ice cream so that you can feel a bit warm in your body
and will surely change the way you taste it.
34. How can you convince me to buy a candy wrapper?
My candy wrapper is friendly-environment. It is edible, to also lessen the trashes on the
streets. You will also get a chance to win a Brand-New Car if you get the wrapper that
has the winning code.
35. What is your favorite movie and can you give a bit summary about the story?
(Answers may varied)
Bruce Almighty: is a fun yet inspiring film with a meaningful message. It’s about a TV
reporter (Jim Carrey) who constantly has bad things happening to him. He complains
that God is doing a terrible job — at which point God appears to him and offers him all
his powers to see if he can do a better job. Along the way, he learns lessons that change
his life.
36. If you will be given a chance to have a superpower, what is it and why?
I will choose the power of teleportation. So, I can go wherever I want with just a snap of
my finger. Also, to visit all the wonderful places in the world in an instant.
37. What is your favorite viand and how can you connect it to your life?
A Filipino dish, Adobo. Because it’s a flexible food. It can have a different taste. It can be
salty, sweet, and even spicy. Like in my real life, I have a different personality that I can
fit in different situations.
38. If you can be an animal, what animal are you and why?
TURTLE – turtles move slow but they are sure of what they are doing. They also have a
sharp mind whenever they feel that there is a danger coming, they quickly hide their
heads and try not to move for a while. It is like in a work, I may not work as fast as the
others but I make sure that I finish my goal every day and I am sure of how I move and
react properly in a certain situation. And also, having a sharp mind, I have to think
quickly on how to resolve the customer’s concern.
