Question

When balancing service between phone customers and those you may already be helping in the store, you should:

A) Ignore phone customers
B) Give priority to phone customers
C) Politely ask phone customers to wait
D) Provide equal attention to both

Answer 1

The most professional manner to handle both phone customers and in-person customers is to politely ask phone customers to hold, giving you the opportunity to provide equal attention to both without making anyone feel neglected.

Step-by-step explanation:

When balancing service between phone customers and those you may already be helping in the store, the best approach is to politely ask phone customers to wait. This ensures that you are acknowledging the phone customer's presence and need for service, while not neglecting the in-person customer you are currently assisting. A balance needs to be struck where neither party feels ignored. In situations like these, good communication and time management skills are essential.

For instance, when you sit at a dining table, etiquette typically suggests you should place the napkin on your lap shortly after sitting down. Similarly, when on a telephone call and placed on hold, a reasonable wait time may vary, but excessive hold times can lead to customer frustration. Applying this understanding of patience and respect in both scenarios, the goal is to provide equal attention to both phone and in-store customers by quickly acknowledging the phone customer and ensuring they are helped as soon as possible.