What to screen for in the first round
Most support roles get far more applicants than a recruiter can call, and the resumes look alike: a few years in a contact center, a help desk tool or two, "excellent communication skills". The traditional phone screen ends up checking availability and pay expectations, which a form can do, and very little about how the person actually handles customers.
A first round for support should tell you four things:
- Empathy that leads somewhere. Acknowledging frustration is easy. The good candidates move from acknowledgement to a concrete next step.
- Clear explanations. Can they explain a policy or a fix to someone who does not share their vocabulary?
- Judgment under pressure. Knowing what they can promise, what they cannot, and when to hand over.
- Ownership. Following up, writing things down, closing the loop.
Because the candidate answers out loud, you hear their spoken explanations directly. That is close to the real job for phone and voice support, and a fair proxy for chat, where you can ask how they would word a reply.
Example questions
Examples
We wrote these for this page to show the kind of questions that work. Infyva generates the questions for your role from your own job description. On Pro and Enterprise you can use a fixed question bank instead.
A customer writes in for the third time about the same billing error and says they are about to cancel. Walk me through your first reply.
A strong answer acknowledges the repeat contact specifically, takes ownership of the outcome, says what will happen next and by when, and avoids promising a refund they cannot authorize.
Explain to a customer who is not technical why they need to clear their browser cache, and how to do it.
Look for plain words, one step at a time, and a check that it worked. Jargon or a wall of steps is a weaker answer.
Tell me about a time you had to tell a customer no. What did you say, and what happened after?
A real example with the actual wording, an alternative they offered, and the result. Generic answers ("I always stay positive") score low.
You are handling five chats and one customer reports what sounds like a security issue with their account. What do you do?
They prioritize the security report, follow an escalation path, keep the other customers informed, and write a handover note.
How do you keep track of follow-ups you promised customers?
A specific system (ticket status, reminders, notes) and an example of a follow-up that mattered.
How the answers are scored
Each answer is transcribed and scored against the competencies on the job's scorecard, with a short written explanation of the score. Nova's customer-facing profile ships with a scorecard built for persuasion-heavy roles (discovery, qualification, objection handling, motivation). For support, most teams start from the general profile, which scores communication, experience fit, problem solving and role alignment, and then edit the competencies to match the job. A support scorecard we would suggest:
| Competency | Suggested weight | A 5 looks like |
|---|---|---|
| Empathy and de-escalation | 30% | Names the customer's problem and moves to a concrete next step |
| Clear explanation | 25% | Plain words, ordered steps, checks understanding |
| Judgment and escalation | 25% | Knows the limits of their authority and the right handover |
| Ownership | 20% | Specific follow-up habits with a real example |
A competency score cannot sit more than 15 points above the answer it cites as evidence, so the scorecard cannot run ahead of what the candidate actually said. Accent, tone of voice and speaking style are not scored. If someone answers fewer than three questions, the report says there is not enough evidence to make a recommendation.
What the report shows
- A recording of every answer, stored on its own so you can jump straight to the one you care about.
- The full transcript, question by question.
- Per-competency scores with the reasoning, plus strengths and concerns.
- Integrity notes tied to the answer they happened on: leaving the tab, pasting, and the optional face presence check if the candidate allowed it.
Share the report with a team lead by link. They can listen and read without an Infyva account. Then move the candidate along the pipeline, from Screened to Interviewed and on to Offer.
Tips for support roles
- Keep it short. Five or six questions is plenty for a first round, and candidates often apply while working another shift.
- Write the job description around real situations: your channels, ticket volume, tools and escalation rules. The questions will follow. Our job description guide shows how.
- On Pro and Enterprise, use the same fixed question bank for everyone hired into the same queue, so scores compare cleanly. Our structured interviews guide explains why.
- Listen to at least the top few candidates yourself. The scores tell you where to look; the recordings tell you who you want on the phones.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use my own questions for support roles?
Yes. By default Infyva writes questions from your job description. On Pro and Enterprise you can also switch a job to your own fixed question bank, so every candidate gets exactly the same questions.
Does a strong accent or a nervous delivery lower the score?
No. Infyva scores what the candidate says against the job's competencies. Accent, tone of voice and speaking style are not evaluated.
Can candidates interview outside office hours?
Yes. Candidates open their invite link and take the interview when it suits them, which matters for people applying while they work shifts in another job.
Can I test written replies, like chat or email support?
Not directly today. Infyva interviews are spoken, with a code editor only for coding questions. A spoken question such as "How would you word your reply to this customer?" shows much of the same judgment; test writing itself in a later step.