Norfolk Southern Assessment Tests

Norfolk Southern Situational Judgement Test

1. Question 1 of 10

   You work for an agricultural contractor. Arriving at a farm to spray a crop you see that the field borders a stream and the wind has picked up well beyond the limit stated on the product label for spraying near water. The farmer is keen for it to be done today because he is away for a week from tomorrow. Your operations manager is contactable. Which response below would be most effective, and which would be least effective?

   1. Spray the parts of the field away from the stream and leave the strip beside the water for another day, without contacting anyone.
   2. Spray the field as booked, keeping as far from the stream as the machine allows, since the farmer is away from tomorrow and there is no other chance this week.
   3. Wait a couple of hours to see whether the wind drops, and spray the whole field if it does, since the farmer needs it done before he goes away.
   4. Tell the farmer you cannot spray next to the stream in this wind, ring your operations manager to agree what can be done, and arrange another date or a different approach.
   Show the answer

   Most effective: D. Tell the farmer you cannot spray next to the stream in this wind, ring your operations manager to agree what can be done, and arrange another date or a different approach.

   Least effective: B. Spray the field as booked, keeping as far from the stream as the machine allows, since the farmer is away from tomorrow and there is no other chance this week.

   A: Substitutes own judgement for the stakeholder's: a partial application changes the agronomy and the invoice, and deciding to split the job is the operations manager's call, not one to be taken alone in a field.

   B: Breaches a legal control on a known risk: the label limit near water exists to prevent contamination of a watercourse, and exceeding it to suit a diary is a deliberate breach with an environmental consequence that cannot be undone.

   C: Delays the decision: waiting is reasonable and nobody has been told, so if the wind does not drop the afternoon has gone and the farmer has still made no alternative arrangements.

   The most effective response is to tell the farmer you cannot spray next to the stream in this wind and ring your operations manager to agree what can be done: the label limit near water is not negotiable, he needs to know today because he leaves tomorrow, and your manager can decide whether another date, another operator or a different product is possible. Raising it immediately keeps every option open. It beats waiting a couple of hours to see whether the wind drops, because that spends the day without telling anyone and leaves him no time to arrange an alternative if it does not. It beats spraying the parts away from the stream and leaving the strip beside the water, because splitting the field changes the job and the invoice, which is not a decision to take alone at the gate. The least effective response is spraying as booked, keeping as far from the stream as the machine allows: it goes beyond the label limit beside a watercourse to suit a diary, a deliberate breach with consequences that cannot be reversed. That is worse than the other two, which mishandle the decision but do not contaminate a stream. The principle: when a legal or safety limit blocks the job, say so at once and get the alternatives decided by whoever owns them.

2. Question 2 of 10

   You are a shift leader at a fast food restaurant. The lunchtime rush is at its peak, one till is broken and a delivery driver is waiting. A customer at the front of the queue tells you loudly that the service is a disgrace and that he has been waiting fifteen minutes. Other customers are listening. Your restaurant manager is in the office at the back and can be called. Which response below would be most effective, and which would be least effective?

   1. Apologise and call the restaurant manager out from the office to handle the complaint while you keep the queue moving.
   2. Apologise for the wait, explain that a till is down, tell him how long his order will now be, and get it moving as the next one out.
   3. Apologise, offer him a refund or a free meal to make up for the wait, and move on to the next customer in the queue.
   4. Tell him that everyone in the queue is waiting the same amount of time and ask him to be patient like the other customers who are not complaining about it.
   Show the answer

   Most effective: B. Apologise for the wait, explain that a till is down, tell him how long his order will now be, and get it moving as the next one out.

   Least effective: D. Tell him that everyone in the queue is waiting the same amount of time and ask him to be patient like the other customers who are not complaining about it.

   A: Passes responsibility to others: it takes the manager off other work for something you can settle in a sentence, and the customer waits again while she comes out.

   C: Over-promises: it buys him off before finding out whether his food is two minutes away, and it does it loudly enough that the rest of the queue learn complaining is the fastest route to a free meal.

   D: Personalises the conflict: it answers his tone by putting him down in front of the queue, which turns one complaint into a public argument and invites everyone listening to take a side.

