17 STAR Interview Examples – ACAS
Adviser Role
1. Explaining complex Universal Credit policy to a distressed caller
**SITUATION:** A Universal Credit claimant called in distress, confused about deductions
from her payment.
**TASK:** My role was to explain the reason for the deductions clearly, and de-escalate her
distress while ensuring she felt supported.
**ACTION:** I listened patiently, reassured her, and used simple language to explain third-
party deductions. I checked her record for errors and signposted her to budgeting support.
**RESULT:** The claimant felt heard, understood the situation, and later submitted positive
feedback, thanking me for my clarity and empathy.
2. Advising impartially on a complaint involving multiple agents
**SITUATION:** In the complaints team, I received a case where a claimant had spoken to
several advisers and received inconsistent information.
**TASK:** I had to review each interaction, identify any failings, and give a fair outcome.
**ACTION:** I listened to the calls, compared the advice given to DWP policy, and provided
a clear, impartial response. I also gave feedback to the relevant team.
**RESULT:** The complaint was resolved professionally, with the customer accepting the
explanation. Our internal team also adjusted training as a result of my findings.
3. Influencing a claimant to de-escalate and follow complaint procedures
**SITUATION:** A caller was demanding to speak to a manager and refusing to listen to
process.
**TASK:** I needed to de-escalate the call and guide the customer towards formal
resolution.
**ACTION:** I acknowledged his frustration, reflected his concerns back, and calmly
explained the complaints process and timescales.
**RESULT:** He calmed down and agreed to proceed via the official channel. The call was
closed respectfully and without escalation.
4. Promoting early resolution of complaints with empathy and fairness
**SITUATION:** A claimant was angry about a payment delay and wanted to escalate
immediately.
**TASK:** I needed to help him understand the issue and avoid a lengthy complaints
process.
**ACTION:** I validated his concerns, explained what had gone wrong, and offered to
resolve it informally with the relevant team.
**RESULT:** He agreed, and the issue was resolved within 24 hours. He withdrew his
complaint and thanked me for being solution-focused.
5. Collaborating with colleagues to improve call quality
**SITUATION:** As complaints support, I noticed a trend in poor call-handling related to
payment date explanations.
**TASK:** I needed to share insights and improve agent performance.
**ACTION:** I presented my findings at a team meeting and suggested a call script revision.
I also offered to deliver a short refresher session.
**RESULT:** Call quality scores on that topic improved the following month, and confusion
was reduced.
6. Managing a vulnerable caller with potential safeguarding concerns
**SITUATION:** A Universal Credit claimant disclosed suicidal thoughts due to sanctions.
**TASK:** I had to handle this sensitively and escalate appropriately.
**ACTION:** I remained calm, kept the caller engaged, and contacted the safeguarding team
while staying on the line.
**RESULT:** The caller received immediate support, and a referral was made. I was
commended for my professionalism and empathy.
7. Clarifying complex policy for a confused employer
**SITUATION:** A small business owner called, confused about SSP (Statutory Sick Pay)
eligibility.
**TASK:** I needed to explain the eligibility criteria clearly.
**ACTION:** I broke it down into steps, checked [Link] to ensure accuracy, and provided
follow-up guidance by signposting to HMRC.
**RESULT:** The caller left confident in their next steps and thanked me for making the law
easy to understand.
8. Taking responsibility for a service failure and offering resolution
**SITUATION:** A claimant had been given incorrect advice, which led to a payment delay.
**TASK:** I had to take ownership, apologise, and offer practical steps.
**ACTION:** I acknowledged the error, explained what should have happened, and
expedited a payment correction.
**RESULT:** The claimant felt their issue had been taken seriously and thanked me for the
honesty and resolution.
9. Maintaining high standards during high-call-volume periods
**SITUATION:** During the cost-of-living crisis, call volumes spiked dramatically.
**TASK:** I had to maintain quality under pressure.
**ACTION:** I managed my time, took short resets between calls, and used knowledge
articles to speed up advice delivery.
**RESULT:** I consistently met quality scores and contributed to team targets being
exceeded that month.
10. Encouraging feedback to improve service
**SITUATION:** A caller was impressed with the support provided but unsure how to give
feedback.
**TASK:** I wanted to encourage her to participate in our customer survey.
**ACTION:** I explained the purpose of the survey and how it helps improve the service,
and she agreed to take part.
**RESULT:** Her feedback was submitted and mentioned me by name. It was used in a
team-wide recognition email.
11. Coaching a new colleague on managing emotional calls
**SITUATION:** A new starter struggled with emotionally charged calls.
**TASK:** As someone experienced in complaints, I offered informal mentoring.
**ACTION:** I shared de-escalation phrases and stress management techniques.
**RESULT:** The colleague reported increased confidence and improved call quality in the
next review.
12. Identifying a training need from repeated complaints
**SITUATION:** I noticed multiple complaints stemmed from confusion around change of
circumstances.
**TASK:** I wanted to reduce complaints by improving front-line advice.
**ACTION:** I raised this trend with my manager and recommended a knowledge bulletin.
**RESULT:** A mini training pack was issued, and related complaints dropped over the next
quarter.
13. Staying calm while under pressure from an aggressive caller
**SITUATION:** A claimant became verbally aggressive, demanding immediate escalation.
**TASK:** I needed to stay calm, uphold policy, and protect my wellbeing.
**ACTION:** I used calming phrases, maintained a steady tone, and explained I would end
the call if abuse continued. I followed through when he did not calm down.
**RESULT:** I upheld professional standards and logged the incident for review, which
reinforced our zero-tolerance policy.
14. Analysing call data to spot a service issue
**SITUATION:** Reviewing complaints data, I saw a pattern of misadvice about backdating
claims.
**TASK:** I needed to investigate and feed back.
**ACTION:** I sampled 10 recent calls, found knowledge gaps, and recommended an update
to the internal knowledge system.
**RESULT:** The change was implemented, and complaints dropped by 60% in this area.
15. Providing impartial advice to a caller reporting workplace discrimination
**SITUATION:** A caller claimed they were discriminated against due to a disability.
**TASK:** I had to explain rights under the Equality Act without taking sides.
**ACTION:** I carefully asked questions, then explained what constitutes discrimination
and what steps they could consider.
**RESULT:** The caller felt supported and better equipped to raise concerns internally or
consider mediation.
16. Managing own time effectively when handling urgent complaints
**SITUATION:** I was given five complex complaints, each needing a quick turnaround.
**TASK:** I had to prioritise without compromising on quality.
**ACTION:** I triaged them based on urgency, flagged one to management, and completed
the others methodically with notes.
**RESULT:** All were resolved on time, with no quality issues. My time management was
noted in performance review.
17. Using influencing skills to reduce inappropriate escalations
**SITUATION:** A claimant wanted to escalate because they disagreed with the eligibility
rules.
**TASK:** I had to explain the rules and avoid unnecessary escalation.
**ACTION:** I calmly explained the legal framework and why advisers must follow policy,
not opinion. I encouraged the caller to focus on what actions they could take.
**RESULT:** The caller accepted my explanation and didn’t escalate further.