Tell me about a time you identified an expansion or upsell opportunity. How did you work with sales on it?

What the interviewer is looking for

• This question tests expansion & advocacy. Spots growth opportunities from customer goals, partners with sales, and builds references without damaging trust.
• What to bring out: Spotting the need from customer goals, a clean handoff or joint plan with sales and keeping the customer's success central.
• Expect a follow-up like: How do you avoid seeming like you are only selling?

Another way it may be asked: Describe a time a customer needed more of your product. How did you and the sales team handle it?

A structure to follow: STAR, with the weight on Action and Result

1. Step 1

   Situation

   One or two sentences: where, when and what was at stake. Pick a real example you were close to.

2. Step 2

   Task

   What you personally were responsible for. Say "I", not only "we", so the expansion & advocacy you showed is visible.

3. Step 3

   Action

   The two or three things you did and why you chose them over the alternatives. This should be about half your answer.

4. Step 4

   Result

   What changed, in your own measure of it, and what you would do differently. Only use numbers you can stand behind.

This is guidance on shape, not a script. Use your own real experience and facts; never invent details to fill a gap. See the STAR guide and answer frameworks.

Common slips

• Describing what the team did without saying what you did.
• Choosing an example with no clear outcome, or one you cannot answer detailed questions about.
• Ending on the action and skipping the result and what you learned.

How to practise it

Write two bullet points for each STAR letter, then say the answer aloud in about two minutes.

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