   The most effective response is to apologise for the wait, explain that a till is down, tell him how long his order will now be, and get it moving as the next one out: what he actually lacks is information and his food, so that answers all of it in one exchange and keeps the queue moving. It beats offering him a refund or a free meal, because compensation offered before you know how close his order is spends money to solve a problem that a two-minute wait may already be solving, and teaches the queue that complaining works. It beats calling the restaurant manager out from the office to handle the complaint, because that makes him wait again for the very thing he is angry about, when you can answer it yourself. The least effective response is telling him everyone is waiting the same and asking him to be patient: it answers his frustration by criticising him in front of the queue, which converts one impatient customer into a public argument in the middle of your busiest hour. That is worse than the other two, which handle it imperfectly but do not attack the customer. The principle: under public criticism, give the person the reason, the timescale and the fix, and never answer the tone.

3. Question 3 of 10

   You work on the service desk of a bicycle hire scheme. A customer has been charged a £120 late return fee. The app’s GPS shows his bike was returned two hours late, but he says he docked it on time and the dock was faulty. Docking faults are logged by the system and you can see the maintenance log. Your supervisor can authorise refunds. Which response below would be most effective, and which would be least effective?

   1. Explain that the system shows the bike as returned two hours late and that the charge is applied automatically, and give him the address for written appeals.
   2. Tell him the GPS data is definitive, that the system does not make mistakes of this kind, and that the charge will stand.
   3. Refund the £120 now, since a faulty dock is a plausible explanation and £120 is a lot to charge a customer for a fault that may not be his.
   4. Apologise, check the maintenance log for a fault on that dock at that time, and take the result to your supervisor so the charge can be refunded if the dock failed.
   Show the answer

   Most effective: D. Apologise, check the maintenance log for a fault on that dock at that time, and take the result to your supervisor so the charge can be refunded if the dock failed.

   Least effective: B. Tell him the GPS data is definitive, that the system does not make mistakes of this kind, and that the charge will stand.

   A: Ignores the customer's actual need: the maintenance log that would test his account is available to you now, and he is sent to write a letter about something you could check in a minute.

   B: Acts on assumptions without checking: it asserts the system is infallible while a maintenance log exists precisely because docks fail, and it rules against the customer without opening the one record that would test his account.

   C: Breaches confidentiality or process: refunds need supervisor authorisation, and granting one on plausibility rather than on the log that would settle it removes the control and skips the evidence.

   The most effective response is to apologise, check the maintenance log for a fault on that dock at that time, and take the result to your supervisor so the charge can be refunded if the dock failed: he has made a specific, checkable claim, the log will show whether that dock faulted, and your supervisor can refund on the strength of it. Checking first means the decision rests on evidence rather than on who insists harder. It beats explaining that the charge is automatic and giving him the address for written appeals, because that defers a check you can do immediately. It beats refunding the £120 now because a faulty dock is plausible, since that skips both the evidence and the authorisation, so a genuine dock fault still goes unrecorded and unfixed. The least effective response is telling him the GPS data is definitive and the system does not make such mistakes: it declares the system incapable of the error he describes, when the maintenance log exists because docks do fail, and refuses him without looking. That is worse than the appeals address, which at least leaves a route, and worse than the immediate refund, which at least resolves it in his favour. The principle: when a customer’s account is checkable, check it, then take the evidence to whoever authorises the outcome.

4. Question 4 of 10

   You are a property manager for a block of flats. A leaseholder has been chasing you for three weeks about a leak into her flat from the roof. Today the contractor confirms the roof needs a full repair costing more than the reserve fund holds, which means a consultation with all leaseholders and no repair for at least two months. She has already reported damage to her ceiling. Your director is available. Which response below would be most effective, and which would be least effective?

   1. Ring the leaseholder today, explain the roof needs full repair, that consultation means at least two months, and what will be done about her ceiling and the leak meanwhile.
   2. Wait until the consultation is under way before contacting her, so that you can give her firm dates rather than an open-ended answer she will only chase you about again.
   3. Write to all leaseholders with the consultation notice, so that everyone including her receives the same information about the roof at the same time.
   4. Tell her the roof repair has been approved in principle and that you will confirm timescales once the consultation process has been worked through.
   Show the answer

   Most effective: A. Ring the leaseholder today, explain the roof needs full repair, that consultation means at least two months, and what will be done about her ceiling and the leak meanwhile.

