TIME MANAGEMENT
to leave. If you want the caller to reach you on
your cell phone or at another number, say so. If
there is a staff member who fi elds your phone
calls, refer callers to that person. If you’re not
going to be returning calls until a certain time,
state that clearly.
As with responding to e-mails, you might
want to dedicate a particular time of your day to
returning phone calls. Whenever possible, you
want to return all calls by the end of the busi-
ness day—phone messages that accumulate will
TELEPHONE EFFICIENCY
When you do dial the phone or accept
a call, you still want to make efficient
use of the time. It’s tempting to relax
and chat when there’s a telephone
receiver in your hand. To stay in con-
trol of telephone time, remember to:- Avoid giving callers a chance to
chat endlessly. - Ask callers politely to get to the
point. - Give verbal cues when it’s time
to move on or end the call. - Write out your talking points
before you call. - POWER POINTS •