A bank customer with a mortgage issue asks for help but the associate realizes they lack mortgage knowledge. What should she do first?

• A. Ask Bob if he needs help with any other banking issues.
• B. Thank Bob for his patience and immediately ask the manager to help.
• C. Suggest that Bob wait for another associate who might be familiar with mortgages.
• D. Tell Bob to come back on Tuesday when the mortgage specialist is in.

Answer: (A)

When you don’t have the knowledge to answer a customer’s mortgage question, the best move is to acknowledge the gap and keep the interaction helpful within your current scope. Asking the customer if they need help with any other banking issues shows you’re attentive and willing to assist right away, which keeps the conversation productive and preserves the customer’s trust. It also avoids making the customer wait or feel dismissed, and it creates a natural opening to involve a mortgage specialist or manager for the specific question right after you’ve addressed what you can handle now. The other options delay or misdirect help and can leave the customer frustrated, whereas this approach keeps the relationship positive and on track while you arrange the right expertise.