   Least effective: B. Wait until the consultation is under way before contacting her, so that you can give her firm dates rather than an open-ended answer she will only chase you about again.

   B: Hides the problem: she has water entering her flat and has chased for three weeks. Waiting for tidier information leaves her with no information at all, and the silence is chosen to avoid being chased rather than to help her.

   C: Tells the wrong audience first: she has been chasing for three weeks and has water coming into her flat, so receiving a standard notice with everyone else answers none of her particular questions.

   D: Over-promises: describing it as approved in principle implies more certainty than a consultation that has not started, and it withholds the two-month timescale she needs to plan around.

   The most effective response is to ring the leaseholder today, explain the roof needs full repair, that consultation means at least two months, and what will be done about her ceiling and the leak meanwhile: she has been chasing for three weeks, has an active leak and ceiling damage, and the news is bad in a specific way she needs to plan around. That treats her as someone with a live problem rather than one of a list. It beats writing to all leaseholders with the consultation notice, because a general notice answers the block’s question and not hers. It beats telling her the repair is approved in principle with timescales to follow, because that overstates where things stand and still leaves out the timescale. The least effective response is waiting until the consultation is under way so you can give her firm dates: it delays telling her anything until the information is neater, while water continues to come into her flat, and the reason is to avoid being chased. That is worse than the other two, which communicate partially but do communicate. The principle: tell the person carrying the consequence directly, give them the timescale even when it is bad, and say what happens in the meantime.

5. Question 5 of 10

   You are a receptionist at an urgent care walk-in centre. Waiting times have reached three hours because two clinicians are off. A man who has been waiting with his young daughter tells you angrily, in front of a full waiting room, that the centre is a disgrace and that nobody has told him anything. His daughter is not seriously unwell but he is exhausted. Your senior receptionist is at the next desk. Which response below would be most effective, and which would be least effective?

   1. Explain that two clinicians are off sick and that reception has no control over waiting times, and ask him to take a seat with the others who are waiting.
   2. Acknowledge the three-hour wait, tell him roughly where his daughter is in the queue and when the next update will come, and check whether she needs to be seen sooner.
   3. Tell him that everyone is waiting and that complaining at reception will not make his daughter be seen any sooner.
   4. Apologise and ask the senior receptionist to come and speak to him, then carry on booking in the patients waiting behind him.
   Show the answer

   Most effective: B. Acknowledge the three-hour wait, tell him roughly where his daughter is in the queue and when the next update will come, and check whether she needs to be seen sooner.

   Least effective: C. Tell him that everyone is waiting and that complaining at reception will not make his daughter be seen any sooner.

   A: Defends the practice to an audience: it answers his frustration with a defence of reception and a comparison with other patients, in front of a full room, which invites him to escalate.

   C: Personalises the conflict: it tells a tired parent that raising a concern is pointless, in front of a full waiting room, and offers him nothing. Dismissing a patient's parent outright is a different order of wrong from explaining badly.

   D: Passes responsibility to others: it hands over a conversation you can have, and makes him wait again for an answer about waiting, which is what he is angry about.

   The most effective response is to acknowledge the three-hour wait, tell him roughly where his daughter is in the queue and when the next update will come, and check whether she needs to be seen sooner: his complaint is that nobody has told him anything, so that answers all of it, and it also does the clinically responsible thing. It beats explaining that two clinicians are off sick and asking him to take a seat, because defending reception, however true, argues with his frustration rather than answering his question, in public. It beats asking the senior receptionist to come and speak to him, because that makes him wait again for information you already have. The least effective response is telling him everyone is waiting and that complaining will not make his daughter be seen sooner: it tells him his complaint is futile and gives him nothing at all, in front of a full waiting room. That is worse than explaining the staffing, which at least explains, and worse than fetching the senior receptionist, which at least routes him to someone. The principle: when the complaint is about not being told, tell them, and check whether the situation itself needs escalating.

