Use an honest fallback for an unapproved firm question

The operational decision

Give callers a useful next step when the knowledge set lacks an answer. An intake assistant needs a controlled set of firm facts and instructions. Old practice descriptions, informal staff comments and draft policies should not compete with the current approved script.

Prepare the workflow

Create a short response that names the staff route and avoids turning a missing fact into a legal explanation.

Example wording for approval

“I do not have an approved answer to that question. The example firm's staff can explain the relevant process through its published contact route.”

Worked example

A fictional caller asks whether the firm provides a service not described in the approved directory. The assistant should not extrapolate from an attorney biography or a similar practice label. It gives the approved general-review route and marks the service question as unresolved. If the firm later approves a public answer, add it with a source and owner. Until then, a clear acknowledgment of uncertainty is more useful than an invented policy that creates expectations staff must later undo.

Handoff record

Record these task-specific fields: unknown topic, approved route, content owner, follow-up task.

Acceptance check

Ask about a service not mentioned anywhere in the approved sources. The assistant should not invent a policy to keep the conversation flowing.

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