A customer asks warranty information on a HDTV; you are not in electronics. How should you handle the request?

• A. Explain to the customer that the call was routed to the wrong department, and connect her with an associate in the electronics department.
• B. Tell her you are helping another customer, provide her the correct number of the electronics department, and ask her to call back.
• C. Take a message and tell her that you will have the manager from the electronics department call her back.
• D. Recommend that she visit the company website and look up the warranty information.

Answer: (A)

When you don’t have the information or authority to answer, directing the customer to the right resource is essential for accuracy and speed. In this case, warranty details for a HDTV are handled by the electronics department, so the best move is to acknowledge the misrouting and connect the customer with an electronics associate who can provide precise warranty information. This approach minimizes delays, ensures the customer gets correct guidance on coverage and terms, and prevents guesswork from happening.

Telling the customer you’re helping another person and offering a phone number shifts the burden back to them and can create friction or uncertainty about when they’ll get help. Taking a message for the electronics manager to call back can cause unnecessary wait, leaving the customer without an answer now. Suggesting they visit the website may be useful as a supplementary resource, but it doesn’t resolve the immediate need for an accurate, direct answer from someone with the right knowledge.