Final answer:
Customer service professionals are expected to answer the phone before the third ring to show promptness and respect for a caller's time, similar to etiquette practices like placing a napkin on your lap at a dining table.
Step-by-step explanation:
Customer service professionals should answer the phone before the third ring. This standard guideline emphasizes promptness and respect for the caller's time, akin to other etiquette practices such as placing the napkin on your lap immediately when you sit at a dining table. When on hold, specifically on a telephone call with call waiting, it is generally expected for the wait time to be reasonable, although there is no strict rule like the three-ring guideline in customer service. However, businesses strive to keep hold times short to improve overall customer experience.