Interviewing question for Relationship Manager

1.What are you looking for from this company? Candidate answer and feedback I’m looking for an opportunity where I can show people how to solve problems with technology. This is why I initially chose a career in software sales. I love how transformative technology can be when it comes to making tasks more efficient and accurate, making processes safer and improving people’s lives. I’d also love to tie my strengths in sales with my passion for health and fitness. I’ve been a mountain biker for many years. There’s nothing I enjoy more than hitting the trails after work to clear my head and take in the outdoors. This is why I pursued this role. You’re providing an innovative solution to a common problem for so many of us—too many hours sitting in front of a computer, not enough hours moving our bodies. With my SaaS selling background and appreciation for wellness, I’d be a natural at helping corporate decision-makers see how your products will help them design and manage wellness programs, advocate for the health and well-being of their employees, and cut healthcare costs. Why this answer works well:She explains what she’s looking for, why she wants to work for this company, and that she’s qualified to be there. She shares a bit of her personal background, that she’s an avid mountain biker, which implies that she’s going to be an evangelist for the products this company sells. 2.Why do you want to work in sales? As a teenager, I was positive that I wanted to be a newspaper reporter. I've always been curious and I love interacting with people. And I'm a good writer! It seemed like the perfect job. So after graduating from journalism school, I did work as a newspaper reporter for a while and there were lots of things that I loved about it. But what I didn't love was that I was observing, not influencing. Reporting on problems, but not solving them. And my salary wasn't going to budge. In our newsroom, raises were based on years of experience, not high performance. So, I wanted a job that would keep me front and center with all types of people just like my reporting job did. But I also wanted to help people solve problems, and maybe accelerate my income if I was good at it. After a couple of years on the editorial side, I talked the publisher of that newspaper into shifting me into ad sales. And from there, there was no turning back. It turns out I love working in sales! It's a vital job in any organization. No sales, no business. And, it also turns out I am good at it. I'm so happy I made the switch. Sales is a job that truly suits me. Why this answer worked well:She used a personal story to make her answer memorable.She showed she’s got curiosity, problem-solving skills, and the ability to influence people. 3.How did you prepare for and hit your quota goal? In my current job, we work to a volume-based sales quota of $20,000 per month. It’s not an easy number to hit, but I've been consistently successful in hitting or going beyond it. The secret to my success is threefold. One, I give myself at least one main goal every day. Like book three in-person appointments with purchasing agents and then first thing each morning I assign myself tasks that will help me meet that goal. Tasks like: find six potential clients on LinkedIn in 60 minutes, or make 10 calls by 10 a.m. When you make things feel like a game it's a lot more fun. It’s also helpful that I've taken some of the extra CRM training that the company offers so I can move through and use their system without any hiccups. Next, I get rid of distractions. I've disabled all social media from my phone and computer and I've asked my partner and kids not to text me during the day unless it's urgent. Then, I dive right in. I make the calls, send the emails, and visit the prospects on my activity list. Staying focused is crucial if you want to consistently hit quota. Finally, I always remind myself that I'm dealing with people. This isn't just a number's game. I've learned throughout my career that when you build trust and genuinely enjoy relationships with the people you're selling to, you'll always have better results. Why this answer worked well:She shared the type of quota she's working with.She made it clear how she plans and goes about reaching her goals.She provided evidence that her technique is effective. 4.How do you deal with customer rejections? Candidate answer and feedback My first step is to study what’s going on at the company. For instance, I’ve been working to land a deal with a big manufacturer in my region for over two years. A few months ago, I noticed that this company was acquiring another firm and knew it was time to re-approach. I suspected our software could help ease the process of integrating the two companies. My next step is to focus on the relationship, not just the deal. People buy from people they trust and like, who genuinely care about their work and challenges. I had tried opening up business with that manufacturing company at least three other times and hadn’t yet turned their “no’s” into a “yes”, but they liked me. They took my calls and appreciated that I had their interests in mind. I listened to them. I cared. It just hadn’t been the right time—until that acquisition came about. From my past conversations, I knew they were concerned about the return-on-investment (ROI). When I contacted them this time, I brought up the objection before they did. I acknowledged their prior concerns about ROI and asked if I could outline my ideas on how they could recoup their investment within six months while also taking a lot of the headache out of integrating the two companies. It worked! My patience and persistence paid off. I got the meeting and, ultimately, the sale. Why this answer worked well:She highlights the steps she takes when trying to turn a “no” into a “yes”. She shared an example of a time in her process worked. How do you manage many relationships across many accounts? Candidate answer and feedback In my fifteen years of working in sales, I’ve refined a formula to meet the needs of each organization. Here’s what my approach looks like today: First, my company uses an amazing customer relationship management tool, and I’ve worked hard to get the most out of this software. I’ve also added an online scheduling tool