6. Question 6 of 10

   You are a duty operations assistant at a ferry terminal. At 7am three things need you. A vehicle has broken down on the loading ramp and the 8am sailing cannot load past it. A passenger with a wheelchair booking has arrived and needs assistance arranged. And head office wants yesterday’s loading figures by 9am. Recovery for the ramp takes about thirty minutes to arrange and attend. The assistance booking takes five minutes to arrange. Which response below would be most effective, and which would be least effective?

   1. Arrange the recovery for the ramp first since the whole sailing depends on it, then sort out the passenger assistance and send the figures.
   2. Deal with the passenger's assistance and the loading figures first, since both are quick, then arrange the recovery for the blocked ramp.
   3. Arrange the recovery and the figures, and tell the passenger that assistance cannot be guaranteed this morning because of the disruption on the ramp.
   4. Call the recovery for the ramp and arrange the passenger's assistance in the five minutes while it is on its way, then do the figures before 9am.
   Show the answer

   Most effective: D. Call the recovery for the ramp and arrange the passenger's assistance in the five minutes while it is on its way, then do the figures before 9am.

   Least effective: C. Arrange the recovery and the figures, and tell the passenger that assistance cannot be guaranteed this morning because of the disruption on the ramp.

   A: Delays the decision on the smallest task: the recovery does need starting first, but the assistance booking takes five minutes and the passenger is standing waiting for a sailing she may otherwise miss. Sequencing by size of problem leaves her unattended.

   B: Substitutes own judgement for the stakeholder's: the figures are due at 9am and affect nobody's morning, while a blocked ramp stops an 8am sailing. Doing the quick jobs first spends the recovery's lead time.

   C: Ignores the passenger's actual need: booked assistance is what allows her to travel at all, and it takes five minutes. Withdrawing it because the terminal is busy leaves her unable to board a sailing she has booked.

   The most effective response is to call the recovery for the ramp and arrange the passenger’s assistance in the five minutes while it is on its way, then do the figures before 9am: recovery has the longest lead time so the call goes first, and the waiting time is exactly enough to arrange the assistance she has booked. The figures can follow. It beats arranging the recovery first and then sorting the assistance, because recovery is a phone call followed by waiting, and she should not stand unattended through it. It beats dealing with the assistance and the loading figures first as the quick jobs, because that delays the one task whose lead time blocks an entire sailing. The least effective response is telling the passenger assistance cannot be guaranteed this morning because of the disruption: it withdraws booked assistance from someone who depends on it, so she may be unable to travel at all, to manage a problem that takes five minutes to accommodate. That is worse than the other two, which sequence imperfectly but serve everybody. The principle: start the longest lead time first, then use the waiting time for the short tasks rather than leaving people unattended.

7. Question 7 of 10

   You work at a self-storage facility. At 4pm a customer arrives to collect belongings before the site closes at 5pm and needs her unit unlocked, which takes ten minutes. Your manager has asked you to complete the monthly unit occupancy report before you leave; it takes half an hour and is due tonight. A delivery of packing boxes also needs signing for at some point today. Which response below would be most effective, and which would be least effective?

   1. Unlock the customer's unit first so she can start collecting before the site closes, then sign for the delivery and complete the occupancy report.
   2. Tell the customer that the site is closing shortly and ask her to come back tomorrow, so that the report and the delivery can both be dealt with properly.
   3. Start the occupancy report since it takes half an hour and is due tonight, and unlock the unit once you have made a start on the figures.
   4. Sign for the packing box delivery first while the driver is waiting, then unlock the unit and do the report before you leave.
   Show the answer

   Most effective: A. Unlock the customer's unit first so she can start collecting before the site closes, then sign for the delivery and complete the occupancy report.

   Least effective: B. Tell the customer that the site is closing shortly and ask her to come back tomorrow, so that the report and the delivery can both be dealt with properly.

   B: Ignores the customer's actual need: she has arrived within opening hours for a ten-minute job, and she is turned away so that tasks with the whole evening available can be done first. Refusing access during opening hours is a service failure, not a priority call.

   C: Delays the decision: the site closes at 5pm, so the customer's ten minutes has a hard limit and the report has all evening. Starting the long job first risks her losing her access entirely.

