A sales associate realizes they do not know mortgage details while serving a customer. 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 information you need, the best move is to stay engaged with the customer and get the right help for what you can’t answer. This option does that by asking if Bob needs help with any other banking issues right now. It shows you’re attentive, keeps the customer’s needs front and center, and reduces back-and-forth time because you can continue assisting with tasks you can handle immediately while you arrange for mortgage expertise to step in for the mortgage specifics.

This approach minimizes wait times and frustration. If you immediately pull in a mortgage specialist or tell the customer to come back later, you risk leaving them with unresolved questions and a sense that you can’t help in the moment. By offering to help with other issues first, you maintain service momentum and demonstrate that you’re on the customer’s side, even as you seek the right information.