Selection criteria · updated November 2026

Customer service: how to address it

"Well-developed customer service skills" is one of the selection criteria the APSC gives as a common example. Here's how to turn it into evidence a panel can score.

What panels look for

Understanding what the customer actually needed
Staying calm and professional when things were difficult
Solving the problem, not just passing it on
A measurable outcome: resolution, feedback, repeat contact reduced

Answer these four questions

SWho was the customer and what was the problem?

TWhat were you responsible for?

AHow did you handle it — listening, explaining, following up?

RHow was it resolved, and what feedback or results followed?

Example response (fictional)

As a customer service team leader, I took over a complaint from a customer who had been transferred four times about an incorrect bill and was very frustrated. I needed to resolve it and restore trust. I listened to the full history without interrupting, confirmed the error with billing, arranged a corrected bill and a goodwill credit, and called back two days later to confirm it had arrived. The customer withdrew their complaint, and I used the case to fix the transfer step that had caused the loop.

Weak vs strong

WeakI am passionate about delivering excellent customer service.

StrongI resolved a complaint from a customer who had been transferred four times by owning the issue end-to-end, then fixed the transfer step that caused the loop.

Write your "customer service" response

The builder is pre-set with this criterion. Add your own STAR example and get a response you can edit and paste.

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Common questions

How do I address "well-developed customer service skills"?

Give one or two specific examples using STAR: the situation, your task, what you did, and the result. Show it — don't just claim it.

Can I reuse the same example for different criteria?

Sometimes, if it genuinely shows both — but panels prefer a spread of examples. Use your strongest example where it fits best.