How to Deal with Outgoing Calls

As you control your outgoing calls you have a lot of scope for doing so in the most time-efficient manner, and also for improving their effectiveness. First of all, decide whether you really need to make the call. Can you visit the person, send a fax or e-mail, get someone else to deal with it? In fact, in many cases a call is unnecessary and it would be better to do nothing at all.

Planning your calls
If you have decided that you must make calls there are many ways to ensure that you can save time and make the calls efficiently. Whenever you think a call is necessary, take a little time to plan before you reach for the phone.

The most time-efficient way of dealing with outgoing phone calls is to make them all (or at least most of them) during one or two specific times of the day. You can then deal with them in one go, then get on with other things. Choose times when you are most likely to find people in and when you have enough free time to deal with all the calls together.

Before you make any call decide what you are going to say and how you are going to say it. These points will help you:

- know exactly to whom you want to speak
- know what you want to say
- prepare a message in case the person you want is out
- have the relevant paperwork at hand
- have paper and pen ready
- have important facts and dates written down
- relax by breathing deeply
- visualize the person to whom you will be speaking
- picture a calming situation
- choose an appropriate time to call.

If you have to make a difficult call, don't put it off. Prepare yourself as above and then make the call as soon as you can. Get to the point quickly - neither of you will be helped if you dither.

Notes beforehand
Nothing wastes more time when you are making a call than having to search for information while you are on the phone.

Before you make any call, gather all the information you need. Do you need statistics, names and addresses, the last letter you received from the caller? Make sure that everything is by the phone when you make the call. That way you can answer queries on the spot.

Making notes
Make notes to yourself before you phone. List all the points that you want to make and answers to possible queries. Put them in order of priority so that the important points are made straight away. Keep a pen with you to make notes during the call.

Keep your calls short
To keep your own calls short, try these tips:
- keep a kitchen timer or clock by your phone, set it for five minutes and end the call when it rings
- don't say 'how are you?' and encourage chat
- give notice that you are ending the call by saying 'one last point...'
- say you'll get back - and then keep the call short and to the point
- if all else fails, be rude (emergency use only!).

Organized calls - another example
Watch how other people organize their calls. Why not try Alice's method? Alice is a retail manager who has to deal with a great many phone calls every day. She has her own call-back action plan. She gives each call she receives a number and makes a note of the problem raised. At the end of the day she makes a numbered list of calls that either she or her secretary have to make and records details of the replies to be made. Each call is allocated a call sheet so that when the call is made a separate note of the reply or action to be taken is made for the files.