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| Behavior |
Question: |
| Awareness
to Detail |
| Let them know of
your reputation
for accuracy
especially in
relation to
authorizing
payment of
invoices and
return of
merchandise; You
take full
responsibility for
your work. |
Is detail
important to you?
Maybe you leave
the details to
your assistant!
Give me some
examples of your
attention to
detail as a buyer. |
| Communication
skills |
| Is confident in
conducting staff
meetings with
sales personnel
when introducing
new merchandise.
Can adapt their
presentation to
the audience they
are facing. Breaks
up the complex
information so
that it is easily
understood. |
Give me an
example of when
you had to make a
presentation to
staff regarding a
new range of
stock. |
| Conflict
Resolution skills |
| Takes steps to
stop the mistake
from happening
again by making
the supplier aware
of their error in
a polite but firm
manner; leaves the
supplier in no
doubt that a
repeat will not be
acceptable. |
How have you
handled a
situation where a
supplier has made
a serious mistake?
What steps did you
take? How did it
affect your
relationship with
this supplier as a
buyer? |
| Customer
service |
| Tackles problems
head on, can
create successful
long-term customer
service processes. |
What approach do
you normally take
to difficult
customer service
problems? Please
give me a recent
example? What were
the issues
involved? How did
you solve them? |
| Can handle all
types of clients,
is not intimidated
by aggressive
clients, does not
becomes emotional
with them,
divorces their
attitude from the
sales issues
involved. |
Tell me about
the most difficult
client you have
had as a buyer?
Why was he/she so
difficult? How did
you handle them? |
| Interpersonal
skills |
| Will not shy or
procrastinate from
telling suppliers
necessary but
unpleasant news if
their services
have not been up
to standard, does
so forcefully but
diplomatically. |
Tell me about a
time you had to
tell a supplier -
things they did
not want to hear? |
| Does not shy
away from
confrontation,
does not let
things become
personal but deals
with the issues
firmly. |
Tell me how you
handle
confrontation?
Give me a recent
example? |
| Continually
building up your
network of
suppliers and
vendors, uses such
contacts to
achieve company
and personal
professional
goals. |
How frequently
do you add
contacts to your
address book? Do
you think it is
worth building a
network of
suppliers? |
| Listening
skills |
| Listens and communicates
closely with
vendors to obtain
and develop
desired products.
Has the confidence
to clarify points
and issues during
a group
discussion. Gets
others to fully
participate in
discussions, and
expand upon their
ideas, listens
attentively to all
views expressed,
observes vocal
tones and body
language? |
Give an example
of a time when you
had to ask direct
questions to
clarify an
important issue
during a
discussion with
vendors. |
| Negotiation
Skills |
| Excellent
ability to
negotiate prices,
discount
percentages and
transport
arrangements for merchandise; Applies
a structured
approach to
negotiations, and
sees the different
motivations,
interests and
objectives of all
parties involved. |
Tell me about a
successful
negotiation that
you led as a buyer.
What were the main
factors in your
success? |
| Plenty of
examples to show
your ability to
select and
purchase quality
merchandise which
meets
specifications at
the most favorable
price and terms.
Has the capacity
to employ
effective
negotiating
skills; can
imagine the
situation from
clients viewpoint
and suggests
mutually
beneficial
solutions. |
Tell me about
the last time you
used your
negotiating skills
to win a large
price discount? |
| Pressure |
| Strong examples
of performing in
pressurized
conditions with
equal
effectiveness if
not more so. |
Give me an
example of an
occasion when you
successfully used
your skills in an
emotional
situation where an
important supplier
was threatening to
stop supplying
their goods. |
| Problem
solving abilities |
| Describe your
systems to analyze
and monitor sales
records, to
monitor trends and
economic
conditions which
provide clues to
consumer buying
patterns; mention
your success in
predicting what
the company will
sell and how much
inventory is
needed. |
Tell me about a
time when you
correctly
predicted a demand
for a new product?
How were you able
to do that? How
would you advice
others who wanted
to develop this
skill? |
| Maintains close
contacts with
sales and
purchasing
personnel to
obtain and update
information about
customer needs and
preferences; Looks
at things from the
customers point of
view; wants
genuinely to solve
their problems;
has a solid
history of
successful problem
solving at the
highest level. |
Tell me about a
recent purchase
that best
demonstrates your
ability to solve a
customer's
problem? |
| Technology
skills |
| Adapts their
presentation to
their audience.
Can communicate
complex
information
succinctly,
clearly,
persuasively and
confidently. Can
master their brief
and can field
tough questions on
it. |
Tell me about a
time when you had
to make a
presentation to a
group of major
clients. Did you
get your message
across
persuasively? |
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