Customer & service focus

A customer contacts you, frustrated, because a service they were promised has not been delivered on time. The delay was caused by another team, not you. What is the MOST appropriate action?

• APromise the customer that it will definitely be sorted out today, without first checking with the other team whether that is achievable
• BExplain that it was another team's fault and not your responsibility
• CTell the customer to contact the other team directly
• DApologise for the inconvenience, take ownership of finding out what happened, and update the customer with a clear plan✓

Answer: Owning the customer's experience, regardless of internal blame, and giving a realistic plan restores trust and resolves the issue.

A customer is asking for a discount you are not authorised to give. They are otherwise a valued long-term customer and are becoming insistent. What is the MOST appropriate action?

• AAuthorise the discount yourself to keep a valued long-term customer happy, and explain your reasons to your manager afterwards
• BExplain what you can offer, and escalate to someone who can authorise the discount if appropriate✓
• CRefuse firmly, make clear that the decision is final, and bring the conversation to a close before they can press you further
• DTell the customer the discount is impossible without explanation

Answer: Being honest about your limits while offering alternatives and the correct escalation balances customer care with proper authority.

You are about to leave for the day when a customer calls with a complex query that will take time to resolve properly. No one else is available to take it. What is the MOST appropriate action?

• ATake the call but keep it brief and move the customer along quickly so that you can still leave at your usual time
• BLet the call go through to voicemail, since you are off duty and the query can be picked up by somebody tomorrow
• CTake the call and either resolve it or arrange a clear, agreed follow-up✓
• DAnswer the phone and ask the customer to call back tomorrow, when there will be more time to look at it properly

Answer: Taking responsibility for the customer's query, even at an inconvenient time, and arranging proper follow-up demonstrates genuine service focus.

A customer has clearly misunderstood how your product works and is blaming the company for a problem that is actually due to their own error. They are embarrassed and defensive. What is the MOST appropriate action?

• ATactfully explain how the product works and help them put it right without assigning blame✓
• BPoint out plainly that the fault lies with how they used the product rather than with the company or its staff
• CAgree it was the company's fault to avoid embarrassing them
• DRefer them to the user manual and end the call

Answer: Helping the customer resolve the issue gracefully, without humiliating them, keeps them loyal and solves the real problem.

You notice a recurring issue that is causing minor frustration to many customers, though no one has formally complained. Fixing it properly would take some effort. What is the MOST appropriate action?

• AWait until customers start making formal complaints before putting any effort into fixing the underlying issue
• BMention it casually to a colleague but take no further action
• CContinue dealing with each occurrence individually as it arises, rather than spending time on the underlying cause
• DRaise the issue with the relevant team or manager, with evidence, and suggest a fix✓

Answer: Proactively surfacing a systemic issue with evidence improves the service for all customers rather than treating symptoms repeatedly.

A customer becomes verbally aggressive on the phone, raising their voice and using insulting language, although their underlying complaint is valid. What is the MOST appropriate action?

• AStay calm, acknowledge their frustration, and explain you want to help, while setting a respectful boundary if needed✓
• BMatch their tone to show you will not be intimidated
• CPut them on hold indefinitely until they calm down
• DEnd the call straight away because of the language they have used, and make no further arrangement to deal with the underlying complaint

Answer: Remaining calm and acknowledging the valid complaint while setting respectful boundaries de-escalates the situation and still serves the customer.

A customer asks you a question and you genuinely do not know the answer. They are waiting and need a reliable response. What is the MOST appropriate action?

• AGive your best guess so you do not look unsure
• BRedirect them to a general help page without checking it answers their question
• CTell them you are not certain, then find out the correct answer and follow up promptly✓
• DTell them you cannot help and end the conversation

Answer: Being honest about not knowing, then getting the correct answer, protects accuracy and the customer's trust.

You realise that meeting a customer's tight deadline would require cutting a quality-check step. The customer values speed but does not know about the check. What is the MOST appropriate action?

• ACarry out the quality check but tell the customer that the work is finished before it actually is, so the deadline appears to be met
• BLeave out the quality check quietly so that the deadline is met, since the customer does not know that the step exists
• CMiss the deadline without explaining why
• DExplain the trade-off to the customer and agree a realistic timeline that maintains quality✓

Answer: Being transparent about the quality trade-off lets the customer make an informed choice and protects both quality and trust.

