You are the only associate and a phone call comes in while two customers are in your department; what should you do?

• A. Put the caller on hold and finish with current customers.
• B. Let the caller hold.
• C. Ignore the call.
• D. Answer the call and call back if necessary.

Answer: (D)

Handling multiple requests at once means balancing attentiveness to the phone with attention to the people in front of you. The best move is to answer the incoming call and manage it promptly, then arrange a follow-up if needed. Answering shows you value the person who reached out and prevents the call from going unanswered or being forgotten. If the call will take time or you can’t resolve it immediately while two customers are in front of you, you can take a brief message or offer to call back as soon as you’re free. This approach keeps both channels respected and maintains professional courtesy. Ignoring the call or letting it hopelessly hold without a plan would risk losing the customer and damage perceived service quality.