   D: Acts on assumptions without checking: the delivery has no stated deadline beyond today, while the customer's access ends when the site closes. Treating whoever is physically present as most urgent is not the same as judging it.

   The most effective response is to unlock the customer’s unit first so she can start collecting before the site closes, then sign for the delivery and complete the occupancy report: the site closes at 5pm, which fixes her window absolutely, and ten minutes of it is all she needs. The report has the rest of the evening and the delivery has the rest of the day. It beats starting the occupancy report because it takes half an hour and is due tonight, since that risks her losing access when a ten-minute job would have preserved it. It beats signing for the packing box delivery first while the driver waits, because the delivery’s only deadline is today, while hers ends when the doors do. The least effective response is asking her to come back tomorrow because the site is closing shortly: it turns away a customer who arrived inside opening hours for a ten-minute task, so that jobs with hours of slack can be done first. That is worse than the other two, which sequence badly but still serve her. The principle: serve the person whose window is about to close, then do the work that can be done at any point before the deadline.

8. Question 8 of 10

   You work for a tour operator. A group of twenty-four is flying out on Saturday on a walking holiday. On Wednesday the mountain hut booked for two nights closes after a water supply failure. An alternative hut is available but is four hours’ walk further on, which changes two days of the itinerary. The group leader is contactable. Your operations manager is available today. Which response below would be most effective, and which would be least effective?

   1. Rebook the alternative hut and send the group leader a revised itinerary, so the holiday is secured and everyone knows the new plan before they fly.
   2. Wait until the water supply position is clearer later in the week, since the hut may reopen before Saturday and a change of itinerary would unsettle the group unnecessarily.
   3. Let the group travel as booked and have the guide explain the change of route when they reach the mountain, since the alternative hut will be arranged by then anyway.
   4. Ring the group leader today, explain the hut closure and what the alternative would mean for two days of walking, and agree the plan before anything is rebooked.
   Show the answer

   Most effective: D. Ring the group leader today, explain the hut closure and what the alternative would mean for two days of walking, and agree the plan before anything is rebooked.

   Least effective: C. Let the group travel as booked and have the guide explain the change of route when they reach the mountain, since the alternative hut will be arranged by then anyway.

   A: Substitutes own judgement for the stakeholder's: adding four hours' walking to two days changes what the group signed up for, and some members may not be able to do it. That is the group leader's call, not a booking amendment.

   B: Delays the decision: the alternative hut may be taken by another group while you wait, and the leader loses the days in which walkers could have prepared or withdrawn.

   C: Hides the problem: twenty-four people are told on the mountain that two days now involve four hours' more walking, when some may be unable to manage it and none of them can do anything about it there. That is concealment with a safety dimension.

   The most effective response is to ring the group leader today, explain the hut closure and what the alternative would mean for two days of walking, and agree the plan before anything is rebooked: four extra hours on two days is a material change, some of twenty-four people may not manage it, and only he can judge that for his group. Wednesday leaves time to prepare, adjust or withdraw. It beats rebooking the alternative hut and sending a revised itinerary, because that presents the change as settled when its acceptability depends on the group. It beats waiting until the water supply position is clearer later in the week, because that risks losing the alternative hut and burns the days the group needs. The least effective response is letting them travel as booked and having the guide explain the change of route on the mountain: it tells twenty-four walkers the route has lengthened substantially at the one point where nobody can opt out. That is worse than the other two, which decide or delay but do not spring it on people in the field. The principle: when a change affects what people are physically committing to, tell whoever speaks for them while they can still choose.

9. Question 9 of 10

   You pick online grocery orders at a supermarket. A customer’s order includes a specific nut-free chocolate spread, which is out of stock. The system suggests a standard chocolate spread as a substitute. The order notes say it is for a child with a severe nut allergy. Another nut-free spread is available in a different size at a higher price. Your shift manager can authorise price matching. Which response below would be most effective, and which would be least effective?

