At kickoff, you realise sales promised something the product cannot do. How do you handle it?
What the interviewer wants to hear
- Confirm the facts with sales and product
- Be honest with the customer quickly
- Offer workarounds or alternatives
- Involve leadership if needed for remedies
- Feed back to improve the sales process
Model answer
First I would check the facts with the salesperson and product, to understand exactly what was promised and what is possible. Then I would talk to the customer quickly and honestly, because the longer it waits, the worse it gets. I would acknowledge the misunderstanding without blaming my colleague publicly, explain what the product can do, and present the best workaround, integration or roadmap information that is confirmed. If the gap is serious, I would involve my manager and sales leadership to agree a fair remedy, such as adjusted terms or extra services. Afterwards, I would share the case with sales leadership and suggest a better handoff checklist, so promises are documented and checked before signing.
Can you answer it under time pressure?
Take a timed medium round and get scored on every answer.
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