and simple web conferencing software, which makes all our customer interactions easier. Next, I have a routine. Each morning, I spend a half-hour scanning emails, listening to voicemail, and reviewing any other messages I’ve gotten. From there, I create my to-do list, which includes my goals for the day as well as a plan for anything that’s come in overnight. I also weave in twenty minutes every day for education and use the time to read, listen to a podcast, or watch a video tutorial. Next, I batch my emails. I check them three times a day: during that first half-hour, at 1pm, and at 4pm. My clients know that I’ll be front-and-center across these times unless I’ve told them otherwise. They also know that I won’t likely reply to an email at any other time, so they should only call if it’s urgent. Lastly, I say no to anything that I can’t accommodate or that extends beyond the scope of our relationship. I do try to offer some alternate options that will hopefully also work well for them though. This formula seems to work well for my customers and keeps me loving what I do! Why this answer worked well:He explained his routine to stay organized and manage priorities.He showed he has strong communication skills.He expressed a commitment to staying current with the systems and the industry. How do you handle yourself in the face of angry customers? Good question. I've actually dealt with a couple of angry customers recently. My company made a decision last quarter to discontinue some legacy software, and as we shared the news with clients, they realized that they needed to switch to a new platform. Some of them were just not happy about it. So, the way I dealt with these customers, and how I handle any client who gets upset, is to give them time first to just vent. Whether they yell, pound their fists on the table, threaten to end the relationship, I try to stay absolutely calm and I just listen to what they're saying. Then, I empathize with them. Not in a patronizing way, but in a way that tells them that I get why they're upset, and I'm interested in helping find a solution. If I have some immediate ideas on how I can resolve the issue, I'll share them right there in the conversation. But if I don't, I'll tell them that I'll do some research and get back to them by a certain time or day. It's important that my customers know that I'm not just going to leave them hanging. And then I always follow through. Something that people know about me is that while I can't always provide them with the exact thing they want, I will do my absolute best and follow through. Why this answer works well:He described how any customer would want to be treated if they were upset.He showed how he's able to stay calm and listen when a client vents.He presented options and committed to following up.

How do you retain customers when they complain about the price? A few months ago I had to navigate this exact scenario. A client whose account I had been managing for six years called me and said our payroll software was too expensive and they were thinking about finding another solution. I'm not going to lie; I panicked a little bit, but I wasn't about to let her see me sweat. Instead, I listened calmly to what she had to say, and I collected my thoughts and asked if we could explore the specifics of the situation. What I found out is that the company had recently laid off about a hundred people including five in the payroll department. So, I started wondering if the call might have had something to do with that. As I probed, I realized it probably did. Not only were they short-staffed, but the HR director was under a ton of pressure to cut expenses. Knowing there were some new features in the software that might make their remaining staff more efficient without adding any extra cost, I suggested I spend a day with the team teaching them how to get the most out of those features. She agreed to try, especially because I found out her Plan B was to hire a temp to help them keep up while they looked at other software options. I asked her to give me a 60-day trial, and if she still didn't see the value in the investment, we could either explore another option or end the relationship. The trial worked! We preserved the account and their team was excited to learn time-saving shortcuts that made their jobs much more efficient. Why this answer worked well:He used a specific example to show the interviewer how he stayed calm through an unexpected phone call. He asked questions to get a better understanding of the situation. He proposed a creative solution that preserved that client account. Describe a time you had to deal with a difficult client. Last year, our most important client went through a big organizational shakeup.We had been working directly with the VP of engineering, who was amazing, smart, responsive, and appreciative of our team. After the reorg, she was named COO, and the company brought in a new head of engineering. Let's just say that he was not as easygoing as his predecessor. He also came into the company with some preconceived notions about the value of our software, or in his case, its lack of value. During his first month in the role, he probably called me fifteen times to point out little issues about the software's performance. I suspect that he was trying to build a case to push us out. I also realized that he didn't understand how our solutions could help him increase the throughput and quality. Rather than panic, I decided to offer to spend a few days on site with him and his team. I wanted to provide some additional training and help them uncover ways to tweak the software to ensure that they were getting the most value out of it. Fortunately, he agreed. I executed as promised and even provided the team with a few extras that gave them even more functionality without adding expense to our company. After I trained him and showed him some of the great things he could do with our software, he came around. Today, I don't cringe when he calls. I've even discovered he's a really interesting guy. It's nice to be back and enjoying this client. Why this answer worked well:He outlined a challenging situation that's pretty common.He created a plan to work with the new person in that important client role. He described how he responded and what the outcome was.

