Interview Help !

[Royboy]

Hi, it’s been a while since I’ve posted on here but I’ve got a interview on Thursday and running through some possible Competency questions

Does anyone have a good answer for this question ?

• Describe an instance where you had to make a decision between the priorities of a supervisor or a client.

thanks in advance 👍

[Dave at kelton]

21 minutes ago, Royboy said:

Hi, it’s been a while since I’ve posted on here but I’ve got a interview on Thursday and running through some possible Competency questions

Does anyone have a good answer for this question ?

• Describe an instance where you had to make a decision between the priorities of a supervisor or a client.

thanks in advance 👍

Without clients we don’t have a business so I delayed what my supervisor had on my agenda to assist a client demonstrating we pride ourselves on providing a first class customer service. Leave you to make up the facts.

[Royboy]

Excellent 👍  sounds good to me

cheers mate 

[ditchman]

i would never let down my work force or wrongly back up a client against my supervisor..............if you treat your workforce as expendable....you will end up with no workforce or a workforce you could never trust..........if those are the sort of clients you deal with that want you to prositute yourself before them.....you are dealing with the wrong clients............

[Dave66]

You may need a more specific example to talk about, if they are using "Targeted Selection" style interviewing, you will need to describe the Situation, the Task you were doing, the Action you took, also the Result, together these are normally referred to as STARs, and what you get scored on. Try and rehearse an answer.

[team tractor]

I heard a little thing the other day .

 

without followers you can’t be a leader . 
 

since this I’ve treated my lads totally different. I’d like to say we all work harder too now . 
Staff first 

[chrisjpainter]

1 hour ago, Royboy said:

Hi, it’s been a while since I’ve posted on here but I’ve got a interview on Thursday and running through some possible Competency questions

Does anyone have a good answer for this question ?

• Describe an instance where you had to make a decision between the priorities of a supervisor or a client.

thanks in advance 👍

@Dave at kelton's advice is good, however it does depend on your situation and career. There are plenty of times where the supervisor's priority will be safety and the client's will be getting the job done. In tree surgery, if the supervisor's not happy with the safety of a job, the client can argue until he's blue in the face, the job still shouldn't happen until the safety parameters are met. We'd just have to explain to the customer why his priorities can't supersede safety. That sort of thing isn't applicable in all lines of work, but it's something to think about? 

[Dave at kelton]

27 minutes ago, chrisjpainter said:

@Dave at kelton's advice is good, however it does depend on your situation and career. There are plenty of times where the supervisor's priority will be safety and the client's will be getting the job done. In tree surgery, if the supervisor's not happy with the safety of a job, the client can argue until he's blue in the face, the job still shouldn't happen until the safety parameters are met. We'd just have to explain to the customer why his priorities can't supersede safety. That sort of thing isn't applicable in all lines of work, but it's something to think about? 

Agreed. Depends whether you are in a service industry or one as you describe!

[Royboy]

It’s a vehicle mechanic role but at a big company so I guess safety would come into it ? I’ll have to think of a situation this has happened, I’ve been told to use the star effect. I feel like my heads going to explode ! 

[JohnfromUK]

I don't see that there is enough information to give a clear cut answer.  For example, two scenarios;

• Client wants his goods despatched today, but supervisor says 'no' because final safety testing can't be completed until tomorrow.  Supervisor right (in my view).  Safety and law must come first.
• Supervisor wants goods sent out today to meet target, but client wants to wait until his transport can collect tomorrow.  In this case I would be inclined to try and satisfy the client.

There are lots of examples - but (in my view) - there is a priority list - and keeping both safe and legal (and thus protecting people and the employers interests) are at the top.  After that, 'happy client' is near the top (above 'happy supervisor).

[Robden]

To be fair, I've known/had supervisors that don't know what the hell they're doing, and only have the job because of who they know. 

[yates]

1 hour ago, Robden said:

To be fair, I've known/had supervisors that don't know what the hell they're doing, and only have the job because of who they know. 

You've obviously worked for Aldi then. My God the supervisors are truly inept where I currently work

[Dave66]

Hi Roy, for STARs think about a real example that has happened and build on it, it is about what action you did, and the result, not a theoretical scenario.

Think about a time a customer came in with a persistent fault, it was the first time the job was allocated to you, supervisor wanted a quick in and out, you checked out the car, no immediate faults, supervisor pressing you to get the car back outside for the customer, you had a read of the previous customer complaints you had not got on the job card, noticed something other technicians had missed, had a look on manufacturers tech site and warranty claims database, found a similar issue that was the same model of car, rechecked and think you know the problem and the fix........then back to supervisor to explain why you had spent an extra hour or two on the car and the work needed to fix it, result, car fixed and not returned with same fault, happy customer with faith in garage restored, supervisor respects your judgement call in this type of problem. You knew the customer was very dissatisfied and also the car was crucial for their mobility, so you wanted to get it right for the customer, but also retain a professional relationship with your supervisor.

 

[Royboy]

Thanks for the reply’s guys, much appreciated