What should you do if you know you'll need to leave the telephone for more than 30 seconds to find information for a caller? A.
Offer to call the person back in a few minutes. B. Politely ask the caller to wait and put him or her on hold. C. Inform the caller that it's going to take a while and place the receiver or headset on your desk. D. Politely inform the caller that it's going to take a few minutes to find the information and put him or her on hold.
Answer: A. Offer to call the person back in a few minutes.
Explanation: Either the information request is complex and requires several minutes to fulfill, or data must be gathered because it isn’t ready. Wait until you can gather the information, or if they would be available. In these instances, ask callers whether they prefer like you to call them back.
Sometimes callers will insist on waiting, no matter how long it takes. They might be anxious because the information is needed urgently. If this is the case, you should come to the phone every few minutes so they don’t think you’ve forgotten them. Always remain courteous and use expressions such as “Thank you for waiting. "PF"