A customer praises a colleague's work to you and asks you to pass on their thanks, but that colleague recently irritated you. What is the MOST appropriate action?

• APass the message on but play it down, so that the colleague does not feel too pleased with themselves
• BKeep the praise to yourself, on the basis that the colleague has recently irritated you and does not deserve it
• CPass on the praise genuinely and ensure it is recognised appropriately✓
• DPass on the praise but claim a share of the credit for yourself, since you were involved in the work as well

Answer: Passing on genuine customer praise fairly, despite personal feelings, reflects integrity and a focus on service and colleagues.

A customer with limited English is struggling to explain their problem and is becoming anxious. There is a queue building behind them. What is the MOST appropriate action?

• ABe patient, use simple clear language and visual aids, and arrange support such as an interpreter if available✓
• BGuess what they need to move things along
• CRush them so the queue can be served faster
• DAsk them to come back another day with a friend or relative who can translate for them, so that the queue can be cleared now

Answer: Patiently adapting your communication and arranging appropriate support ensures fair, accessible service despite pressure from the queue.

You discover that a customer was accidentally undercharged for a service due to a system error. The customer is unaware and would likely never notice. What is the MOST appropriate action?

• AQuietly absorb the difference yourself so that neither the customer nor your manager has to be told about the error
• BOvercharge them next time to recover the amount
• CSay nothing at all, since the customer is happy and the shortfall is unlikely ever to be noticed by anyone
• DInform the customer honestly, explain the error, and arrange to correct it in a fair way✓

Answer: Honest correction of billing errors, handled fairly, upholds integrity and the long-term trust of the customer.

A customer asks for a feature or service your company does not offer and that you know a competitor provides. They would be better served elsewhere for this specific need. What is the MOST appropriate action?

• ASell them an unsuitable product instead
• BImply that your company offers something broadly equivalent so the sale is not lost
• CBe honest that you cannot meet this specific need and help them as best you can, even if that means signposting elsewhere✓
• DRefuse to discuss competitors at all

Answer: Honesty about what you can and cannot offer builds long-term trust and reputation, even at the cost of a single sale.

A customer leaves a public negative review that contains some fair criticism but also some inaccurate claims about your service. You are able to respond. What is the MOST appropriate action?

• AAsk the customer to remove the review before doing anything
• BRespond defensively and dispute everything they said
• CRespond politely, acknowledge the fair points, gently correct the inaccuracies, and offer to resolve the issue✓
• DIgnore the review completely

Answer: A polite, balanced public response that owns valid criticism and offers resolution protects your reputation and the customer relationship.

A customer is very happy with the service and asks if there is anything else you can do for them, but you can see they would benefit from a service that is more expensive than what they came in for. What is the MOST appropriate action?

• AStick only to what they originally asked for
• BAvoid mentioning anything else to keep it simple
• CHonestly explain the options, including the more expensive one, only if it genuinely suits their needs✓
• DRecommend the more expensive service regardless of whether it actually fits, since the customer is clearly receptive

Answer: Recommending the higher-value option only when it genuinely fits the customer's needs balances service focus with integrity.

You discover a colleague has been rude and dismissive to a customer who has now complained. The colleague says the customer was being difficult. You witnessed part of the interaction. What is the MOST appropriate action?

• AAutomatically side with your colleague and dismiss the complaint, on the basis that they say the customer was being difficult throughout
• BReport your colleague publicly to embarrass them
• CAddress the customer's complaint fairly, give your colleague honest feedback on their conduct, and focus on putting it right✓
• DCover for your colleague by telling the customer that the complaint has been looked into fully and that no further action will be taken

Answer: Handling the complaint fairly and giving honest feedback upholds both customer service standards and professional accountability.

A long-standing customer asks you to bend a company rule slightly as a one-off favour, saying it would really help them and no one would know. The rule exists for a sensible reason. What is the MOST appropriate action?

• ARefuse bluntly and bring the conversation to an end without offering the customer any alternative or explanation
• BBend the rule but ask them not to tell anyone
• CBend the rule this once since they are a loyal customer
• DPolitely explain why the rule exists, decline to break it, and look for an alternative way to help them✓

Answer: Upholding the rule while explaining it and seeking a legitimate alternative balances customer care with integrity.