If you are looking forward to working at Safeway, perhaps you are wondering what kind of interview questions they ask. Well, worry not because we’ve got you covered. Below are some common interviews questions to expect along with their samples answers.
1. What Makes You Stand Out From Other Candidates?
I have the skills and expertise you are looking for. I concentrate on the needs of the customers. Over the years I’ve worked as a courtesy clerk, I have acquired experience in handling all kinds of clients, from young to old. I have experience in handling all kinds of products including returned and damaged items. With this experience and skill set, I believe I’m the right person for this job.
2. Why Are You Interested In This Position?
I want to work as a courtesy clerk at Safeway because your company offers one of the best working environments in the US. Previously, I have been into your store as a customer and I’ve also visited other stores as well. In comparison, I found your store to offer better services than competitors. Besides, I like the courtesy clerk job because it keeps me active. I also find pleasure in assisting others to get satisfied and this position offers me a good opportunity to do that. I’m fulfilled when I help them pack and carry their produce and other items.
3. What Are The Main Duties Performed By ASafeway Courtesy Clerk?
Safeway courtesy clerks perform diverse roles based on their specific department. But every courtesy clerk performs some common duties. They are involved in loading purchased products into carts, helping customers to carry their purchased items and groceries to their vehicles, and retrieving carts from the parking area. They also maintain cleanliness in the stores and the clerk stand section as well as pick unpurchased items and return them to the stock shelves. They check the prices of items when asked to verify the same by cashiers. When requested by customers, they also assist them to select their shopping items. They also ensure that bags are not overloaded and that items or groceries are not damaged.
4. Which Department At Safeway Are You Most Comfortable With?
Over the years I’ve worked as a courtesy clerk, I’ve mostly leaned towards the fresh produce department. I’m an expert when it comes to handling fresh produce, perhaps because I’m a great cook. I have worked in settings with products that cater to different cultures. I know how to understand customers’ needs and suggest the best product that fits them. For these reasons, I would be most comfortable working in the fresh produce section. Nonetheless, I can still perform well in other departments at Safeway.
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5. Tell Us Anything You Know About Safeway
When I saw your advert for this position, I did some in-depth research about Safeway. Initially, I knew that it was a supermarket chain. Through my research, I discovered it was founded back in 1915. I also know it is headquartered in Pleasanton, California, and that it provides food, grocery items, and general merchandise. The working environment at Safeway is very clean and friendly. You also offer reasonable prices across all your products. Given a chance, I will contribute positively towards satisfying your customers and making it their store of choice whenever they want to purchase groceries and food.
6. I Have Noted That You Know A Little Bit About Our Brand. Do You Know Who Are Our Competitors?
Yes. I believe your competitors are big-box retailers such as Target, Kroger, and Walmart. Some of the local groceries could also be your competitors as well.
7. Are You Experienced In Handling Monetary Transactions?
During my previous roles, I was involved in handling cash transactions. I was able to perform this role effectively owing to my excellent math skills. I had a good reputation because of being an honest and trustworthy employee when it comes to handling money. As a cashier, I never discrepancies in my cashouts. Therefore, I have what it takes to handle monetary transactions appropriately and as required. Given a chance, I will leverage my experience to ensure I serve customers quickly while safeguarding the monetary assets of the company.
8. If Hired, What Do You Want To Have Achieved In Five Years?
My goal is to acquire more skills and experience in this role. Working at Safeway will offer me an opportunity to handle diverse products and serve different customers. Such an environment will help me to enhance my customer and product handling skills. I also expect to gain experience in two or more departments at the company. Besides, I’ll be skilled and experienced to handle more challenging tasks and deliver excellent service.
9. What Motivates You At Work?
There are several things that encourage me to keep going including learning new things and meeting my goals, targets, and deadlines. I get inspired when I help customers to find the product or items they need. I get motivated when I undertake a project and complete it successfully. I also get inspired when I handle problems that at some point challenged my skills and knowledge. I always learn new things in such situations. I also get encouraged when I coach and mentor other courtesy clerks in my team. I’m a team player. So, I’m motivated when I lead a team to success.
10. What Days And Hours Can You Work?
I am flexible when it comes to working days and times. I prefer to work during the day. However, I can fit well in any working hour or shift, whether from early in the morning to afternoon or noon hours to the evening. Besides, I am very comfortable working on weekdays. I can also create time to work on weekends or even holidays if a need arises. So, I can fit in any day-time schedule and work productively.
11. What Qualities Should A Good Courtesy Clerk Have?
To be successful in his or her work, a courtesy clerk needs to have excellent communication skills which include the ability to read as well as write. These skills help the clerk to communicate effectively with customers and offer them a great service. A courtesy clerk needs to have good eye-hand coordinating skills to be able to effectively perform duties that require the use of eyes and hands simultaneously. In addition, the clerk should be well-groomed, friendly, outgoing, and comfortable with helping others.
12. What Would You Do If You Accidentally Hit A Customer’s Car With A Shopping Cart?
I would first convey my apologies to the customer for knocking on his or her vehicle. I would go ahead and explain that the incident was not intentional. Rather, it was by accident that I hit the vehicle. I will also seek to respond to any concerns the customer may have. For instance, if the knocked spot developed a dent or another effect, I will work with the client to ensure all issues are settled.
13. Having In Mind That Stress At Work Is Inevitable,How Do You Handle Stressful Situations?
I believe that stress is inevitable at work. However, if properly managed, stress can have a positive impact on employee performance. Personally, I stay organized as well as plan for any eventuality. This helps me to reduce the stress that can emanate from work. If I find myself in a stressful situation that I didn’t foresee, I remain calm as I figure out how to solve it. This strategy has helped me to solve many challenging situations since it allows me to view difficult situations with purpose and clarity.