How did you overcome a difficult sales project? Candidate answer and feedback A few months ago, just after we had just secured the business of a huge manufacturer, my point person there left. She was replaced by someone who was overloaded with work, and he made it difficult to implement our technology with them. I needed to make a connection with him fast so we could get the project done, and then I had to convince him to let us manage things directly through his team. I noticed on his LinkedIn profile that he’d worked at one of our top customers for several years before joining this company, and he had been on the technical team that integrated one of our other software products. I invited him to lunch and we got to talking about his years at that other company. I asked him about that particular project and how he thought the onboarding had gone (knowing that it had gone very well). It was through this meal that I gently made him realize that giving us access to his technical people was going to ease his load and also give them a sense of empowerment with the project. He’s still a bit of a micromanager, but we were able to meet all of our deadlines and successfully onboard the customer thanks to his loosening his grip on controlling every aspect of the project. Why this answer worked well:She explained the specific scenario, outlining what made it challenging. She showed how she saw and addressed the challenges proactively, building strategy to not only mitigate the immediate risk, but also lay a solid foundation for the relationship overall. She shared the outcome, which was, fortunately, a salvaged project. What do you say to a client when you under-deliver? Candidate answer and feedback One of our clients we sold computers to had aggressive sustainability goals, so we offered to give them solar-charging laptop bags for free with every purchase. The client loved this perk, but I soon ran into a problem; the bag supplier had raised their price and it was going to cut too close to our profit margin on the overall deal. I didn’t want to disappoint the client, so I had to find some alternative that was less expensive for us yet kept them happy with our relationship. All the other solar laptop bag suppliers seemed to have raised their prices as well. So, I did some research and found a portable laptop charger pack that was much cheaper than the bags and brought it into a client meeting. At first, the client was upset he wasn’t getting the bags, but when I introduced the portable chargers, his mood brightened. He thought the chargers were an even better option because some of his employees were particular about the style of their computer bags. It all worked out, and I learned the importance of checking on things that aren’t fully under my control before I promise something extra to my customers. I do this religiously today. Why this answer worked well:He talked about how what he promised basically closed the deal.He shared the dreaded moment of realization, his response to that news, and how he owned up to it with the client right away. He described how he came into the meeting with a Plan B.He talked about the lesson and how he operates today based on what unfolded. How do you handle a question when you don't know the answer? Well my unbending rule of thumb is that I don't lie or make something up if I don't know the answer. But I do respond thoughtfully. So, let’s say a potential customer says, "What would happen if you modified the software? Would it make the system faster?" If I have no clue what would happen, I'm not going to pretend like I do. That could really damage the relationship. Likewise I'm not just going to blurt out, "Nah, I don't have a clue." Instead I say something like, "You know, that's an excellent question. I'd hate to guess on something that specific. So, I'm going to check with our lead developer on the product team. Let me do a bit of investigating and I'll get back to you by the end of the day." This would buy me a bit of time and get that prospect assurance that I know where to go for the answer. And then of course I'd follow up by the end of the day. Why this answer worked well:She made it clear she would be honest and forthcoming rather than just making something up.She shared how she would respond to a realistic scenario. She showed she was committed to following through. What kinds of things do you highlight when preparing presentations for clients? Candidate answer and feedback Over the years, I’ve created a three-step formula that seems to work for my clients, my employer, and me. My first step is always to research my audience. Who am I going to be speaking to, and what do I think they care about the most? You cannot influence others without knowing what their needs are first. Next, I outline the presentation before I start creating my slides. What are the most important points? How can I lead into this discussion with an interesting introduction and close in a memorable and compelling way? And last, I create it. I try to draw the audience in with a story that connects with them in a personal way. Then I outline two or three key points. No more than that. I don’t want to lose anyone’s attention. I stick to the most important topics and end with a call-to-action. A strong finish will make or break the entire presentation. I practice, but not too much. I want to sound natural and comfortable so the customer can feel engaged and want to come along in the direction I’m taking them. Why this answer worked well:She described how she researches her audience