   1. Reject the substitution and leave the item out of the order, so that nothing unsuitable is sent and the customer can buy her own elsewhere.
   2. Substitute the alternative nut-free spread and ask your shift manager to price match it, so the order arrives with something the child can safely eat.
   3. Substitute the alternative nut-free spread at its higher price, since it is the only safe option and the customer would rather pay more than go without.
   4. Accept the system's suggested standard spread, since it is the recommended substitute and the customer can always refuse it at the door if it does not suit her.
   Show the answer

   Most effective: B. Substitute the alternative nut-free spread and ask your shift manager to price match it, so the order arrives with something the child can safely eat.

   Least effective: D. Accept the system's suggested standard spread, since it is the recommended substitute and the customer can always refuse it at the door if it does not suit her.

   A: Ignores the customer's actual need: a suitable nut-free spread is on the shelf, so leaving the line unfilled sends her nothing when a workable substitute exists.

   C: Acts on assumptions without checking: the substitution is right and the price increase is assumed to be acceptable, when a shift manager who could price match it is available and has not been asked.

   D: Ignores a stated allergy with a health consequence: the notes say the spread is for a child with a severe nut allergy, so accepting the system's suggestion sends the one product that could actually harm him. Following the system over a stated allergy is the worst of the four.

   The most effective response is to substitute the alternative nut-free spread and ask your shift manager to price match it: the order notes state an allergy, a safe alternative is on the shelf, and the only obstacle is a price difference a manager can authorise away. That gets the child something safe at the price the customer expected. It beats substituting the alternative at its higher price, because that makes the same correct swap while assuming she will accept paying more, when the manager could remove that. It beats rejecting the substitution and leaving the item out of the order, because that sends her nothing when a suitable product exists. The least effective response is accepting the system’s suggested standard spread because she can refuse it at the door: it substitutes an ordinary spread for one flagged for a child with a nut allergy, which is the single product in the aisle that could harm him. That is worse than the other two, which cost her money or an item but send nothing unsafe. The principle: when a customer has stated an allergy, meet it with a safe product and use the authority above you to deal with the price.

10. Question 10 of 10

    You work in a student accommodation office. Deposits are returned after an inspection, with deductions for damage. A colleague asks you to record a broken door in a room as pre-existing wear, explaining that the student who caused it is a friend of hers and cannot afford the deduction. The inspection report you completed records the door as damaged. Your accommodation manager is in the building. Which response below would be most effective, and which would be least effective?

    1. Refuse and report your colleague to the accommodation manager for asking you to alter an inspection record in favour of a friend.
    2. Leave the report as it is but do not submit it yet, so that your colleague has time to find another way to help the student before the deduction is applied.
    3. Record the door as pre-existing wear as she asks, since the student is struggling financially and one door will not be noticed among the year's inspections.
    4. Tell your colleague you will not change the report, and suggest the student applies through the hardship or appeals route if she cannot afford the deduction.
    Show the answer

    Most effective: D. Tell your colleague you will not change the report, and suggest the student applies through the hardship or appeals route if she cannot afford the deduction.

    Least effective: C. Record the door as pre-existing wear as she asks, since the student is struggling financially and one door will not be noticed among the year's inspections.

    A: Escalates prematurely: the request is wrong and she has not yet been told plainly that you will not do it. Reporting first turns a bad request into a disciplinary matter without the conversation that would probably end it.

    B: Delays the decision: holding back a completed inspection report to create room for a favour is a quieter version of the same request, and it puts the student's deposit process in limbo.

    C: Falsifies an inspection record: the report is the evidence on which another person's money is withheld or returned, and changing it as a favour is dishonesty that every other student pays for through the deposit scheme.

    The most effective response is to tell your colleague you will not change the report, and suggest the student applies through the hardship or appeals route: the report records what you found and will not be altered, and the student’s real problem, affording the deduction, has a legitimate route. Saying both settles the matter and offers a genuine answer. It beats refusing and reporting her to the accommodation manager for asking, because she has not yet been told plainly that you will not do it, and reporting first escalates something one sentence would resolve. It beats holding the finished report back so she has time to find another way to help, because sitting on it to make space for a favour is the same request in slower form. The least effective response is recording the door as pre- existing wear as she asks: it alters the evidence on which a deposit is decided, as a personal favour, and every other student funds the difference. That is worse than the other two, which handle it awkwardly but keep the record true. The principle: refuse to change the record, say so directly to the person who asked, and point at the legitimate route for the underlying problem.