14. Describe A Situation When You Had To Handle Difficult Situations
In my previous role, we had a colleague who would continually complain about the work she had to do. At first, I didn’t take this seriously until I realized that this attitude was negatively affecting the other team members. I felt that something needed to be done. I decided to speak to her privately and I encouraged her to change her view regarding work and that at the end of the day she is the one to benefit. I made her see that doing different tasks will help her gain more skills and experience that will benefit her in the future and in her career. From that day, she has never complained over any given task. This also improved her relationship with all the other members who thought that she was lazy and that she was pulling the productivity of the company down.
15. If You Are Working On A High-Priority Task And A Customer Approaches You Looking For Help, What Would You Do?
If a customer approaches me seeking any kind of help, I would immediately pause what I’m doing and give them my full attention. I believe that customer service always should come first. I will listen to their needs, above all else. Once I get a grasp of what they need, I’ll offer my assistance appropriately even if it takes me away from the high-priority task for a moment. After I have the customer squared away, I’ll return and give that activity my full attention once more.
16. What Will You Do If You Experienced Astill Day At Work?
If I encounter a lull in my day, I will take it as an opportunity to handle routine work that needs to be covered such as refolding items, organizing clothing on racks as well as making sure that the area is in tip-top shape. I would also reach out to my coworkers and supervisor letting them know that I’m available to help in any way that could be beneficial to them.
17. Is There A Time When You Went Above And Beyond For Customer Service?
I have gone above and beyond for a customer countless times. For instance, one day it was raining heavily. I realized that one of my customers looked stuck in our store not knowing how to get into her car. Covering her with my umbrella, I escorted her to her car and she was very happy.
18. Describe A Time When You Wish You’d Handled Your Customer Service Responsibilities Better. What Would You Do Differently This Time?
There is a day I had a busy day. Towards the end, I was approached by a customer who wanted my assistance. I can attest that I did not have the best attitude while assisting them. My response was a bit curt though this is not my typical standard. I could tell that the client noticed it. When I realized this, I tried to adjust my attitude. Looking back, I regret that mistake. Today, I always take a beat before responding to a customer, and if I could go back, I’d use that technique now. Even a brief second allows me to check myself, ensuring I don’t let past frustrations influence the new interaction. It only takes a moment but allows me to refocus, enabling me to offer the customer the best experience possible.
19. Highlight A TimeWhen A Customer Was Not Happy With You
One day while I was arranging goods on the shelves., a customer bumped into me and fell since she had not seen me. She was concentrating on looking at items on the shelves and not where she was going. Unfortunately, she began to yell at me while also saying that she will sue the company. The outcry was very huge and she insisted that I had deliberately made her fall. This commotion made the manager to come over. He suggested that we watch the CCTV footage. From the footage, it was very clear that the fault was the customer. The supervisor asked me whether I wanted to press charges against the customer but I decided to let it go.
20. Explain To Mehow You Handle Priorities When You Have Multiple Tasks To Perform
I have very strong organizational skills that help me to stay focused and meet deadlines. Whenever I have multiple tasks to work on. I create a list that includes all the tasks on my laptop that are backed up on a cloud server. Following the list that I have created, I give quick attention to the tasks that are more important and urgent. In addition, I keep updating my list to avoid losing track. However, I am adaptable and flexible so I can switch tasks quickly depending on their priority. To avoid missing out on a deadline, I put in extra effort to work additional hours to ensure that all tasks are completed on time.
21. Do You Prefer Working Alone Or As A Team?
I am a hardworking person who can work either individually or as a team. I believe that the best ideas come forth while working in a team. Therefore, I would prefer to work with a team even if I can work individually.
22. What Value Will You Bring At Safeway Should You Get This Job?
I am a highly-skilled person who has had a lot of experience in retail. My customer service skills are excellent and I can handle complaints with ease. I can efficiently manage credit card payments, cash payments as well as make sure that cash drawers are properly balanced. Additionally, I’m well-versed in handling vendor relations, and can also assist with visual merchandising efforts.
23. If You Happen To Work With A Co-Worker Who Keeps Distracting You, How Would You Handle The Situation?
If I encounter such a situation, I would move forward with professional and direct communication. For instance, in my previous role, I was working with a colleague who would talk too much. He would ask for my attention including when I was busy with my daily tasks. It began to become extremely distracting since concentrating on my job was an issue yet it required accuracy. I decided to talk to that colleague that I needed to focus on my tasks during business hours and that I would prefer to chat after work or at lunch. To my surprise, he understood, apologized, and the situation improved.
24.Why Do You Want To Quit Your Current Job?
For those three years that I have worked with my current employer, I have gained a lot of experience, skills, and expertise. I am therefore seeking an opportunity with more challenges to help me grow professionally. I believe Safeway can offer me such an opportunity.
25. Do You Have Anything That You Will Miss Fromyour Current Position In Case You Get Hired Here?
I will be excited to get a chance to work at Safeway. I have always desired to join your team and contribute towards serving your customers and achieving your objectives. But I would also miss some things related to my current job. I would miss the good working relationship we have and my amazing supervisor and workmates. Nonetheless, I am sure these are things I can also find at Safeway.
Conclusion
These questions will help you to demonstrate that you are indeed the right candidate for the job. However, ensure to put on decent attire and also arrive early for the interview.