first.She talked about how she prepares the presentation so it flows in an ideal way.She explained the importance of closing strong. How do you manage (or fire) a toxic client? Candidate answer and feedback My company has a long-term client that I loved. Then they hired someone who became my new point person, and he clearly had plans to switch to a different supplier. But his CIO liked us, so it got messy. He started creating problems and pointing to our products as the cause. So, I started looking for ways to keep the account while keeping his job too. A delicate balance. I remembered seeing on his LinkedIn profile that he played college basketball. So, I bought courtside seats to a local game and invited him to join me. He was a bit surprised by this move, but he came anyway. We had a blast and hung out at a bar after. Once we were comfortable talking, I told him I have a hunch that he’s got another supplier in mind for the solution that we provide. He told me I was right, and he offered a few flimsy reasons why he wanted to bring in a company he’d worked with before. I just listened. I then told him I understood his logic and asked him if he’d consider giving us two months to improve the situation. If he wasn’t happy by then he could end the relationship. He agreed. And guess what? It worked out well. We had zero problems and we kept the account. Now, I consider this client a friend and we still go out together to watch basketball. Turns out he’s a really nice guy! Why this answer worked well:He shared a recent story of a customer who could have become a long-term pain or, worse, fired the candidate’s company. He shared his successful strategy. He talked about what he learned from that situation.He hinted that he’d be OK ending a relationship if that’s the best What would your clients say about you? Candidate answer and feedback I just received a lovely LinkedIn recommendation from a client that referred to me as the “calm in the storm.” Here’s the story: This customer is a global consumer products company we provide with ongoing event management services. Last year, we managed an event that coincided with a major product launch in Mexico City. We were working on a tight timeline, a lean budget and a lot of logistical issues to navigate. All eyes were on this project, and my client had just come back from a six-month medical leave. She had to dive right in the moment she returned to work and became overwhelmed by all that needed to be done. She called me to share her distress. I spent an hour on the phone with her, allowing her to get all of her stressors off her chest and then, one by one, I either tackled them or mitigated the issue she was anticipating. The event went really well and my client was commended for her work on the project. A month later, she renewed our contract. So, that was truly a win-win-win. I really appreciated how she described me because my job as a relationship manager is to help my clients succeed, take the worry out of their work, and be, as she said, “the calm in the storm” through big challenges and events. Why this answer worked well:She shared a story that highlighted how a client valued one of her favorite traits about herself. She showed how her behavior helped continue and strengthen the relationship with the client.

Amy (SALES PRO) has just completed a discovery call to prepare for her mock demo for H+ Sport Drinks. She’ll be pitching to three people on the H+ Sport team (POTENTIAL BUYERS) who will pretend they represent a chain of fitness centers looking for a new drink to sell. Amy has learned that this customer’s main interests in a drink are biodegradability, natural ingredients, 100% markup pricing, great taste, and white labeling. Now she's ready to present to them. Let’s see how she does. SALES PRO: Thanks so much, everyone, for the opportunity to present today. I'm so glad to be here, and I'm really excited about this role. I think that my experience in sales and as an ultra-marathoner will be super beneficial. So, is everyone psyched to start selling some drinks?! POTENTIAL BUYERS: Yeah! SALES PRO: Alright, so it seems like you have some amazing plans for growing the retail side of your business, and I love how thoughtful you're being about selecting the right products for your members, the environment, and, of course, your bottom-line goals. But what I'm hearing is that you need a few more grab-and-go hydration options other than your branded water bottles that people fill at the fill stations. Right? POTENTIAL BUYERS: Yes, yes. Definitely. SALES PRO: Awesome. But you're having a hard time finding products that meet your core criteria, right? POTENTIAL BUYERS: Yes. SALES PRO: Ones that are biodegradable, made of natural ingredients, and offer white labeling, yeah? POTENTIAL BUYER 1: Yup. We never realized how hard it would be to find a price point that's going to work for us. SALES PRO: I understand. That's a big part of what makes H+ Sports drinks so special. Our CEO, Henry Twill, was a trainer before he founded H+ Sports. Just like you, Brian. And that was back in 2006. He was also a marathon runner, so at every race he would see hundreds and hundreds of plastic water and energy drink bottles littering the race routes. And it made him mad to see how bad this was for the environment. He also hated that the energy drinks they passed out at the races were filled with unhealthy ingredients like sucrose, citric acid, artificial coloring. Yuck. So, he channeled that irritation into creating what today are the six core H+ Sports Drinks. He also hired