# **Phone Screening Protocol: Customer Support Specialist** **Objective:** Standardized 25-minute screen to filter for 1+ year in a customer-facing role and clear, empathetic communication under pressure. **Interviewer Guidelines:** Control pace, stick to script, document in real-time. Avoid ad-libbing or discussing salary, benefits, or specific start dates. Conclude on time. --- ### **1. Standardized Opener & Logistics Check (2-3 minutes)** "Hello [Candidate Name], this is [Your Name] from [Company]’s Talent team. Thanks for making time today. The purpose of this brief 25-minute call is to discuss the Customer Support Specialist role and your background. Before we begin, let me quickly confirm a couple of logistics: * Are you still located in [Candidate’s City/State]? * Are you applying for Full-Time, Regular business hours (8 AM - 5 PM [Time Zone], Monday-Friday)? * If we moved forward, the next step would be a 45-minute video interview with the hiring manager. Are you available for interviews over the next two weeks? Great. Let's jump in." ### **2. The 3-Minute Motivation Check (3 minutes)** * **Question 1:** "What attracted you to apply for this Customer Support Specialist role at [Company] specifically?" * **Question 2:** "Based on your understanding, what do you think are the top two responsibilities of someone in this position on a daily basis?" ### **3. Core Competency Sprint (12-15 minutes)** **Interviewer Note:** *Listen for concrete examples, clarity, and a customer-centric tone. Pace is key.* * **Question 1: Experience Verification (Knockout Question)** * **Script:** "Can you walk me through your relevant experience? Please focus on roles where you were directly responsible for helping customers, whether on the phone, via chat, or email. I'm specifically listening for at least one year of experience in these types of customer-facing positions." * **Pass/Fail Criterion:** **FAIL** if they cannot articulate at least one year of professional, customer-facing experience (can be across roles). Retail, hospitality, and direct service roles qualify. Vague or purely internal support roles without external customer interaction do **not** meet the bar. * **Question 2: Empathetic Communication** * **Script:** "Tell me about a time a customer was frustrated or upset. What was the situation, and what were the specific steps you took to de-escalate and resolve it?" * **Probe for:** Use of empathetic language ("I understand why that's frustrating"), taking ownership, calm demeanor, and a clear resolution path. * **Question 3: Communication Under Pressure** * **Script:** "Describe a time you had to handle a high volume of customer requests or a difficult issue with a tight deadline. How did you prioritize, communicate, and ensure nothing fell through the cracks?" * **Probe for:** Systems for tracking (ticket queues, lists), clear communication to the customer about timelines, and maintaining accuracy/composure. ### **4. Rapid-Fire Scorecard** **Candidate:** _________________________ **Screener:** _________________________ **Date:** _________________________ | **Competency** | **Question** | **Rating (1-3)** | **Notes / Evidence** | **Flag for Review?** | | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | | **Motivation & Understanding** | Q1 & Q2 from Motivation Check | 1-3 | - | ☐ Yes / ☐ No | | **1+ Yr Cust-Facing Exp (KNOCKOUT)**| Experience Verification | **PASS / FAIL** | *[Note specific roles & dates]* | **N/A** | | **Empathetic Communication**| Frustrated Customer Example | 1-3 | - | ☐ Yes / ☐ No | | **Comms Under Pressure**| High-Volume/Tight Deadline | 1-3 | - | ☐ Yes / ☐ No | | **Overall Communication Clarity**| Assessed throughout call | 1-3 | *[Tone, pace, articulation]* | ☐ Yes / ☐ No | **Scoring Guide:** * **3 = Strong:** Clear, concise, relevant example demonstrating the exact competency. * **2 = Moderate:** Relevant example but lacking detail or a key element of the competency. * **1 = Weak:** Vague, hypothetical, or unrelated response. * **Flag for Review:** Use for ambiguous answers, red flags, or if you need a second opinion. **DISPOSITION:** ☐ **Move Forward** (No Flags, Pass on Knockout, Majority 2s & 3s) ☐ **Reject** (Fail on Knockout OR Majority 1s) ☐ **Flag for Team Review** (See notes above) ### **5. Candidate Q&A Prompt (2-3 minutes)** **Script:** "I have about two minutes left. Do you have any questions for me about the role, the team, or the interview process that I can clarify based on what we've discussed?" **What NOT to Promise/Divulge:** * Do not speculate on salary. Redirect: "Compensation for this role is based on experience and is finalized at the offer stage. The recruiter can share the range in the next interview if you advance." * Do not guarantee specific start dates, benefits details, or remote work arrangements. Redirect: "Those specifics are finalized with an offer. Our careers page has good overview information." * Do not give feedback on their performance or likelihood of next steps. Close: "Thank you for your time. The hiring team will review all notes, and you will hear from our team via email regarding next steps within [standard timeline, e.g., 3 business days]." **Close:** "Our time is up. Thank you again, [Candidate Name]. Have a great day." --- **Compliance & Bias Reminder:** This script is designed for consistency. Ask questions as written. Do not make assumptions or ask about protected characteristics (age, family, health, etc.). Evaluate only the job-related criteria outlined.