Tell me about a time when you had to negotiate with someone to reach an agreement. What was the situation and how did you handle it?
RoleCustomer Service Representative
DifficultyEasy
TopicBehavioral
Asked at
Why This Is Asked
Though labeled a senior-management topic, negotiation skills are transferable; for a sales associate, this tests your ability to handle customer returns, discounts, and conflict resolution professionally.
General Approach
Use the STAR format to describe a real negotiation experience (even from school or community). Highlight active listening, offered trade-offs, and a clear positive outcome that maintained the relationship.
General Answer
Start by picking a real incident, even a small one, like handling a customer who wanted a discount on an item that was already marked down, or a classmate who refused to do their part in a group project. Explain the situation in two or three sentences, then move straight into what you actually said and did. Say plainly that you first listened to the other person's position without interrupting, then repeated their main concern back to them to show you understood it. From there, describe the trade-off you proposed, something that gave them value while still protecting your store's policy or your own limits. For example, you might say you offered a small freebie or a replacement item instead of a further price cut, and you explained the reasoning behind it, such as the item being final sale. Then close with the result: the customer accepted, you kept the relationship positive, and the store's rules stayed intact. In a Philippine retail setting, this shows you can be firm yet courteous, which is exactly what managers want to hear.
PH Interview Gotcha
Avoid sounding overly apologetic or indirect: 'Sige po, baka puwede lang po kahit mababa lang, sorry po sa abala.' Instead, state your request clearly and propose mutual benefits: 'I understand your rate. We can offer promotion and take full responsibility for any damages to make this work for both sides.'
Sample STAR Answer▾
S
Situation
In my last semester, our organization planned a community feeding program but the original venue provider backed out a week before the event. We needed a new location fast and had a very limited budget.
T
Task
I was assigned to approach the owner of a nearby covered court and negotiate a rental fee that our organization could afford, while also convincing him of the event's social impact.
A
Action
I visited the owner with a proposal letter and a sample menu. I acknowledged his standard rate but explained our nonprofit nature, offered to do a post-event cleanup and share photos of the program on our social media page as a form of goodwill promotion. When he hesitated, I asked clarifying questions: what were his main concerns? He mentioned liability for any damages. I immediately volunteered to draft a simple agreement where our organization would take full responsibility for minor repairs if needed.
R
Result
The owner agreed to a 60% discount and we successfully held the feeding program for 150 children. He even attended and later gave us a reference for future events.
Key Takeaway
Listening carefully to the other party's concerns builds trust and unlocks win-win solutions.
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