a scientist, Phil Tang. Today Phil’s our head of product development, but Henry got him to create delicious, hydrating flavors that were only made of simple and natural ingredients. POTENTIAL BUYER 2: Out of these, what are your best selling flavors? SALES PRO: Our top two sellers are lemon lime and raspberry. Henry and Phil also answered another important challenge. These bottles here are 100% plastic-free and biodegradable. They compost within three weeks—even the bottle and the cap. POTENTIAL BUYER 1: So then what do you guys make it out of? SALES PRO: The bottle and the cap are made of corn, and the label is recycled paper. POTENTIAL BUYER 3: Yeah, but how do they taste? I mean, this sounds great and all, but our members are particular about what they put in their bodies. They need something that's good for them and replenishes. And let's be honest; they're not going to pay three bucks for a drink unless it tastes great. SALES PRO: That’s true! We did extensive market research on that. We used athletes and health-minded consumers across the globe, and we did taste testing with three national drink brands. What all of our studies showed was this: people love our drinks. I shared some of the studies with those packets I handed out. But let's try a few. All three POTENTIAL BUYERS try the H+ Sports drinks. SALES PRO: So what's your favorite flavor? POTENTIAL BUYER 1: I kind of like this blueberry one. POTENTIAL BUYER 2: Now I see why the lemon lime is your top seller. POTENTIAL BUYER 3: You know, I am not a fan of the peach, but this lemon lime, it's fantastic. SALES PRO: Yup. People love the lemon lime, and peach is a big seller in some regions. Especially in the South. Now, I want to be mindful of your time today, so let’s cover the last point that you said was critical: white labeling. We are very excited to partner with you guys and provide H+ Sports Drinks to all of your members. And yes, we can do white labeling. Depending on order volume, we can offer that at an additional 2-to-5% cost. Now, that'll keep you right at, or close to, your 100% markup goal without hitting your consumers with extra costs. So, it sounds like H+ Sports Drinks are marking off every box. Are you ready to talk about the pricing and how we could roll this out? POTENTIAL BUYER 1: Well, this is exactly what we were looking for. If we can come at a price point that makes sense, I say let’s do it. POTENTIAL BUYER 2: I agree. Let's do it. SALES PRO: Fantastic. So I will follow up with the three of you by Friday with a detailed proposal and a quote. POTENTIAL BUYER 3: Yeah, thank you so much for coming in today, Amy. We'll take a look at it together, and we can get back to you by Monday. POTENTIAL BUYERS: Yup, that works. SALES PRO: Great, and thanks for taking an opportunity to learn more about H+ Sports Drinks. Why this answer worked well:She did a discovery call that got her crucial information about the potential buyer.She jumped right into the demo with enthusiasm and was ready to address their specific goals and challenges. She kept it focused on the things that she knew they cared about. She asked for the sale and she committed to that next step.

Let's role play interacting with an angry customer. Jenny (CUSTOMER) is the head of operations for a food manufacturer who just learned that a big piece of equipment she bought from Susanna's (SALES PRO) company is slowing down her manufacturing line. Jenny’s upset about this and has just showed up at Susanna’s office to discuss it. CUSTOMER: Susanna, we have a problem here. SALES PRO: Oh goodness, Jenny. I'm sorry to hear that. Can you tell me what's going on? CUSTOMER: Our vacuum-packing equipment is malfunctioning again, and it's making our production line slow down. This is costing us thousands of dollars. I need somebody on your team to get this back up and running or I'm going to take your machines out of our production facilities. SALES PRO: I understand your urgency, Jenny. Let me get some more details on what's malfunctioning so I can share that information with Dwayne Rogers, our sales tech manager. We’ll get a team out there to take care of it as soon as possible. Can I get a few more specifics first? CUSTOMER: The vacuum pump is making this loud noise like eeek-eeek, and we're ending up with air bubbles in all of our products, so we're having to scrap a whole bunch of them. It's a mess. SALES PRO: This is definitely a timely issue, and I will make fixing this my highest priority. CUSTOMER: You know what? If you're thinking about sending that same tech that you sent the last time, think again. That guy didn't know a vacuum pump from a vacuum cleaner. SALES PRO: I completely understand your frustration, Jenny. I'm so sorry this is happening, and I will take care of this for you right away. So, let me get this information to Dwayne, and we will send out our most experienced technician and take care of that. Also, Jenny, once we take care of this initial situation, I would love to send out our director of engineering and our installation manager to the site just to prevent this from ever happening again. CUSTOMER: That would be great. SALES PRO: So, you'd be open to chatting about this once the dust settles? CUSTOMER: Yeah, I would appreciate that. Why this answer worked well:She didn't get defensive and she didn’t interrupt.She demonstrated accountability and empathy and offered to make fixing the situation a priority.She said she'd get back in touch to continue to strengthen the relationship.She used Jenny’s name several times, which made her feel heard.