Judgement Test Question 24 – The team disagrees about time spent with distressed customers
Read the scenario and rate every action independently. Several actions can receive the same rating.
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Scenario
Your advisory team handles calls from people who may be upset or confused. Niamh often spends much longer than the target call time with distressed customers. Some colleagues say this creates queues and accuse her of ignoring team pressure. Niamh says other officers end calls too quickly and leave people without help. Recent feedback supports both concerns: waiting times have increased, while some customers report feeling rushed. The guidance allows flexibility but gives little detail on when extra time is justified. You need to improve consistency and reduce tension within the team.
Rate the actions
For each action, choose Counterproductive, Ineffective, Fairly Effective or Effective.
Action A
Tell Niamh that every call must finish within the target time so the rest of the team is treated fairly.
Rate this action:
CounterproductiveIneffectiveFairly EffectiveEffective
Action B
Allow each officer to use personal judgement because customer conversations cannot be standardised.
Rate this action:
CounterproductiveIneffectiveFairly EffectiveEffective
Action C
Route all distressed customers to Niamh because she is willing to spend the time they need.
Rate this action:
CounterproductiveIneffectiveFairly EffectiveEffective
Action D
Use customer feedback and call examples in a team discussion. Agree when extra time is justified, set a support route for difficult calls and review the effect on waiting times.
Rate this action:
CounterproductiveIneffectiveFairly EffectiveEffective
Click to reveal the answer
- Action A: Counterproductive
- Action B: Ineffective
- Action C: Fairly Effective
- Action D: Effective
Members can unlock the detailed explanation for all four actions, including why each response helps, falls short or makes the situation worse.
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